# £24 quid for a CL?



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I've just returned from an enjoyable few nights on some CL's and was browsing the book - as you do - and one entry jumped out at me...

p394, Norfolk, Fakenham, Old Brick Kilns.

£24 p/night 8O ; Addnl Person £3 8O ; Child £2 8O ; Awning £1 8O - with a further link to their website....

http://www.old-brick-kilns.co.uk/introduction.htm

It appears that this is a commercial Caravan site with a CL area exclusive to Caravan Club members only (actually listed in their website fees as £25 a night :? ).

Now, I thought the whole point of CL's/Cs's was a more basic alternative to proper sites and I hope this is not a sign of things to come.

Two questions spring to mind...

Q1, Why didn't Brick-Kilns.co just extend their campsite by 5 pitches, or more importantly, how can the CClub justify this as a CL or is there some sneaky dodge of the rules going on here?

Q2, Is this the most expensive CL ever?

We didn't use it by the way :roll:

pete


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

You sure that isn`t for the week Pete 8O 

Steer well clear of that one then.Thanks for the heads up.  

steve


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## parigby (Jul 18, 2006)

Hi Peejay,

I've stayed on this site on a number of occasions, and indeed on two of those on the CL part. To be honest l don't think that Old Brick Kilns think of their five dedicated CC slots as CL's, in that they all have mains electricity, water and waste disposal points per pitch. In addition all are hardstanding with picnic tables and hedges both sides of the large pitches for that added privacy. In additional they have a dedicated toilet block that no one else on site has the use of. In addition you get the benefits, if that's how you see it, of all the other site amenities, ie: fishing and restaurant. 

The five pitches are in a separate part of the site, and therefore are very private. It also has the advantage of once the pitch is allocated to you, it is yours, so no need to leave signs or belongings behind as you go out for the day.

I think it may very well be that the CC don's quite know how to classify the facility that is being offered to them. 

I've always found Old Brick Kilns to be an excellent site, with owners that can't do enough to assist.


regards ..... philip


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi we stayed there a few weeks ago, just on the normal site opposite the restuarant I don't think we paid anywhere near as much as that the prices are listed within the website
http://www.old-brick-kilns.co.uk/prices.htm nice clean site, and friendly staff, there is a fishing lake with an extra charge per day Hubby likes fishing so when I saw there was also a pamper type thing on site we headed there as I intended to have a pedicure and massage etc whilst he fished, that bit is a little misleading though as when we arrived the salon was closed and you had to book for the mobile therapist to come to the site, and the week we went she couldn't fit me in 

The site is down a very long narrow lane, so we were glad nothing was coming the other way.........they are quite keen on you being off the site by a certain time as they have agreements with dustbin lorries etc not coming down before a certain time for you to avoid meeting up with one...........not sure what happens in the afternoon though when folks are arriving if the dustbin lorry has been and is coming back......if you see what I mean.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi Pete

Here's a link to the CC pitches:
http://www.old-brick-kilns.co.uk/heydons.htm

They've set up 5 "luxury" pitches for CC members only and presumably demand an extortionate pitch fee.

This is just a fiddle really isn't it? Probably to get around local authority licensing regulations. By calling the pitches a CL they can presumably add those to the existing licensed pitches on the campsite proper.

We stayed on a CL last week at £10 a night. Not too bad you might say and the site was quite pleasant with hook-up, a WC and shower. But it was miles from anywhere and I didn't need or want hook-up or sanitary facilities, I'd much prefer to pay half the price for a simple overnight pitch. Surely that was the whole idea of CLs, a basic place to stay at a minimal cost. Did CC members ask for them to become all bells and whistles and charge prices approaching those of a full blown site?

The CC have lost the plot I'm afraid, we won't be renewing our membership next year, we only joined for the convenience of the CL network, only once have we been asked for our CC membership card anyway at a CL so what's the point of paying the membership subs?


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## 97339 (Jan 18, 2006)

£25 a night whether it's a CL or not is extortionate!! My goodness,if we have to pay more than £7 a night on a CL (and we only use CL's)we moan.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

gaspode said:


> Hi Pete
> 
> Here's a link to the CC pitches:
> http://www.old-brick-kilns.co.uk/heydons.htm
> ...


 The pitch we had didn't really look any different (probably not as spaced out) and like I said we didn't pay that sort of money.


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## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I was the only unit on a CL near Caistor recently. It was great, overlooking two ponds and loads of wildlife. I wondered why the CL was not full, and the owner replied that everyone seems to want hook ups.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

I have just stayed on a £14 CS and it was worth every penny I have also stayed on a £5 one that was worth it as well. The first had a better shower room than we have at home and every facility apart from a motorhome dump. As I said when giving it 10 and entering it to the campsite database don't think of it as a traditional CS or CL think of it as an exclusive campsite. The £5 one was a flat field a hook up and the use of some smelly toilets in a stable. 

I'd stay in both again. Horses for courses.


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## nozzmoking (Mar 29, 2008)

Sorry for a dumb-sounding question, but, what's a CL?

Cheers

Paul


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

sallytrafic said:


> The first had a better shower room than we have at home and every facility apart from a motorhome dump. As I said when giving it 10 and entering it to the campsite database don't think of it as a traditional CS or CL think of it as an exclusive campsite.


Tut tut Frank, fancy giving it 10 without a motorhome dump facility :lol:

I agree with rowley,

I think it is a sign of the times where a big majority of campers (caravans and motorhomes) are tending to like lifes little luxuries instead of getting away from the 'umbilical cord' and are willingly paying inflated prices for a plot with loads of facilities. This is where i'm a bit worried about the whole ethos of CL's, surely they are supposed to be a basic place to stay and get away from it all, not just an excuse for an all singing and dancing pitch on a fancy site?

I was on a basic cl (without leccy) last night and the peace and tranquility was spoilt by two 'units' running gennies to watch their big colour tv's until well after 1130pm, but thats another (well debated) path we don't want to go down in this thread :roll: .

pete


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

nozzmoking said:


> Sorry for a dumb-sounding question, but, what's a CL?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Paul


Hi Paul, look here...

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/Planni...ificated+Locations/Certificated+Locations.htm

pete


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

nozzmoking said:


> Sorry for a dumb-sounding question, but, what's a CL?
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Paul


A private piece of land that is used by CC and C&CC members for stays up to a month. Usually basic but can be quite luxourious.

The CL owners are only supplying what a lot of people are demanding.
One of the most frequent moans I hear from CL/CS owners is that prospective campers are always asking if they have hook ups, showers and play areas.

I can quite easily imagine a CL being £25 per night, as has already been said, some are better equiped and maintained than a club site.
For instance, last week I was on a CL in Suffolk which was extremely well kept. Flat lawned pitches, very spacious. Books and games supplied free, river fishing also free. WiFi supplied for £2 no matter how long or short your stay, etc, etc All this does not grow on trees and CL/CS owners have to pay their way with all the latest charges that they have to absorb nowadays.
The above example was only £7 per night, soon going up to £9. But I can see that some CL owners would be keen to get their invested money back by charging more. And some punters willing to pay more. How many times have you heard that some M/Hers wont use their own toilets and showers, rather pay to use on site facilities. As the two major clubs insist on taking bookings for long periods during peak season its no wonder the small operators are sweeping up those that miss the boat.

BTW..this is *not* a rant. :lol:


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

I can see this thread headed towards "why don't we buy a nice little piece of woodland and................."


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Spacerunner said:


> The CL owners are only supplying what a lot of people are demanding.
> One of the most frequent moans I hear from CL/CS owners is that prospective campers are always asking if they have hook ups, showers and play areas.


I know what you're saying and I don't have a problem with honest land owners providing luxurious CL facilities for their clientele, there is a obviously a demand for that. What I find worrying is the apparent loophole where a fully fledged commercial campsite can cordon off a portion of their site and ask ridiculous prices charading as a 'CL', and apparently with the Caravan Clubs blessing.

pete


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## parigby (Jul 18, 2006)

The use of the term " honest landowners " in the first sentence of your post, gets you very close indeed to the implied suggestion, when taken within the context of the whole thread, that the owners of Old Brick Kilns are somehow not honest landowners.


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## 97339 (Jan 18, 2006)

The more basic the CL, the better. After all, it's more like getting back to nature. Most motorhomes will run on a leisure battery for a number of days, if you are careful and don't waste energy unescessarily.What really annoys us is having to pay for electric hook ups when we don't use them.


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## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

peejay said:


> sallytrafic said:
> 
> 
> > The first had a better shower room than we have at home and every facility apart from a motorhome dump. As I said when giving it 10 and entering it to the campsite database don't think of it as a traditional CS or CL think of it as an exclusive campsite.
> ...


Pot and kettle

I like simple things

An on board waste tank that requires you to position your van over an open drain is IMO a complication to motorhoming that I am glad to do without.


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## johnandcharlie (May 2, 2007)

I've been on several CLs this year who have recently installed, or are installing, EHU, as there is a demand for it. What's annoying is that the CC web site hasn't always been updated to tell you this, but I don't know if this is the club or site owners fault. The quality of facilities does vary, and prices vary for the same facilities. Some of the CLs without EHU now warn me quite apologetically that they don't have it when I phone them. I prefer to pay £2.50 to £4 for an almost level field with a water tap and a hole in the ground with a cover nearby. I usually have them pretty much to myself too at the moment, so just hope they survive.

The most I've ever paid for a CL is £10, and that's because I needed EHU and a hardstanding.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

johnandcharlie said:


> I prefer to pay £2.50 to £4 for an almost level field with a water tap and a hole in the ground with a cover nearby. I usually have them pretty much to myself too at the moment, so just hope they survive.
> 
> The most I've ever paid for a CL is £10, and that's because I needed EHU and a hardstanding.


I'm with you John, minimum facility sites are our favourites, you can't beat them but I fear they are getting more and more thin on the ground.

pete


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Surely the fee charged is dependent on what people will pay? If people want the facilities offered, in the seclusion available and are aware of the cost at the time of booking what is the problem with that?

We stay on small CL's, CC sites and many other places, we know what facilities we are expecting and we are happy to pay for those facilities. We use EHU's quite a lot and would endorse the comments about people asking for them, not just for MH but also for caravans - they are becoming increasingly equipped with mains operated items; TV, satellite, computer, wireless internet and so on. Indeed as members also of the CCC we see tents with such mains operated equipment inside. Such sophistication in camping may not be for everyone but if that is what people want, let them have it. 

When looking for a site isn't this what one looks for; that the facilites and costs are what you want, and it has the space you want when you want it. If you are happy paying more than a CC site because it has specific facilties available what is wrong with that?

This site may not be one we would choose to use, we have not been there so cannot specifically say NO, but for some people it may be exactly what they want. As regards the "honesty" of such a set up, it is impossible to comment without a lot more information about what was developed when, perhaps the CL was there first and then a commercial site opened up adjacent? I don't know but would not condemn without more detailed information.


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## 97339 (Jan 18, 2006)

Sounds good, a tap and a hole in the ground You are right that they are becoming a thing of the past, though.


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