The rising cost of camping

[slinkycat]

Anyone else think that some campsites are getting very expensive these days?
We camped for years with the kids as it was an affordable holiday on limited income.
Still enjoy it for holidays here, although we've gone upmarket and now have a campervan!
Just got back from a long weekend at a campsite we last visited with the kids around 6 years ago.
To take them now (at the ages they were then, if you see what I mean) would cost £41 a night!
There were a lot of empty spaces, maybe they are pricing themselves out of the market, what do you think?

[Buenchico]

I suppose it depends what you compare with. The cheapest B&Bs, here in Suffolk, charge around £60 per person, per night. £80 per person, per night, is more common. When I was running a railway station, over 5 years ago, I phoned 62 places to try to help a traveller to try to get a room for the night. The cheapest offer I got was £130 for one person (room only, breakfast extra!).

So £41 for a family doesn't sound too bad!

[slinkycat]

Hi Chris, yes it is still a cheap option compared to alternatives, but £41 to basically stay in a field with showers still seems excessive!
Especially when you consider the increase, I think it cost us about £15 a night last time we were there with the kids.

[I.Don No]

just remember to check your gas appliances....heard on the news that a chappie died from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping in a tent, and, no, I am not joking!

[Buenchico]

I have to admit to not having been camping for many years, but my friend uses a 'top of the range' campsite on the Suffolk coast. As she's now 77, she uses their chalets (rather than parking her campervan, as she used to do) but I've just taken a look at their prices:
http://www.cliffhouse.../camping_and_touring/

Those prices are for a site which has had millions of pounds spent on its development, with direct access to a beautiful beach. They might serve as a reference point for the charges at site which you're referring to.

[slinkycat]

That looks lovely Chris, we have friends who rave about Suffolk, maybe we will give it a go.

[Buenchico]

Slinkycat:
As my friend no longer has her campervan (or any other form of transport) it falls to me to drive her (and her two dogs!) to and from that site twice per year. So I know that site quite well. (Mary usually buys me in lunch in the excellent bar). It's really 'classy' without, in any way, being 'stuffy'.

Dunwich (where it's located) was at one time one of the biggest trading towns in Europe but most of it is now under the sea. However it's still a superb touring base, with the loveliest resort town in the country (Southwold) to be found just a few miles up the coast.

[owdhamer]

stayed at a premier inn the other night for £29

[slinkycat]

Still stick by my original post though:-) We are going away for another weekend, it will cost £25 a night for two of us, in what we know is an un-mown, sloping field. The showers are only open for half the day, you have to provide your own loo paper, and god forbid if you cross the owner!
Only go there because of beautiful location!

[RAV1D]

Camping prices are getting ridiculous. We have a 4 year old girl and she loves playing on out door parks like slides and see-saws etc. So I tried to find campsites that had play area's/park's and any that actualy had them the prices for a basic pitch for a tent and two adults and one child to camp there for 3 nights were sky high! I remember few years ago we could just pull up at a campsite pay a few quid and have a great cheap holiday. for two or 3 nights now your talking anything from 50 to 130quid just for a few nights in your own tent. You can get B&Bs for cheaper. What used to be an exciting cheap holiday for the family is now becoming a p*ss take. I booked two weeks off work and would of had a great camping holiday but have had to forget about it now as it's so expensive to sleep in a tent that we just sat at home.

[slinkycat]

My sentiments exactly RAV1D! I imagine a lot of families will no longer be able to afford what may have been their only chance of a holiday, due to such sharp increases in cost just lately.

[ethandron]

have you looked at the caravan club or the caravan and camping club? both these organisations have a network of not only larger sites but also small, five van sites which are very reasonable.
i doubt they'll price themselves out of business to be honest, many of the sites we use get booked up very readily, even out of season. i would certainly never pay anywhere near what you've paid.
on average, a caravan club site would cost approx. £20 a night for two adults in peak season, one of their certified locations (5 van sites) would cost between £8/£15 a night. you need to do some research and i think you'll be pleasantly surprised what you find.
personally, i don't think you can compare a caravan or campervan with staying in a B & B. they're completely different and it depends what you're looking for.

[mrsann]

Definitely overpriced now. We have sold our campervan due to high running costs. The ferry over to France is the cheapest option if you live near the channel ports as most villages and towns have free campsites for motorhomes which are safe,clean and well run and there are lots of clubs such as France Passion which invite motorhomes to stay on farms, vineyards etc and get to know the people. We now use special offers from English hotels for short breaks and have been agreeably surprised at the low prices (as little as £60 for two people two nights B&B in an old coaching inn with special offers for meals as well)and high quality of the hotels we have used so far

[mrsann]

Definitely overpriced especially whyen you compare here to France where most towns and villages have free,well run and clean campsites amd there aqre clubs such as France Passion which offer lots of free options for members. We have sold our motorhome and now use websites such as travel zoo for brilliant offers for hotel accomodation. We ahve paid as little as £60 for two people/two nights B&B in an old coaching inn with the added offer of reduced price meals available for guests staying in the hotel. Much better value

[KARL]

UK campsite prices (including the Camping and Caravanning Club ones) are, on the whole, significantly more expensive than on the continent with lower standards too - in my opinion and on my observations. In fact, for outside the very busiest times there is a card to be had that at a very modest cost gives you a packed directory for sites that allow you a motorhome/caravan/tent with two people plus electricity from EUR11 per night, except (last year's directory) I think there are only two sites in the UK that are included in the scheme.

[Mosaic]

Karl, I absolutely endorse your comments re. continental vs British campsites - and the standards of acceptable behaviour.
In the UK it is apparently acceptable to release your brats to play football around your neighbour's tent from 05.00 am until 02.00 hours while you and your friends bray drunkenly outside their tents.
In France, it is normal to ensure your neighbours are not disturbed and that no noise is heard between 08.00 and 23.00 hours.