Some questions re: camping

eamon

There are many horror stories surrounding camp sites. Particularly over the size of some modern tents. Some are huge! Your local fire service will have guidelines regarding how crushed a site can be. Define the market that you aiming at as many sites don't like large groups e.g. single men or women.

I second the idea of a small shop selling camping basics. Fresh milk for one. As you grow the site you could consider being more flamboyant with the range
Get the toilet blocks sorted out with quality hard wearing gear that is easy to maintain and clean. Some years ago I stayed in a camp site in Germany and everyday the toilet block was hosed down with high pressure water jets and appropriate chemicals.

As for pricing. Keep it simple and easy to understand. By all means charge slightly more in the peak months but be aware of taking the p$ss.

wilkies5

A campsite offering firepits would be really welcome, too few of them around. Orchard Campsite in Suffolk is the only one I know of! Also space for families who like their children to play on the playground being separate from those who like a bit of peace & quiet. I'm not being mean...I have two kids of my own.
Dog walks, well marked, which take you in a good few miles walk away from site are always welcome too. I have been to sites where their idea of a dog walk is a 10m square enclosed field.
Encourage local producers to come onto site once or twice a week to sell their stuff: eggs, bacon, cakes & bread. They will appreciate the extra revenue and you will forge strong bonds with your neighbours.

Good luck!

*manda*

I personally prefer sites that charge per person as I hate being charged the same for the 2 of us as for a family of 10. I don't agree with extra charges for car though. Also be nice to have dog free areas as personally we don't want to be around other peoples dogs. Also free electric is always a thumbs up for me, but again, people may not want to have that included if they aren't using it - in the same way I don't like paying the same as a big family when there are only 2 of us!!

Also think some separate toilets would be useful as previously mentioned, it would be frustrating early mornings otherwise. You could have ones with full length doors, so more "soundproof" Personally I don't care if people can hear me in the toilet- we all have to go!! Same for showers, it doesn't bother me, as long as there is enough space to put clothes etc. Some of them have a tiny shelf and hook and the clothes still get quite wet which I find irritating. I also get irritated by people charging mobile phones in the sockets by mirrors when it's busy as some of us actualy want to use the mirrors....I only use parks that have cubicles with enclosed shower and changing area rather than communal style- I couldn't bear showering or dressing in front of strangers nowadays!

I'm not sure 1 charge would necessarily work as you've got to make money and surely people wont want to pay as much off peak. Perhaps just offer fair rates all year around.

Good luck though!

bluenoseam

Personally i'd have 2 set ups (price wise), with a surcharge for groups of 6 or more - i know this is potentially devisive to larger families, but truth be told any more than 6 people is damaging for the ground & causes issues with other guests.

As for the toilets, i personally wouldn't mind, listen we all know basic biology - newsflash, everyone has the same toilet requirements, even the Queen drops the kids off at the pool! (there really isn't a polite way of putting that!) So long as the showers are sizable, clean & relatively private again i'm not concerned as a customer - my main point in that would be CLEAN, i.e. no mass trough running the length of the block!!

The other thing i would suggest is to check out the lie of the land beforehand, go visit & spend time in as many local campsites to your area as you can viably do so - nothing tells you more about your own place than being in someone elses! Far too many site owners think their site is the dogs danglies without actually ever using anyone elses and that breeds complacency, in the immediate future that's not bad, but gradual decline can be almost terminal if left unchecked. I like the idea of allowing local producers to come & have a farmers market style thing, but ultimately it would have to be really regular or you run the chance of it being of limited appeal to both parties.

flea72

socks_uk wrote: »

I can see that a family would like to pay a fixed rate for a pitch but would that discourage couples who would have to pay the same pitch rate?

but if you are taking up the same amount of space, why should there be a difference in price?

perhaps campsites need to start charging per square footage, rather than per person or unit. or would that discourage singletons and couples who have a tent bigger than their needs?

i dont think ive ever seen anyone just turn up at a campsite with a pup tent for two (unless it was a one-nighter), but they soon realise that modern day camping isnt about minimalism, and by the next season they have a 12 berth tunnel tent, with tables, chairs, electric hook-up, microwave, airbeds, laptop and satellite tv

infact last season i saw one family change tent after one nights sleep, as they realised that they had purchased way below their needs. if the spec say 4 berth, then in reality it sleeps 2 short people, with a bag bewteen them that fit easyjet carry-on restrictions

when i was young, and we were child-free i quite enjoyed having a tent that you had to get dressed in lying down, or sit outside under a brolly over your one-ring stove cooking a fry up, but now im older i much prefer being able to sit down for tea at a table with my family, inside my tent. i suppose you could say we now camp business class, rather than economy

F

laurel7172

Interesting comments re pricing for pitches-how would people feel about "single pitches" and "double pitches" (maybe 1.5-1.8 x the price of the single?).

I have to say that one of the things that puts me off camping is that the price seems so high. If I have to buy a tent, pitch it and sleep within snoring distance of my neighbours, I'd hope it would be cheaper than a hotel. At £10 per head x 3, we can get an advance-book room for less-and we don't have to share the showers with strangers. But I'm sure I must be missing something.

flea72

laurel7172 wrote: »

Interesting comments re pricing for pitches-how would people feel about "single pitches" and "double pitches" (maybe 1.5-1.8 x the price of the single?).

I have to say that one of the things that puts me off camping is that the price seems so high. If I have to buy a tent, pitch it and sleep within snoring distance of my neighbours, I'd hope it would be cheaper than a hotel. At £10 per head x 3, we can get an advance-book room for less-and we don't have to share the showers with strangers. But I'm sure I must be missing something.

yes, camping has gotten very expensive of late (mainly due the change in pricing structure)

although you can find hotel rooms for £30pn, its the cost of feeding yourself, that we find its the biggest consideration.

we stayed in a TL for 2wks a few years ago, as i managed to get £9pn night rooms - however, once we costed up how much we spent on eating out we were up to £70pn. that and the fact as a family of 5 in one small room with only tv for entertainment, the evenings were abit of a letdown, espec when the youngest was usually ready for bed by 7pm - so its back to camping for us again, as i can have more control over what we eat, and bedtimes

F

RedBern

Interesting discussion re price and sizes. In France you generally have a fixed sized emplacement (think it is something like 8m x 8m?) and the price is per couple and then children under 12 (although why their children are adults at 12 was always a puzzle:)). The cost of showers should be included - and like previous posters I don't like there not being hot water when I shower and wash dishes. Separate area for dish washing on the outside of the toilet block if possible is always a winner for me - makes less mess.

Wouldn't agree with bathroom area - would prefer lots of showers and perhaps a couple of cubicles and separate toilets.

ailuro2

Would it be feasible to have one area of smaller pitches for parties of 2, and then have bigger pitches for 3 or more.

That way the couples will be together, and the families and bigger groups are together, and you can charge by area rather then per head.

Have you though about a central bbq and picnic area - it's great to have a table to sit at and eat your dinner - even logs around a central firepit would work if you want to have a social area.

For novelty - charge £1 less a night if it has rained in the previous 24 hours! That way you'll still have higher profits in summer ( in theory) but have something to attract people in shoulder season.:D Though you'd have to have a weather station to check that.;)

greenface

ailuro2 wrote: »

Would it be feasible to have one area of smaller pitches for parties of 2, and then have bigger pitches for 3 or more.

That way the couples will be together, and the families and bigger groups are together, and you can charge by area rather then per head.

Have you though about a central bbq and picnic area - it's great to have a table to sit at and eat your dinner - even logs around a central firepit would work if you want to have a social area.

For novelty - charge £1 less a night if it has rained in the previous 24 hours! That way you'll still have higher profits in summer ( in theory) but have something to attract people in shoulder season.:D Though you'd have to have a weather station to check that.;)

some fantastic ideas here esp. the last one .A talking point that other sites dont have. Claim it back when you give in your shower key/pass etc. You could pop in into the charity box for a local need if you wish to. I am going to mention this to a friend who has a large well established site in North wales.If people ask for discounts etc .... bit of fun too.:T:T top post