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Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

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Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#81

Post by joking »

llimos wrote: post #37
rwmj wrote: post #6

PE is terrible, but this isn't a good example as there's plenty of competition for Center Parcs. Plus they raise their prices during school holidays when there's greatest demand, that's not an unfair practice, that's rationing out a limited resource when demand is greatest, economics 101. Bad PE looks like private equity trying to corner the market in vets[1] and dental practices[2], services that you don't really ha…

If the government want to help (and the new government has shown a strange attraction to price interference), they could simply let schools choose their own holidays, as long as they have the right number of school days in the year. It would be a bit harder for families with kids in different schools, but probably most schools would be _more or less_ the same, with just a bit more variation to spread it around a litt…

they do that in france with the "white" week. It's staggered and different per region.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#82

Post by [deleted] »

rwmj wrote: post #6

PE is terrible, but this isn't a good example as there's plenty of competition for Center Parcs. Plus they raise their prices during school holidays when there's greatest demand, that's not an unfair practice, that's rationing out a limited resource when demand is greatest, economics 101. Bad PE looks like private equity trying to corner the market in vets[1] and dental practices[2], services that you don't really ha…

[deleted]

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#83

Post by TheJoeMan »

petercooper wrote: post #55
gambiting wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love Center Parcs, it's great place to go with the family. But we always just bring our own food, pack our bikes on the car and usually eat out at one of the restaurants maybe once per stay as a special treat. I assumed most people did the same? The restaurants are hugely overpriced(imho).

A lot of people certainly always did that, but now it feels like most people are. The restaurants have kept their high prices while seemingly losing most of their clientele. I wouldn't be surprised if they introduce cruise-style dining credits or something with the higher priced lodges to mitigate it.

Funny because supply/demand should be working both ways... the restaurant prices should be coming down.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#84

Post by zelos »

gmac wrote: post #59
roenxi wrote: post #9

Based on the tone of the article, I think "price-gouged" is how this gentleman would describe any holiday based spending. He doesn't seem to like spending money on his holidays one bit. Every time he actually go into detail the practices seem normal and the prices fair. It took me a while to realise that this article does not seem to involve any price-gouging of any sort but is actually about pricing a private equity…

I've never been to Center Parcs and have no plans to go, despite it looking pretty nice, because it is just eye-wateringly expensive. We can debate what 'price-gouging' means, but their prices are insanely high compared to other holiday options. Of course, they can do that. I just find it pretty astonishing that anyone ever goes there.

I've only been once and didn't really enjoy it (family with two kids, 6 and 3, at the time). I can see why people do, though.

You could do all the activities (apart from the swimming pool), better, cheaper and in nicer surroundings, in a cottage in Wales or similar, but that would take planning and effort and (as the article points out) probably involves some driving rather than cycling/walking everywhere.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#85

Post by kwhitefoot »

davidt84 wrote: post #25
kwhitefoot wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We took our children out of school for three months about twenty years ago because I had the opportunity to work for that period in the US. We asked the school to provide the targets for the period for each child and my wife ensured that the children did a few hours work every day, not a whole day by any means. When we got back to Norway all three of the children were ahead of their classes. In Norway there seems to…

There's a difference between withdrawing your child from school and them remaining registered but simply not attending.

Is there? We didn't make any formal application, we just said they wouldn't be there for that three month period and could we please have the lesson plans.

But remember my children went to school in Norway where there is considerably less hostility and friction between the state and the people.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#86

Post by refurb »

rwmj wrote: post #31
kamaal wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Im not able to see the context here. How is it a con?

It's known colloquially as "Earnings before bad stuff" because you can use it to hide all the stuff in your accounts that doesn't make you look good. It's not a con, more like obfuscation.

It's one of many metrics that you can use to evaluate a business.

Note that's it's not "bad stuff", it's interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

I'm not sure anyone consider depreciation bad?

It's a metric that strips away things that can distort net income. It allows one to see what the core business produces.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#87

Post by Retric »

b800h wrote: post #79
pydry wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if Starmer included this loophole in his list of "painful tax rises" he promised for next year's budget.

Literally yes - generational farms are expected to go out of business when the head of the family dies as a result, and have to sell up to massive farm businesses.

That’s great news! Small family farms are a significant economic drain.

I’m only half serious, but protecting multigenerational business does come with serious drawbacks.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#88

Post by londons_explore »

HeatrayEnjoyer wrote: post #74
Stevvo wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Income from the sale of timber is exempt from income tax & corporation tax. Forrest ownership in the UK is quite literally growing money on trees.

Why is it exempt?

Some rich people own forests and have friends in government. And it can be passed as a way to encourage forestry as being eco friendly.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#89

Post by Plasmoid2000ad »

mattlondon wrote: post #42
roenxi wrote: post #9

Based on the tone of the article, I think "price-gouged" is how this gentleman would describe any holiday based spending. He doesn't seem to like spending money on his holidays one bit. Every time he actually go into detail the practices seem normal and the prices fair. It took me a while to realise that this article does not seem to involve any price-gouging of any sort but is actually about pricing a private equity…

You are trapped in centre parks and they control the prices for everything. On a normal holiday you have choice of where to eat or what activities to do etc. You don't get that at center parca - it is like a stationary cruise ship where you can only leave when they allow it.

Not really. You can walk to your car, hop in and drive out anytime. They just have security to check who is coming and going, not to stop anyone.

Better still, you can cycle out with their rental bike no problem. Thetford is a nice cycle from Elveden... though the rental bikes maybe aren't the best for those sort of distances.

Re: Getting price-gouged by private equity in the UK's happiest resort (2023)

#90

Post by Stevvo »

londons_explore wrote: post #19
ajb wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh that's why forest land has gone up so much! Thanks, I'd seen the same rise, and couldn't figure out why.

I've been mulling over buying up farmland and planting trees and then just sitting on it for 20 yrs to capitalize on it.

If you buy a forest of trees planted 20 years ago it will be cheaper than farmland, and you may be able to take income from thinning from day one.
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