Cliffs of Moher now Pay Per View!

katkin

WolfeIRE wrote: »

i think the story ahs been blown out of all proportions when you see the entrance fees for other sites. why did the media not include this. Look at Bunratty. Scandalous. So is Guinness Storehouse. Media coverage complaining about the Cliffs fee will cause more trouble for clare tourism than the fee itself. Silly season has started in earnest.

You can't compare the Cliffs of Moher, a natural feature that has been there for millennia with something that was created in the last number of years and required funds to build and maintain. Viewing the Cliffs has always been free but not any more. The new visitor centre is an unnecessary white elephant, who needs a big fancy exhibition to "interpret" a natural feature, a flaming guidebook will do that. The whole thing was designed to fleece locals and tourists when the council became aware of the numbers heading up there. As someone already stated the older centre was perfectly adequate, could have done with some upgrading but instead, like everything else in the last decade, it was a case of sure knock it down and build something huge and expensive, we all know who the winners were in that decision.

Kernunos

I work in the tourism industry myself and when I heard about this I told my supervisor who went and rang the Visitor Centre to find out exactly what was the story. Apearantly the 6euros will now cover the cost of the car-park and entrance to the visitor centre as well as all other facilities not to the cliffs themselves.

So just to emphasis, there is still absolutely no charge for people to see/walk the cliffs, the charge only relates to use of the facilities.

dr.fuzzenstein

Kernunos wrote: »

I work in the tourism industry myself and when I heard about this I told my supervisor who went and rang the Visitor Centre to find out exactly what was the story. Apearantly the 6euros will now cover the cost of the car-park and entrance to the visitor centre as well as all other facilities not to the cliffs themselves.

So just to emphasis, there is still absolutely no charge for people to see/walk the cliffs, the charge only relates to use of the facilities.

That sounds fair enough, but the fact is that to see the cliffs you all but have to park your car there, you're not even allowed to stop and let people off.
So it's a de facto charge unless you're walking to the cliffs from Doolin or Liscannor.

Run_to_da_hills

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

That sounds fair enough, but the fact is that to see the cliffs you all but have to park your car there, you're not even allowed to stop and let people off.
So it's a de facto charge unless you're walking to the cliffs from Doolin or Liscannor.

The authorities have absolutely no right to stop any motorist from dropping people off unless its a clearway. Has the Gardai ever prosecuted anyone yet?

There is a drop off point at the top of the hill where you can pull in just a few hundred 300 yards before the car park, its worth the walk.

Dundhoone

Oh rant threads. Arent they just dandy.

1. Google recent pay increase claim by Cliffs Staff. CCC tried to have a low cost centre but were overuled by labour court. Someone has to pay. That'd be you.

2. Wanna go to the edge? No. We have health and safety legislation now. Go find a piece of cliff not part of the development if your dont want to be whistled at. And for that matter, your little thrill, should it al go wrong, will put a lot of peoples lives at risk when they go to try to collect your body.

3. So - your solution? Leave it undeveloped for a half million visitors a year. No toilets, no cafe, park on the road and general chaos. Sure we are only a banana republic anyway. They can suck spuds like the rest of us.

Run_to_da_hills

Dundhoone wrote: »

Oh rant threads. Arent they just dandy.

1. Google recent pay increase claim by Cliffs Staff. CCC tried to have a low cost center but were overruled by labor court. Someone has to pay. That'd be you..

Who wanted an over staffed e33 million theme park in the first place?

It was greedy coffers and state backed developers that set up this company to begin with to milk this "golden goose". The very same breed that are now costing the tax payer billions through defunct developments right across our nation.

A simple e2 ticketed car park with a couple of souvenir kiosks, basic toilet facilities and a restaurant that would have paid for itself and was all that was needed.

Dundhoone wrote: »

2. Wanna go to the edge? No. We have health and safety legislation now. Go find a piece of cliff not part of the development if your don't want to be whistled at. And for that matter, your little thrill, should it al go wrong, will put a lot of peoples lives at risk when they go to try to collect your body.
.

How much dose it cost to place a few Liscannor flag stones on a path way and employ someone with a whistle? A couple of warning signs warning people "tough shi*t" is sufficient,

Dundhoone wrote: »

3. So - your solution? Leave it undeveloped for a half million visitors a year. No toilets, no café, park on the road and general chaos. Sure we are only a banana republic anyway. They can suck spuds like the rest of us.

The solution that has been mentioned umpteen times already. IE, something simple, less costly and less labour intensive than the current circus that the council has already created.

Visitor numbers have already dropped significently in recent years, they will no doubt nose dive as as people weigh up the costs, wise up and go elsewhere for their holidays instead of good old "Rip off Ireland". As for the locals, a stroll through Dromore Woods still costs nothing....yet.

kwalshe

WolfeIRE wrote: »

i think the story ahs been blown out of all proportions when you see the entrance fees for other sites. why did the media not include this. Look at Bunratty. Scandalous. So is Guinness Storehouse. Media coverage complaining about the Cliffs fee will cause more trouble for clare tourism than the fee itself. Silly season has started in earnest.

bunratty and the storehouse are privately owned businesses, we all own those cliffs. Mother nature didnt create The storehouse

Kernunos

When you think about it though Dr Fuzzenstein its actually a price reduction. Whereas before it would cost you 6 euros for the 'Interpretive Centre' and 8 euros to park your car it now just costs 6euros for both. Even if you dont use the interpretive centre you are getting a price reduction on the car park.

Dont get me wrong though, 6 euros for a car park is still too steep. We do get a few people in moaning about, definately gives the wrong impression. Hopefully this new plan is a move in the right direction.

Run_to_da_hills

Kernunos wrote: »

When you think about it though Dr Fuzzenstein its actually a price reduction. Whereas before it would cost you 6 euros for the 'Interpretive Centre' and 8 euros to park your car it now just costs 6euros for both. Even if you dont use the interpretive centre you are getting a price reduction on the car park.

Dont get me wrong though, 6 euros for a car park is still too steep. We do get a few people in moaning about, definately gives the wrong impression. Hopefully this new plan is a move in the right direction.

It is NOT 6 euro for the car park, it is 6 euro emposed on every adult when they enter the compound. The car park is now "free" in that you do not pay for it as you enter as the kiosc is now located across the road.

The parking charges, theme park fees and once free cliff walk are all incorporated into this fee.

Someone from town mentioned that because the walk to the cliffs is a public right away the council have absolutly no authority in charging the public. This could well go to the high court and hopefully it will.

dr.fuzzenstein

Dundhoone wrote: »

Oh rant threads. Arent they just dandy.

1. Google recent pay increase claim by Cliffs Staff. CCC tried to have a low cost centre but were overuled by labour court. Someone has to pay. That'd be you.

2. Wanna go to the edge? No. We have health and safety legislation now. Go find a piece of cliff not part of the development if your dont want to be whistled at. And for that matter, your little thrill, should it al go wrong, will put a lot of peoples lives at risk when they go to try to collect your body.

3. So - your solution? Leave it undeveloped for a half million visitors a year. No toilets, no cafe, park on the road and general chaos. Sure we are only a banana republic anyway. They can suck spuds like the rest of us.

1: The people of Clare have protested the building of this completely unnecessary, oversized, overpriced, white elephant right from the beginning. There was no need for it, it was a sheer vanity project for FF, it was nice the way it was and it was known 10 years ago that the visitor numbers would never support it. And scaring off Ryanair and completely failing to attract tourists hasn't helped.
2: Health and safety has nothing to do with anyone's health and safety and all to do with nannying everyone because of one or two people who would find some way to jump off something in any case. People will jump, it's sad but also nothing to do with me. It's called natural selection.
Also H&S is nothing to do with compassion or concern for the other guy. It's to cover your own ass.
Besides I lived near the Alps. There are a great many, way steeper drops everywhere. Go to the Zugspitze. there is a bridge linking the two summits together and nothing but a yawning chasm underneath. No one and nothing to stop you from jumping if you want. It's your business. Everyone is responsible for themselves. This drop is about 10 times longer than from the cliffs and about 10 times as many people go there. And you can climb the Zugspitze fro free. Do people get killed? yes. Would we now stop everyone going there? Not in a million years. But maybe Ireland is just a much more depressing place and more people feel to need to kill themselves. Maybe you should address the root cause instead of putting up barriers?
It's called life. Deal with it.
3: Have a car park and a visitor center, but give people a choice.
Any other country there would be a free car park a few miles down the road and a nice, scenic walk along the cliffs. If you want, you can park there, walk to the cliffs for free and then spend your money. And if not, park at the cliffs and pay to park. Instead all you see is signs saying "NO ENTRY". In fact, it is not desired to have people going for a walk, because people who are out for a walk do not spend money. There will be plenty of people who'll go in and buy tacky souvenirs, eat, drink and visit the exhibition. As it is right now we're all but forced to pay up. I'd go there and gladly pay E2 for parking and then I'd be inclined togo in and have my tea and bun. But because I always feel like I'm being herded and and have my money taken off me, I won't go.
Maybe Clare co co should calculate the running costs and then make that the ticket price.
Then they only have to sell the one ticket.
As it is it seems to much like a nasty, tacky, expensive tourist trap.

Nevermind_

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Who wanted an over staffed e33 million theme park in the first place?

It was greedy coffers and state backed developers that set up this company to begin with to milk this "golden goose". The very same breed that are now costing the tax payer billions through defunct developments right across our nation.

Hey rtdh, i agree with most of what you say re the cliffs but wtf have developers got to do with this??
This was a public project designed, developed and paid for by the taxpayer at the behest of our locally elected politicians.
Explain to me how "developers" are responsible for the current goings on at the cliffs?

Run_to_da_hills

Nevermind_ wrote: »

Hey rtdh, i agree with most of what you say re the cliffs but wtf have developers got to do with this??
This was a public project designed, developed and paid for by the taxpayer at the behest of our locally elected politicians.
Explain to me how "developers" are responsible for the current goings on at the cliffs?

Brown envelopes.

AARRRRGH

homer_simpson wrote: »

Ah now hold on from what i can make out it now costs just €6, for all attractions at the cliffs as oppossed to paying for each one individuly!!

So now instead of paying €8 for parking, and €4.50 for access to the visitor centre, you now get the everything for an all in price of €6! i say its a good move, it will encourage more people (like me) who are from ireland to go visit it more often rather than relaying on the tourist only market, therefore getting "bums on seats" so to speak or in other words getting more people through the door...

Now hold on yourself.
Family of 2 adults and 3 kids drive to Clare to see the cliffs of Moher. They couldnt be bothered with the visitor center, they just want to see the cliffs.
How much do they have to pay to see the cliffs?
A lot more than the parking charge for 1 car.

I have a friend from Italy who is absolutely delighted with this charge.
Any vistor he ever had from Italy wanted to go see the cliffs and he ended up driving them 2.5 hours there and back. Now when they hear the cost he wont have to bother going there. And he's certainly not going to pay for a bunch of people to see them.

Myself and the other half used to go there every year,just for nostalgia, because its the first trip we went on together.
Not bothered anymore. Wont even be going to Co. Clare, as that was the only reason for going over that direction anyway.

Balagan

AARRRRGH wrote: »

Now hold on yourself.
Family of 2 adults and 3 kids drive to Clare to see the cliffs of Moher. They couldnt be bothered with the visitor center, they just want to see the cliffs.
How much do they have to pay to see the cliffs? Euro 12.00
A lot more than the parking charge for 1 car.

I have a friend from Italy who is absolutely delighted with this charge.
Any vistor he ever had from Italy wanted to go see the cliffs and he ended up driving them 2.5 hours there and back. Now when they hear the cost he wont have to bother going there. And he's certainly not going to pay for a bunch of people to see them.

Myself and the other half used to go there every year,just for nostalgia, because its the first trip we went on together.
Not bothered anymore. Wont even be going to Co. Clare, as that was the only reason for going over that direction anyway.

We'll soldier on without you!

Nevermind_

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Brown envelopes.

For what exactly?
Apart from the private building company that tendered (public tender) for and built the centre there was no developer involvment in any aspect of it.
This is just the good old public sector wasting our money and making a balls of running the site.

AARRRRGH

Balagan wrote: »

We'll soldier on without you!

Im sure you will.
Without me and im sure thousands more visitors that Clare would have had.

dr.fuzzenstein

AARRRRGH wrote: »

Im sure you will.
Without me and im sure thousands more visitors that Clare would have had.

The steadily falling number of visitors and the tumble-weeds blowing across the runway at Shannon airport next to the abandoned Industrial Estate seem to support that statement.

Balagan

AARRRRGH wrote: »

Im sure you will.
Without me and im sure thousands more visitors that Clare would have had.

If they were to be like you claim to be, driving through Clare to see the Cliffs and not spending a Euro more than the Cliffs parking charge during the entire visit to our gorgeous county, then most certainly we're much better off without them clogging up the roads.

Balagan

dr.fuzzenstein wrote: »

The steadily falling number of visitors and the tumble-weeds blowing across the runway at Shannon airport next to the abandoned Industrial Estate seem to support that statement.

And all caused by Clare County Council changing the admission costs to the Cliffs of Moher.

Peter B

Balagan wrote: »

If they were to be like you claim to be, driving through Clare to see the Cliffs and not spending a Euro more than the Cliffs parking charge during the entire visit to our gorgeous county, then most certainly we're much better off without them clogging up the roads.

This is not true. Because of AARRRRGH visiting the cliffs for free he will tell all his friends and neighbours of this wonderful attraction. They will tell all their friends and neighbours. The idea of Ireland as a rip-off tourist destination will diminish and far more tourists will re-enter the country boosting the domestic economy.

iguana

Balagan wrote: »

How much do they have to pay to see the cliffs?Euro 12.00

Not if any of their children are 12+. Then it's €18, €24 or €30. At the cliffs 12 appears to be adult.

Balagan

iguana wrote: »

Not if any of their children are 12+. Then it's €18, €24 or €30. At the cliffs 12 appears to be adult.

Admittedly they should give a reduced admission to those between 12 and 15/16.

CptSternn

I had mates from the states over last summer and it is bad enough already trying to pay for things like visiting Bunratty (€15.75 a head) on top of the fact for some reason food prices in Clare have surpassed those even in Dublin City and the total lack of public transport means paying huge taxi fares to get around.

Today it is way cheaper to fly in and visit Dublin, get around via public transport, stay in a hotel (about half the price), and eat out (at least 30% cheaper) than it is to fly into Clare, get around, see the sights, stay, and eat out there.

How exactly does CCC or any of the businesses in Clare expect to bring in customers by raising prices when the rest of the country is lowering them?

dr.fuzzenstein

Balagan wrote: »

If they were to be like you claim to be, driving through Clare to see the Cliffs and not spending a Euro more than the Cliffs parking charge during the entire visit to our gorgeous county, then most certainly we're much better off without them clogging up the roads.

It's just not the Cliffs.
Arrive in Ireland, nice to see you, that'll be 10 quid please.
There's car hire or bus and train, hotel, food, going to the pub and, if by chance they make it into Clare, Bunratty,Craggaunowen, that other castle, Lahinch, the Cliffs, etc...
These people spend money everywhere and your attitude is typical of how we have come to see visitors down here.
Give me your money, now fcuk off back home to your own country and none of your smart comments.
And don't forget to tell all your friends and family to come here.
The cliffs is merely a symptom of an endemic.
The Irish attitude to a downturn is "sure, begorrah, we'll just squeeze more money out of the fcukers and it'll be grand" and you extend that attitude towards your own people.
I've been to Sweden once and everything is so expensive it can drive the breath from your body, but never once did I feel that what I paid for is just some sham to squeeze some money from me.
Taxes there are sky high, but they get free childcare, healthcare and care for the elderly.
And they don't stick people with mental health problems into 19th century style insane asylums.
Ireland as a country has a disease and it's called FF and the civil service. It's a boys club where everything is hammered out behind closed doors to benefit one's cousin and then some sham of a public tender goes out.
And because it is so deeply ingrained and dyed into the very fabric of Irish society it will never, ever improve.
Sure there will be (toll) roads, (overcrowded) hospitals miles and miles away from where you need them, childcare (mistake, there won't), schools (that can discriminate against non Catholics with the aid of the state) and pools (well, puddles) and so on, for ever.
And then taxes will go up and the existing (bad) services will be cut (repeat ad infinitum, ad nauseum)
This country always has been badly run, mismanaged and bled to death to benefit the FF Mafia and it will never, ever improve short of the people gathering at Leinster House with pitchforks and torches, but I don't see that happening.
It's the reason that if you get the first sniff of success you have to get out of here to really make it in a proper country.
The Cliffs don't matter, they are easily ignored by tourists who will simply drive on to somewhere down the road, but the problem is that the people behind all this will never, ever get it.

Run_to_da_hills

I heard from a local that land surrounding the Cliffs of Moher (old car park and current theme park) was handed to the people of Clare by a farmer in a will.

It would be interesting to check this out in the land registry and if it is true they have no right to charge us for anything.

AARRRRGH

Peter B wrote: »

This is not true. Because of AARRRRGH visiting the cliffs for free he will tell all his friends and neighbours of this wonderful attraction. They will tell all their friends and neighbours. The idea of Ireland as a rip-off tourist destination will diminish and far more tourists will re-enter the country boosting the domestic economy.

You are right.
And whenever I hear of anyone talking about the cliffs now I'll tell them not to bother. Better off staying in Dublin and seeing the sights and then go to Glendalough or Newgrange etc.

It wasnt just the cliffs we spent money at in Clare. Because we'd usually spend 3 nights in the area, there was a fair few quid dropped in Clare. No more. Cheaper to fly and stay somewhere in Europe tbh.

And I dont see a whole lot of the people on this thread ever clogging up the fine roads in Clare anymore either.

Ignorance is bliss, until they realize theyve driven away more money than they will get from their new charges.

carmel27

AARRRRGH wrote: »

You are right.
And whenever I hear of anyone talking about the cliffs now I'll tell them not to bother. Better off staying in Dublin and seeing the sights and then go to Glendalough or Newgrange etc.

It wasnt just the cliffs we spent money at in Clare. Because we'd usually spend 3 nights in the area, there was a fair few quid dropped in Clare. No more. Cheaper to fly and stay somewhere in Europe tbh.

And I dont see a whole lot of the people on this thread ever clogging up the fine roads in Clare anymore either.

Ignorance is bliss, until they realize theyve driven away more money than they will get from their new charges.

Most Clare people are raging over this decision. From what Ive heard on the local radio station during the past week, the majority of people that aired their views on it were not impressed. It only seems to be a small minority of locals that are actually in favour of it, and from what I can see, most of them are politicians.

Run_to_da_hills

carmel27 wrote: »

Most Clare people are raging over this decision. From what Ive heard on the local radio station during the past week, the majority of people that aired their views on it were not impressed. It only seems to be a small minority of locals that are actually in favour of it, and from what I can see, most of them are politicians.

Obviously the only ones that are in favour of it are those involved in it because it feathers their own nests.

Balagan

AARRRRGH wrote: »

You are right.
And whenever I hear of anyone talking about the cliffs now I'll tell them not to bother. Better off staying in Dublin and seeing the sights and then go to Glendalough or Newgrange etc.

It wasnt just the cliffs we spent money at in Clare. Because we'd usually spend 3 nights in the area, there was a fair few quid dropped in Clare. No more. Cheaper to fly and stay somewhere in Europe tbh.

And I dont see a whole lot of the people on this thread ever clogging up the fine roads in Clare anymore either.

Ignorance is bliss, until they realize theyve driven away more money than they will get from their new charges.

Think you'll find Newgrange might cost you a bit more than the Cliffs of Moher.

Run_to_da_hills

Balagan wrote: »

Think you'll find Newgrange might cost you a bit more than the Cliffs of Moher.

The difference, Newgrange is a museum piece whilre the Cliffs of Moher is a public walk way. Locals are not going to regularly stroll in circles around Newgrange unless there is something wrong with them.