# empty but fully booked CC sites!



## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

Turned up to a fully booked CC site to find it half empty!!!. The prebooking of sites and then lastminute cancelling( free for CC members) is both selfish and self defeating. The warden told me its common practise for people to book up sites weeks n advance and the cancel if its bad weather. What kinda club is that? anyway im in now and worried about parking correctly,getting my leccy lead at 90 degrees to my van, and reading and obeying the 30 odd notices


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

I would guess this shouldn't be in the "Italy Touring" section :wink:

Pre-booking is also prevalent in the Caravan Club too. Ridiculous. All bookings should be confirmed by a (non-refundable) £20 booking fee.

Gerald


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

well, I've moved this to UK touring from Italy!

and do you mean the Caravan Club (CC)? The CCC take deposits, and don't have that problem


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## blongs (Jan 12, 2009)

It's 2pm, most of us are still at work and cannot set off for a site until later.


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

Also, if you're referring to The Caravan Club, this is usually abbreviated as CC. The Camping and Caravanning Club is shortened to CCC or C&CC.

The C&CC does require a deposit on booking and the problem you found doesn't occur there.


Chris


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

bognormike said:


> and do you mean the Caravan Club (CC)? The CCC take deposits, and don't have that problem


Just what I was thinking. :wink:

It sounds a lot more plausible.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: empty but fully booked CCC sites!*



andyandsue said:


> What kinda club is that? anyway im in now and worried about parking correctly,getting my leccy lead at 90 degrees to my van, and reading and obeying the 30 odd notices


So don't join ! If you're concerned about over-regulation- not something we've met I'm bound to say- then stay out and leave more space for the rest of us.

We've just come back from 2 CC sites and found both sets of wardens very relaxed and friendly and fewer rules displayed than in the one, independent site we used. If everyone who used campsites was properly house-trained then there would be no need to display rules anywhere !

As to over-booking; it is a problem. We are trying to book for later in the month and all weekends at the 2 sites we'd like are taken.

G


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*ooops thanks for nudging me into UK*

OOops thanks for nudging me into uk sites and yes i do mean CC.( sorry to the good folks at the CCC) As with any club its important to get involved and point out errors. im off to the CCC next year me thinks as it seems nicer to use whenever we return to the UK. But my missus has a soft spot for HRH Phill and any club he,s in!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: empty but fully booked CCC sites!*



Grizzly said:


> So don't join !


Andy...I'm sorry; that was rude and unfriendly.

As an excuse; the longer you are on MHF the more club-knocking you will see and, in my case, the more irritable I become. The rules and regs on club sites are all there for very good reasons and designed to make the experience of most of us as good as it can be. As I said above; if many of the people who use them were house-trained and practised civilised thoughtful behaviour then we'd not have to have any warden "supervision" at all.

As members we all have the right to bring any point to the attention of the club and over-booking is something that many of us have written to them about. I do think that both clubs are addressing what is likely, given the increase in units and "staycations" to be an even bigger problem in the future.

I'd no business to snap at you however.

G


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*no problem Sir*

No problem Sir . As a member of a water sports club for 25 years my tolerance of"club knockers" is pretty thin too! and its usually by people who never get involved.The core membership of the two clubs mentioned seem to be slightly different and this might account for differences in managment styles...maybe. Ive read grumbles in the CC club mag( surely nobody can argue with me if i say its a waste of good trees) about pre booking and cancelling,so maybe the situation will change. The site here in Bury is excellent and very convinent for the tram into Manchester,,the staff themselves offered the advice to always check with the site on the morning needed in case of cancellations esp if rain is forcast . So if we have any CC members in here who are unhappy with the booking system pls tell your club and who knows.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

*Re: no problem Sir*



andyandsue said:


> No problem Sir


:? ..............Madam :wink:

It must be the way you type in a deep voice, Grizzly.... :lol:


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*Kiplin*

The writer not the cake maker wrote about bears"the female of the species is more deadly than the male" He,s out of fashion at the mo but well worth rediscovering esp hiS poems written from the point of the common soldier . AND SORRY ABOUT THE GENDER CHANGE


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Kiplin*



andyandsue said:


> ... . AND SORRY ABOUT THE GENDER CHANGE


I'm well used to it Andy !

G


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

I agree that members being able to book and then cancel may well be making it difficult to book the CC sites one wants. 

I've also been struck by the number, and peremptory tone, of the notices on CC sites. This does not seem to apply to the same extent to other sites. Yes, individual wardens are often pleasant and relaxed but the club itself does not, in my view, seem to have caught up with the expectations of members. 

I belong to the CC&C too but haven't stayed at enough sites to be sure whether they have a different attitude. 

It's expensive to belong to one club, never mind two, but each does have some lovely sites in desirable places. I could certainly do without the mags, but I suppose they are money-makers? 

Phil42


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

*Re: Kiplin*



andyandsue said:


> The writer not the cake maker wrote about bears"the female of the species is more deadly than the male" He,s out of fashion at the mo but well worth rediscovering esp hiS poems written from the point of the common soldier . AND SORRY ABOUT THE GENDER CHANGE


I can never resist the old chestnut:

Do you like Kipling?

(responses in one voice please . . .)


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## Hymervanman (Aug 20, 2010)

I do sir, Mr . Kipling makes exceedingly good cakes.......... :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## geordie01 (Apr 20, 2006)

I have never had any probs with cc booking i just check late availability or ring the site direct if we decide to go away at short notice in fact i have just swapped tomorrow night from Seaview in Berwick to Gibson park in Melrose
with no problem. Sometimes we do book well ahead if we know we want to go some where and be sure we have got a pitch but you would do that if you were stopping in a hotel you would'nt just turn up and demand a room would you.In fact we only booked our three week summer hols a couple of weeks ago and got every site we wanted(missus and daughter will only moan if i do not book cc sites its a loo thing) may be i am just lucky but we have been doing this for 6 years with no hastle.


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## pandalf (Oct 29, 2006)

Grizzly did raise (or at least touch upon) an interesting point earlier - namely the general view that the CC is more formal, structured and stuffy, while the CCC is more relaxed. I am a generally satisfied member of both clubs, and am likely to stay that way. But my opinion is that almost the total opposite is true. The CCC like to tell themselves they are carefree and relaxed, but then impose all manner of strict guidance on arrival. I absolutely hate the way that you have to be lead to whichever pitch the wardens decide you will have on arrival. This actually gives me a big preference for using the CC, as they are always happy for you to cruise around and find the pitch that is more suitable. We are all different, and something that might be a dream pitch for me could well be the pitch from Hell for the next person. The relaxed CC rules make both of us happy, while camping at a CCC site is always bound to be a compromise for everyone when it comes to pitch choice. The same then applies to how you pitch the rig. By and large, the wardens on a CC site couldn't care if you park front in, rear in, sideways or whatever. As long as you are a decent distance from your neighbour, they are cool. But if you dare park your van more than an angstrom or two left or right, the CCC wardens will be down on you like a ton of bricks!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

pandalf said:


> Grizzly did raise (or at least touch upon) an interesting point earlier - namely the general view that the CC is more formal, structured and stuffy, while the CCC is more relaxed.


Not sure that was me....? I'm easy actually. Each site has it's own characteristics no matter who runs them.

In far off days there was always the perception that the CC club was wardened by retired officers and the C&CC run by other ranks !

G


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## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

We have recently had an 8 day break and stopped at 3 CC&C sites.

They were Boroughbridge, Bellingham and Barnard Castle. 

The wardens on all three sites were fantastic. nothing was to much trouble. I was asked if i had preferences for evening or morning sun and on all sites I asked to be near a tree or a fence that we could attach the electric bikes to (they are not insured when fastened to the motorhome, it is not an immoveable object). No problem.

The facilities on all three sites were first class and always spotless.

as far as I am concerned, CC&C are excellent  

And the age concession meant that most nights we paid less than CC site rates.

We do use both, but I have never failed to get on a CC&C site, mainly, I suspect because I have to pay £25 when I book. I can't say the same about CC sites.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

*Re: Kiplin*



rogerblack said:


> andyandsue said:
> 
> 
> > The writer not the cake maker wrote about bears"the female of the species is more deadly than the male" He,s out of fashion at the mo but well worth rediscovering esp hiS poems written from the point of the common soldier . AND SORRY ABOUT THE GENDER CHANGE
> ...


I think you are waiting for....................

.................I don't know, I've never Kippled.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

pandalf said:


> The CCC like to tell themselves they are carefree and relaxed, but then impose all manner of strict guidance on arrival. I absolutely hate the way that you have to be lead to whichever pitch the wardens decide you will have on arrival. This actually gives me a big preference for using the CC, as they are always happy for you to cruise around and find the pitch that is more suitable.


I acknowledge your point, but at least CCC allow you to book a hardstanding. The CC's "pitch where you fancy" policy, coupled with them being less than transparent of whether they're filling the site based on just using hardstandings, or hardstanding+grass pitches, means many of their sites are out of bounds for us during the "shoulder" spring/autumn periods....travelling to a CC site after work on a Friday evening to be presented with the few boggy grass pitches that everyone else has avoided doesn't make for great motorhoming. Indeed my experience at CCC Delamere is when it is wet, the manager cordons off one of the access roads on an adhoc basis to turn it into hardstandings, so those motorhomes booked on grass can avoid getting stuck.

Incidentally, if you use the notes field on the CCC booking page, their site managers try to accommodate your req'ts...e.g. I note that we've got a satellite dish and they nearly always find the pitches where it'll work (and on some sites it is only one or two, plus the managers are the people who'd know).

Paul


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*full circle*

I,ll try to draw my initial post to a close my another quote which echos a previous post and sums up using any campsite in any part of the world. "Hell is neighbours" i think its Wilde


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

_Love you neighbour as yourself....but choose your neighbour._

( ie join the CC not the C&CC)

G :wink:


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## mickyloo (May 1, 2005)

What an interesting post. I learnt some things about the CCC I didn't know like they charge a deposit (good) but allocate pitches (bad). I had been thinking about joining CCC, in addition to the CC, to widen our choice but will not now do so based on this allocated pitch rule.

The only time we have been allocated a ptch at a CC site was Cambridge one weekend last month. We arrived at 1215 (not having read the arrive at 1300 rule for this site) and wandered around to choose a pitch. When the warden arrived we made small talk about arriving early and got a "I make no apology for taking a lunch break" put-down. Then we were told we had an allocated pitch along with "we make no apologies for allocating pitches when we are full" and were given the worst pitch in the whole wide world in this former quarry site. It was the furthest walk from the loo or site entrance, the satellite didn't work, the dongle didn't work, the rooftop TV arial didn't work and to cap it all the EHU bollard was faulty with not light at night and the TV hook-up only received three stations. 

To get back to the original point of this post the site was fully booked but not fully occupied. Whoever had been allocated the pole position pitch did not turn up which did irritate me somewhat but I could not be bothered to talk to the warden about it in case I got another "make no apology" blank. My view - join the CC but don't go to Cambridge Cherry Hinton.


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## Phil42 (Apr 4, 2006)

> I,ll try to draw my initial post to a close my another quote which echos a previous post and sums up using any campsite in any part of the world. "Hell is neighbours" i think its Wilde


Could you be thinking of Sartre: 'Hell is other people'? Equally appropriate.

Phil


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

mickyloo said:


> ...... but allocate pitches (bad). I had been thinking about joining CCC, in addition to the CC, to widen our choice but will not now do so based on this allocated pitch rule.


Interestingly enough I prefer the allocated pitch though we have several times asked to move and always, if it is possible, this has been fine.

By the time we arrive on a site those pitches left are the ones that no-one wanted. Perhaps we've been lucky but, when a pitch has been allocated, we've often been left with the unspoken impression that a good choice has been made on our behalf. As mentioned earlier, it does mean we can book a hardstanding pitch and not have to worry- as with the CC - that we might be left with only grass pitches in wet weather.

I don't like the daily lunchtime procession of people driving round the site, caravans in tow, to find a pitch because they are too lazy to get out of their van and walk round.

G


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## pandalf (Oct 29, 2006)

To be fair, while the CCC system irritates me, I still believe there is a lot of value in being a member of both clubs ideally. The CCC network seems more extensive and we usually find it a lot easier to find availability at CCC sites.

The comments about the CC site in Cambridge were interesting. We too stayed there a few months ago, and faced allocation of our space. But the wardens explained that there were a lot of waterlogged pitches, and they use a policy of allocating motorhome pitches when the weather is bad. 

A final point about the CCC booking process. It seems we all approve of the idea of taking a deposit, but I also believe that the CCC minimum 2 night reservation period really discriminates against motorhomers, who are far more likely than caravanners to be moving on each day. 

But I do generally find that the wardens on both CC and CCC sites are keen to assist as much as possible. My original opinion was just that I find the CCC to have just as many - if not more - regulations as the CC has, and both clubs have some that are needlessly bureaucratic.


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

pandalf said:


> To be fair, while the CCC system irritates me, I still believe there is a lot of value in being a member of both clubs ideally. The CCC network seems more extensive and we usually find it a lot easier to find availability at CCC sites.
> 
> The comments about the CC site in Cambridge were interesting. We too stayed there a few months ago, and faced allocation of our space. But the wardens explained that there were a lot of waterlogged pitches, and they use a policy of allocating motorhome pitches when the weather is bad.
> 
> ...


Hi pandalf (and others before!)

I think there's no mention now in the CCC rules of 2 night minimum bookings, apart from specific sites eg in the lake district? And this only normally applied to "hook-up" pitches, so you could always book one night on a standard pitch.

and although they show you to a suggested pitch, it's not set in stone - if you don't like it, you can move elsewhere (as long as something is available).

I do find the 12 noon scrum on arrival at CC sites a bit of a stupid arrangement, and it's quite difficult sometimes to find out which pitches are available on CC sites, best to consult their pitch chart which is usually in the office, for guidance.


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## Glen432 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Mickyloo

Strange about Cherry Hinton, we were there three weeks ago and he put us on the same pitch as you. We could get nothing at all and when we asked if we could move His answer "you'll will have talk to each other instead of watching TV" even though three pitches near toilet block remained free all night. 

I do know he won't be there next year though.

Regards
Phil


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## Groper (May 17, 2007)

We are members of both clubs as well but are more and more inclined to leave the C&CC next year.On a recent visit to a C&CC site that we had pre-booked for the weekend we had been allocated a pitch next to the two mobile homes for rent,we were the nearest pitch to the grey water disposal,CTDP and the rubbish and recycling area.Soon after we had organised ourselves a minibus arrived with two families who proceeded to the mobile homes.Six children ran around screaming and shouting - soon followed by the adults.When I asked the warden if we could move to another pitch I was told the site was fully booked because of a "folk weekend" - this was actually taking place the following weekend and as I pointed out there were several empty hardstandings.He said a lot of people were coming for the whole week and wanted to be together.When I perservered he did reluctantly let us move.There were several pitches including hardstandings empty all weekend.We do prefer the CC policy of allowing you to walk around the site and choose a pitch and have found the CC wardens more relaxed and friendly(on the whole) than the C&CC "holiday managers".

Groper


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## andyandsue (Sep 7, 2008)

*pulled up on a quote*

cheers phil its always a pleasure to be pulled up on a quote


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