# When is friendly FRIENDLY



## richard863 (May 1, 2005)

Having met a few bombastic little Hitlers on camp sites over the years.
I asked their HQ for clarification and company policy as to why my N&B Flair length 25.5 ft and I are told your services are not required on this site, go and find another. Especially after booking and then traveling some 250 odd miles.

This is the letter I received.

Camping Caravanning Club

The Camping and Caravanning Club (Limited by Guarantee) Greenfields House, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JH

www.campingandcaravanningciub.co.uk

JB/ General

10 July 2009

Dear Mr & Mrs Stone

Further to your telephone conversation with our Technical Information Officer, Barry Norris, I have been asked to write regarding the use of your tag axle motorhome on Club Sites.

During periods of wet or difficult ground conditions extensive damage can be caused both to the road and ground by large heavy units constantly coming and going at various Club sites. The damage caused is usually beyond the scope of the Site Team to repair, and the Club employs external Contractors to repair the ground at great expense.

In an attempt to limit the damage, Site Teams have been asked to advise campers with large heavy units to limit the number of journeys during these periods. Ground conditions on Club Sites suffered tremendously during 2008.

Area Sites Managers and Site Teams have spoken with campers and suggested that during wet conditions they use alternative sites in the surrounding area. To date there have been no issues on this, however, the Club has learnt that many sites in certain areas suffered similar problems and they are now asking large heavy units not to use their sites in the same periods.

Some Club Site roads are not suitable for large heavy units; last year the Club made significant investment on road repairs, with further funds being spent on entrance road repairs. There are also plans in place for other improvement works as soon as funds allow in future, at those Club Sites most affected.

PAGE 2

I am sorry you had problems at Jedburgh, Cannock Chase and Hereford, but if conditions are not suitable due to either wet weather, road widths or suitable pitch availability, then trying to manoeuvre a Motor-home in such conditions may raise health and safety issues to the camper and Site Teams.

For operational management reasons we therefore would not be able to accept your unit when ground conditions prevail, however should the ground conditions be acceptable and there is the availability and accessibility to the site there should be no reason for the Holiday Site Managers to have a problem with your unit.

Barry further informs me you intend to tow a car behind your unit for use on Club Sites, I can confirm this is acceptable so long as your unit and all ancillary equipment fit securely onto your pitch with your car in the 6m gap between pitches. Should this not be the case you will be asked to pay the extra pitch fee per night, which currently stands at £6.46 per night.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Briscoe

Customer Services Officer

Greenfields House, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JH

0845 130 7631

(024) 7647 5417

Greenfields House, Westwood Way, Coventry CV4 8JH

. 445520 England

(Founded 1901)

. H.R.H. The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, KG, Kl; OM

David Bellamy OBE, PhD, FLS, FIBiol

R.C. Louden

How come they promote we "Are The Friendly Club". They quite happily take the annual fee.


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## EJB (Aug 25, 2007)

Presumably you check your outfit with the site when you book??


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## Bubblehead (Mar 5, 2007)

Hi

This stems from the stupid booking system used by the CC. First come first served. If the first van (or caravan) to arrive has a choice of pitches then they will naturally select the biggest / best spot even if they are in a tiny van. We had a similar problem, though didn't get turned away on a CC site last year we were with mates who have an 8.5 m van and we ended up at the end of a dead end on the road blocking the 2 pitches we should have been on as they were so small we couldn't fit.

This was despite calling the site direct a few weeks prior and telling them that we were in 2 vans both 8.5m long and would like adjacent pitches.

The CC need to match the pitches to the van that wants to use them a bit more and keep the smaller vans on the smaller pitches. I find this situation quite ridiculous especially after you have booked.

Andy


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Pitching*

Hi

The Caravan Club first. As they do not allocate larger pitches for larger vehicles, I am not a member despite being offered two months free membership. I fully support the theory that every member should have a choice of pitch, but putting a small unit on the largest pitch is crazy. The large unit cannot physically fit on a small pitch, whilst the smaller unit can probably fit anywhere.

Re the CCC. Most sites have a "limit" of a 26 feet long unit, although some have "greater than 26 feet" pitches. Ground conditions do vary from site to site. For example, I would pitch my van on grass at Oswestry, even in winter and during heavy rain. In light rain though, the site at nearby Bala would turn into a bog with motorhomes driving on it.

I ALWAYS book harstanding and always book direct with the site - not the call centre. My van is 29 feet long and yet the site I am pitched on has only "less than 26 feet" pitches available on the website.

Russell


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Didn`t you know that you should be telepathic and understand the weather and site conditions before you set off on a 250 mile run.

Shred the card and look for better service elswhere.

Ask the ccc to refund your fuel costs for the journey.

I have often wondered what happens to larger units when sites have no pitches to accomodate them

Dave p


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Site Teams have been asked to advise campers with large heavy units


> I always feel that Tag axel vans are an easy target. The actual axel weights for our Tag Axel van are the same at the front and less on the rear than a lot of much smaller M/Hs. This IMHO gives both the site access road and the grass or hard standing an easier time.
> 
> If you look at large trucks they are cheaper to tax if they have 6 axels instead of 5 at the same weight. The reason for this is they have less impact on the raods, this is a fact.
> 
> ...


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Bubblehead said:


> Hi
> This stems from the stupid booking system used by the CC. First come first served.


Not just stupid for the reason you've quoted but horribly un-green !

Last week we were at Longleat CC. Every single motorhome or caravan did at least 3 circuits of the -big- campsite before they decided which pitch they wanted. There were very few empty pitches anyway.

Over a year this must use a significant amount of fuel as well as being an added danger to the large numbers of youngsters riding round on bikes.

We'd walked round when we arrived but had asked beforehand for a list of empty pitch numbers - not forthcoming but easy to do.

G


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## framptoncottrell (Jan 6, 2006)

Somewhere else on the MHF forum there was a strand where members grumbled because Caravan Club wardens were reserving the longest and most desirable pitches for long combinations. Short motorhomes were being directed to pitches that members thought were second-class, either because of the view or the distance from facilities.

Sometimes I think wardens live between a rock and a hard place.

Dr (musical, not medical) Roy


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Booking*



DTPCHEMICALS said:


> Didn`t you know that you should be telepathic and understand the weather and site conditions before you set off on a 250 mile run.
> 
> Shred the card and look for better service elswhere.
> 
> ...


Dave, this is what happens

Russell arrives on a Caravan Club site and finds a sign on the reception door - "please pitch yourself and come and pay after 4pm"

Russell tries to pitch but no pitches available that can accommodae the length of the unit. After doing three laps, a couple came over and said they were packing up and I could move in there.

When the reception opened, all hell broke loose.

Russell - I have a booking etc etc, but on arrival there was not a pitch large enough to take the unit

Miserable warden at the CC - well you should have booked direct with the site

Russell - I did and if your name is Becky, I spoke to you

(Miserable looks the other way at this point)

I point out that we have a contract - I agree to pay in return for "accommodation" etc etc and technically there had been a breach had the couple with the caravan not moved.

Letters and emails followed to CC HQ. I cancelled the direct debit for membership - although I did get member rates as I joined on site. I was then offered two months free membership.

However, I recently had a walk around the Caravan Club site at Blackmore and the wardens there were more than helpful, even pointing out some RV's, followed by the advice to bok direct with the site.

Russell


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

We use CC site quiet often. 

Some are very helpful and some just are not. 

One site in the book was quoted as being able to take a 32 foot van, so we booked a few nights. About 2 weeks before we were due to travel we called them just to confirm we were 29foot and were booked in. The reply was you will not get on as you are too big  . After a bit of a conversation and going to check with someone else they said that this time they would try and take us. 

We have been to this site before with our old smaller van and it would have been no problem with a 30 foot van at all. 

We never got to find out though as we had a better offer and went to a meet, so we cancelled the CC booking. 

We have since called to confirm other booking and been told no problem at all.  


Richard...


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

You ca`t teach me anything about cc Russell, I have been a member for 25 years. The trouble seems to be that units are longer than what we used to have This is a reflection of how much better off some of us are. To make accomodation for larger units will reduce the number of pitches for smaller units. In turn fees will go up to make up the shortfall. They may soon start to charge by the metre.

Dave p
I think the last cc site i used was 3 years ago when we first aquired our mh. before that it was about 8 years ago. I try to book but weekenders (most of the non showers)book pitches for weeks on end as soon as the bookig date opens.


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Err, the first post quoted his experiences with and a letter from 
THE *CAMPING AND* CARAVANNING CLUB
so why all the posts about 
THE CARAVANNING CLUB?


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