# CC sites nearly all full



## tramp (May 25, 2005)

Right , 
tried to bok somewhere for the next long weekend in the southern counties from Birmingham to the English channel and there all boked.

whats going on :twisted: :twisted: Am I relegated to the cl,cs or pubs for the nightly stop. All I want is somewhere near a nice village for walks and sit seeing, or should I be in Europe 8) 8) 8) 

Rant over, but with thw weekends all full till late October what hope is there for us Poor hardworking folk who can only get away at the weekend.


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## Glen432 (May 9, 2005)

Hi Tramp

I work for the club and i can see Chapel Lane near Birmingham has a few pitches left for next weekend. This is the first week after the school holidays and you get all the wrinkles coming out filling up all the sites thats why most are full

Regards Phil


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## pieterv (Feb 3, 2009)

"all the wrinkles", would that refer to elderly people?


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## Bob45 (Jan 22, 2007)

Tramp
I know it is a pain but try ringing up directly to the sites. That has worked for us in the past. People often cancel late.

Bob


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## Glen432 (May 9, 2005)

Hi 

Most sites have what is called an off-set which are pitches held back in case of an emergency(weather and the like) and these can only be released by the people on site, so ringing round still as it advantages. I see Abbey Wood still have a few left for next weekend if you fancy a city break.

Phil


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## tramp (May 25, 2005)

Yeh bob,

thats what I`ve done and got in at Totnes  even though the cc web site said fully booked, computers eh .

So off to Devon via Trago Mills , well more money spent  must take the bikes for the riverside and lovely walks. Also a chance to try the Genny out :x .

Now all we need is some good weather :lol:


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Glen432 said:


> Hi Tramp
> 
> I work for the club and i can see Chapel Lane near Birmingham has a few pitches left for next weekend. This is the first week after the school holidays and you get all the wrinkles coming out filling up all the sites thats why most are full
> 
> Regards Phil


Wrinkles?? not a very nice term to be used publicly from someone employed by the club by it's members some of whom may be Wrinkles 8O


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Just about to cancel a Christmas to New Year Booking*

I am just about to cancel a booking at Southport arriving on 27/12/10 and departing on 02/01/11.
So if anybody wants it get on the phone to them now.
Hope this helps someone.


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## Mick757 (Nov 16, 2009)

Grath said:


> Glen432 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Tramp
> ...


Well, they do say the staff at the two big clubs have nothing but disdain for the folk that pay their wages! :roll: 
Their lives would be a lot easier if it wasnt for bloody campers ringing up asking for pitches all the time. :lol:


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Or could it be due to those people who "Block book" just about every week end at the start of the season and then wait to see what the weather is doing before deciding if its worth going? 

As no deposit is taken they have nothing at all to lose and everything to gain!!

I just CANNOT understand why the CC dont penalise people who do this. We all know its going on !!


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

Mrplodd said:


> Or could it be due to those people who "Block book" just about every week end at the start of the season and then wait to see what the weather is doing before deciding if its worth going?
> 
> As no deposit is taken they have nothing at all to lose and everything to gain!!
> 
> I just CANNOT understand why the CC dont penalise people who do this. We all know its going on !!


Block Booking is in my opinion scurge of the CC. It portrays an image of an old boys club where funny handshakes are the order of the day and booking are can be blocked booked on a nod and wink if your one of the clique. How long before the Caravan Club changes it's sites to all statics with decking and and champers ice buckets.

Run for the benefit of the few, paid for by the remainder of the membership. We don't want you making booking old bean, we just want your membership fee's.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

The Caravan Club has certainly made out of me this year as we paid a joint membership and have not been on a site since New Year and I have just cancelled the only future booking that I had.
Oh! I did book my ferry through them, so more commission for them.
But at the end of the day it was my choice and I could have used them if I wanted, but the trouble is that you have to book up that far ahead and we never know when we want to go away. So we wild more and more.
We are also members of the other club and we have not been on a site for well over a year.
We must seriously reconsider if we need them.
I think it is a case of just in case!


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> Or could it be due to those people who "Block book" just about every week end at the start of the season and then wait to see what the weather is doing before deciding if its worth going?
> 
> As no deposit is taken they have nothing at all to lose and everything to gain!!
> 
> I just CANNOT understand why the CC dont penalise people who do this. We all know its going on !!


Were is your proof ?

peedee


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Don't consider it as being relegated to a CL. Consider it an upgrade!

Surely the CC are doing themselves out of business by letting people block book and then just cancel or not turn up without penalty.

Ive never stayed on one as its my idea of hell but this has been going on for ages. Why dont they do something about it. Probably for the same reason they never answer my emails I guess about the rubbish website.

Im a member but only for the CL's


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## keith_c (Feb 8, 2010)

The CC booking works well for us. This is our first year with the MH and we're really enjoying it. 

Last December/January we booked loads of weekends mostly so we could get the ones that fitted in with my wife working. Apart from one, where we cancelled over 3 months in advance, we have been to every site we booked - regardless of the weather. This was the fourteenth weekend away we think.

I understand the way the CC book doesn't suit everyone but what with school holidays and work it works really well for us. Next year we will try and do the same - but it'll be less sites as I think we've decided we prefer CL's now (particularly after this weekend where, for the first time, us being there seemed a huge inconvenience to the wardens and a proper numbered pitch would've been nice!) 

Having said that our local site is Henley and last weekend, due to a change in plans, we decided to go there and had no real problems booking about 10 days beforehand.


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## tyreman1 (Apr 18, 2008)

The Caravan Club certainly isnt for everyone i must admit,i`ve been a member for about 2 years and dont use them a great deal but i always find the sites in outstanding condition and the staff certainly couldnt be more helpful considering some of the awkward fussy sods that they must have to deal with,i know i couldnt do their job.I think that if they charged a couple of quid to book a pitch it would certainly stop the block bookers,i`ve found on two occasions including bank holidays that if you turn up on a site theres usually a couple of empty pitches where people havent turned up


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## jch07 (Sep 28, 2007)

Hi,

Some months ago I wrote to the CC to complain about this issue as we too were fed up of not being able to get in anywhere! We have had a little more success calling on a Thursday afternoon/Friday afternoon, but here was the formal response I receive from the Web Contact Team:

"Thank you for your email.

Our website is Live which means it is updated immediately as soon as a cancellation or a booking is registered through the caravan club direct, via our website & also with our wardens on site.

If you find there are pitches available when you arrive on site this could be down to a variety of reasons including late cancellations which can now also be done via our website & we do get no shows though they are becoming less frequent. We are now able to trace and monitor members abusing the system by making a series of bookings and not turning up ("no shows") and we take the appropriate action to put a stop to people who abuse the open booking process. This checking process continues on a regular basis.

We are aware that other operators/clubs do charge deposits. However, judging by their published letters, they still encounter the same type of issues. From the Club's own experience we used to charge a deposit for each site booking, however we have not seen any noticeable reduction in "no shows" since we stopped taking deposits.

The Club is also mindful of the fact that members have asked that we are easier & smoother to do business with. Clearly by not taking deposits means that members no longer have to go through laborious credit card input on the web or when phoning the Contact Centre or the wardens. In this way the whole booking process is much slicker and allows members to be served much promptly thereby allowing other members to get through at busier times.

We do always advise to check our excellent late availability page on the clubs website http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/CaravanClubApps/Applications/UK Sites/Late Availability.aspx

On 'Go Live Day' our Contact Centre handled 13,593 bookings and had over 100 staff answering calls, Sites staff took 4,243 & the caravan club website processed an additional 37,710 bookings.

Thank you again for taking the time to email us. We do appreciate feedback from our members both negative and positive as we are always looking for ways to improve our service .

If you have any further queries or need further assistance please reply to this email or call our Membership team on 01342 318813.

Kind Regards 
Web Contact Team 
The Caravan Club "

Personally I woudlnt mind paying a deposit!

It seems the only way to get change is, as members, to ask for the change!

Regards, JCH07


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Wrinklies 8O :lol: I'm getting there.
Being new I/We like the late availability it makes having to decide where to go like throwing a dart blind fold  almost everywhere is a new experience.


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## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Glen432 said:


> Hi Tramp
> 
> I work for the club and i can see Chapel Lane near Birmingham has a few pitches left for next weekend. This is the first week after the school holidays and you get all the wrinkles coming out filling up all the sites thats why most are full
> 
> Regards Phil


Firstly, I find it offensive that an "Employee of the CC" should refer to members as wrinklies. He should study the membership statistics and would find that such members are in the majority and pay his wages.
Secondly, he should stop quoting the Company line and admit that it is the ability for CC members to book multiple sites and yet fail to arrive with no deposit paid and no penalty that is the root cause of the problem.
Unfortunately, Glen432 is typical of the warders that currently man the gates at CC and C&CC sites.
Gerry


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Hey Gerry wrinklies is not so bad considering ALL the words we use to describe our youth yobs hoodies muppets numpties scrotes nob eds etc :lol: poor kids get it big time 8)


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## quiraing (Feb 12, 2007)

I agree, both the CC and the CCC no longer run for the benefit of their members. The membership has grown out of all proportion to the availability of pitches. No longer can you be a tourer, as you used to be many years ago. Both the clubs are no longer geared to those who want to tour an area. Only those who want to be static for their whole holiday.
Time for a new organisation who can supply pitches for real tourists, we don't need Pubs, shops, fancy toilet blocks or WiFi. We need somewhere to park up, with fresh water, toilet and waste disposal within cycling or walking distance of a town or village. Write to your MP and encourage them to support the British equivalent of the continental Aires de Camping cars. The two major clubs have failed and are failing those of us who want to tour without the constriction of pre planning each night of our whole year's touring in the beginning of January.


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

I went away this weekend, not expecting a full site, what with it not being the holidays nor tip top weather.

Had a big lecture about the necessity to book in advance for weekends. 

But doesn't this rather lose the point of freedom? I travelled for 6 weeks in France and Spain and never had a problem about booking - I never booked anything at all! And no lectures. 

Anyway, despite fully booked sites, somehow I still manage to get on - it's just you have to show up, look a bit pathetic, and endure a lecture for 10-15 mins, then you get a space, as there's always someone who doesn't show up, it seems. 

Could it be that there's actually not enough camp sites in the UK? Especially with the recession, people staying at home, not wanting to get stuck in the Eurotunnel or stuck in ashclouds etc?


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

to Quaring

I'm interested in your point about who the sites are run for.

I assume that the people who work on the sites are paid for what they do? They're not volunteers are they? We're not expected to turn up and say "oh, it's so kind of you to give your time to helping to keep this site open" - are we? 

When I showed up about 7.30pm, I was told this was "late". And was told off. 

Then the man in question came round the next day to tell us that our tent should have been a bit more this way than that way (we thought we'd put it where he told us to), but didn't ask us to move it, just "told us off". Why? Either we had to move it, or we didn't. And anyway, he should have been clear about where it should have gone when he showed us the site. 

Then he told us how he started work at 7am every morning, and how he starts by checking the toilet facilities. I felt he wanted a prize for doing this - but surely the toilet facilities is part of what I'm paying for? 

He said that as far as he was concerned the reception should close at 5.30pm because why should he work any later. I agree - why should he work any later. But don't the sites hire people who can work an 8 hour shift and then someone else to work another shift? 

I just kind of feel that they should properly employ people to do the work, who then do it with a cheery disposition - and not spend all their time telling off the people who go there.

If I went to a hotel, I don't expect to hear the long hours the staff work, as if I should say "thank you so much for doing that for me" and also to be told off constantly. 

I'm paying £25 a night, and I'm guessing that all the other people on the site are too, so with say 200 units on the site, that's £5,000 a night they take - I would think for that, that they could afford to keep the reception open until 8pm. 

I would also expect that there might be more than 3 showers for 4 fields worth of site - queuing up outdoors behind 3 others waiting is kind of pants. So if the £5,000 a night they are taking is not going towards showers, what is it going towards???


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

Sorry - while I'm on a rant - they gave me a piece of paper with "information about the site" on it.

"Hoorah!" I thought. "Perhaps a map, showing the toilet blocks. Perhaps showing footpaths. Perhaps about local transport. Local pubs or shops or tourist information. Perhaps information about the shop, when to order papers. The dog walk."

NO

It was just a list of rules - don't do this, don't do that. 

Not helpful at all. And classic of what their priorities are "don't do this, don't do that, we're going to tell you off all the time". 

It doesn't make for a nice atmosphere.


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## Jede (Dec 7, 2007)

I can't really comment on CC club sites because I've only ever stayed on one in the UK, and as above I was given a list of do's and don'ts and not much else. As for taking deposits. We work on a private site where deposits are taken on every booking. We have practically no "No shows" the reception is manned until 8pm in the season 6pm in the winter and you are shown to your pitch.

We all work hard in the season but that's not the customers business, they come to relax and unwind.

Maybe the answer is to seek out more privately owned sites.


John


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Excuse my ignorance but what are the differences between CL,IND, and CS sites??
I understand what they mean, but how do thet differ if at all :?:


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

quiraing said:


> I agree, both the CC and the CCC no longer run for the benefit of their members. The membership has grown out of all proportion to the availability of pitches. No longer can you be a tourer, as you used to be many years ago. Both the clubs are no longer geared to those who want to tour an area. Only those who want to be static for their whole holiday.
> Time for a new organisation who can supply pitches for real tourists, we don't need Pubs, shops, fancy toilet blocks or WiFi. We need somewhere to park up, with fresh water, toilet and waste disposal within cycling or walking distance of a town or village. Write to your MP and encourage them to support the British equivalent of the continental Aires de Camping cars. The two major clubs have failed and are failing those of us who want to tour without the constriction of pre planning each night of our whole year's touring in the beginning of January.


There is no doubt that the problem of availability of pitches has got much worse this year. I think it is a credit to the CC that their pitches are so sort after. They must be doing something right otherwise they would not be so much in demand!

Thank you quiraing for a much more sensible post on the subject than those who just knock the club without a shred of evidence to back their accusations of block booking and willy nilly cancellations. If they do have any, then they should be writing to the club with it not moaning on here. If you don't like what the clubs are doing then cancel your membership.

peedee


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## selstrom (May 23, 2005)

There appears to be a fair number of CC sites between Birmingham and the channel with availability over the next 5 weekends!

The CC have changed their booking system to stop people booking more than one site on any day.


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## Glen432 (May 9, 2005)

Hi

I think i need to reply to one or two of the recent post. First of all Gerry my post was posted on my day off and is my opinion only and not the clubs but like most members you expect me to be on duty 24/7 and like a lot of members you seem to have lost your sense of humour because the term WRINKLES it is meant as a term of endearment my own mother happens to be one and is quite proud of the term. Now back to the real issue of availibility of pitches under the new system no one can book more then one pitch per day but there is a problem with block booking of several weekends at a time and the club are looking at this but it could be difficult to police. The deposit issue is an urban myth, more people cancelled or no showed when taking deposits then they do now, i must admit i didn't believe this but i've seen the figures for previous years and the thinking behind this is that people who pay think they don't after to inform the site when not turning up.

Phil


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> the thinking behind this is that people who pay think they don't after to inform the site when not turning up.


Then the deposit obviously was not high enough.

[/quote]The deposit issue is an urban myth,


> Really? IS this your opinion or the Clubs?
> 
> I don't think anyone was expecting you to be available 'all the time' (I hate using american abbreviations).
> Whether you were on duty or not, you introduced yourself as a club employee, and then used a term many may find offensive no matter how charming your mother thinks you are!
> In the context you used it, the statement was open to the interpretation that 'it was the wrinkles fault' that the OP could not get a booking.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

There's a pretty simple solution to that, though. £20 booking fee. If you cancel >14 days in advance full refund (possibly like C&CC, put into holding fund against future bookings), cancel >24hrs in advance £10 refund. Don't turn up without giving warning, forfeit the deposit (indeed could also do it so future bookings lost as well). That'd mean the incentive was there to give backword if you can't travel.

Would also highlight that perceived full sites can be a sign of the inflexibility of site arrival/departure rules, as has been discussed here before now. Pitch 56 at the new Barnard Castle site was empty from 1700 yesterday....I booked and paid for it for last night, to allow me the flexibility to leave when I wanted to rather than being shoo-ed out of the gates at mid-day. Someone willing to only arrive at 1800 could have had that pitch, but because neither club has given any thought to offering rates for those who wish to leave late / those who are willing to arrive late (particularly a Sunday issue), the pitch went to waste. Club doesn't care because they got their revenue, but it means someone missed out on a pitch.

Peedee, if you want proof of people block booking, I can give an example. Met someone while walking the dog at Rowntree Park earlier this year (as in most difficult to get a booking) and he mentioned they'd come that weekend as weather was nice. Explained he'd booked 2 weeks either side and cancelled when it was raining. Short of demanding his membership number or tailing him back to his van, I could hardly get his details to complain to the club...

Agree that wrinkles/wrinklies can be a term of endearment.


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

We're new to this game and we're enjoying it BUT, we didn't realise we would be spending most of the week trying to book places to stay for the weekend. Finding nice places to stay, proper sites or CL's or whatever, is taking a lot of time. The whole point of us spending 50k on a motorhome was that we could just get up and go, not the case !


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Rosbotham, the problem with introducing a deposit system as you describe is it will incur a cost of administration which naturally would have to be passed on in increased pitch fees! I don't think any of us would want to see this.

The club surveyed members at the beginning of this year, there was a thread on this. There were no obvious conclusions but the club says it took on board the various ideas and said it would review the system in 2011.

I think you have to accept the clubs word for it that they find the non deposit system to be working better than when the did have a £10 deposit after all they are the ones with the statistics not us. The fact is sites are full most weekends in the season no matter how the pitches were booked/taken and it does appear there is a better chance of getting a last minute pitch now than when there were deposits.



> Glen432 wrote "but there is a problem with block booking of several weekends at a time and the club are looking at this but it could be difficult to police."


Glen do you mean by an individual as Rosbotham has pointed out or is it as has been described to me by club officials as a problem of weekenders preventing members from contiguous stays of seven days or more. I would have thought the former would have been easy to police the latter not?

peedee


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

You can read the results of the CC's Site Booking Survey >here<

peedee


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

peedee said:


> I think you have to accept the clubs word for it that they find the non deposit system to be working better than when the did have a £10 deposit after all they are the ones with the statistics not us.


But how did the scheme work before? Was it a simple forfeiture of deposit, or more sophisticated as described above? I'm not convinced the club _do _have any better statistics; I am convinced that they're very conservative (little c) and resistant to change.

Those of a certain age can afford the time to spend a day booking up sites in December...most of us can't. Funnily enough it's that same market segment who can afford the time to get themselves in the area committees that influence the decisions. I don't blame them, I'm just realistic about the situation. Nowadays I just block out a couple of evenings in December and plough through the booking system to lock our calendar for the following year...if you can't beat 'em so to speak...

Where we definitely differ is I do not for one moment believe that the proposal I described involves any extra administration. There are these new fangled things called computers nowadays. C&CC operates a similar scheme, as does pretty much every hotel in the world - it's not rocket science.

Paul


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

> You can read the results of the CC's Site Booking Survey


That is a result of a survey of members - of more use would be a breakdown of statistics showing :nights booked v's no-shows.

I am not sure you can take the result of a survey of the people who cause the problem to show anything other than there is no problem??
Not sure I understand my last but it is something to do with getting turkeys to vote for Christmas.

The survey would have been completed by people who read the magazine, people who have a vested interest in the status quo and the kind of people who, on the first booking day, have enough time to sit and block book. I am not sure many motorhomers fit these requirements.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Well if those who wanted to see changed did not pass on an opinion then they deserve what they get.

peedee


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## aultymer (Jun 20, 2006)

Yep, Peedee, goes with your other oft quoted, 'if you don't like it leave'.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

peedee said:


> Well if those who wanted to see changed did not pass on an opinion then they deserve what they get.
> 
> peedee


Actually quite a few did, after I highlighted the survey back in January : see here. 6 pages worth, but I'm afraid I struggled to find anyone who didn't agree with deposits other than yourself. Clearly you're more in tune with the views of the average club member.


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## Annsman (Nov 8, 2007)

Never mind about deposits aand pitches being available, what about their prices? Considering boith clubs are supposed to be run for their members how come they charge so much? At the moment I'm at Charolles Municipal Site in France. large pitches, fully serviced with water, grey water drain and electric. FREE WiFi and all for 11.00 Euros per day. I can arrive before noon, stay until 5pm before having to leave, find my own pitch when the Guardienne is on lunch, (12-4!) and the facilities are spotless.

I would be paying at least £25.00 a night on a club site and having to sell a kidney to get on the internet! 

For the members? MY AR**! :evil:


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Rosbotham said:


> But how did the scheme work before? Paul


I cannot remember as I don't recall ever defaulting on it or the current system. However I have not turned up once when I broke down on the way to site but even then I phoned to let the site know what had happened.

I have had several discussion with club officials about no shows etc and I can only repeat what I have been told which has been fairly consistent from both council members and wardens.

I would think there would be a cost of a deposit system even if it were only in setting it up. However, it would make the booking process more complex and I certainly would not like to see that.



Rosbotham said:


> Where we definitely differ is I do not for one moment believe that the proposal I described involves any extra administration. There are these new fangled things called computers nowadays. C&CC operates a similar scheme, as does pretty much every hotel in the world - it's not rocket science.


These new fangled computers can also produce lots of stats and if the club doesn't know what is going on and who is doing it then they have made a right hash of specifying their booking reporting system.

I cannot be bothered to join the bun fight in December. The only time I ever book well in advance is if I have a very good reason for being there otherwise I take pot luck, after all there is plenty of choice of sites in most areas and there is always the choice of wildcamping. I have just had 6 days away and never booked anything.

peedee


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

I notice you're in North London Peedee. That may be part of the difference in opinion. Obviously for a weekend we only want to travel 2hrs absolute max. For us that leaves (copy/paste from this weekend's availability):

Site - Pitches available Fri/Sat/Sun
Dockray Meadow Caravan Club Site 0 0 3 
Englethwaite Hall Caravan Club Site 0 0 17 
Low Manesty Caravan Club Site 2 1 0 
Low Park Wood Caravan Club Site 0 3 47 
Meathop Fell Caravan Club Site 0 0 11 
Meathop Fell Caravan Club Site 0 0 25 
Park Coppice Caravan Club Site 0 0 78 
Blackpool South Caravan Club Site 0 0 22 
Burrs Country Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 25 
Chester Fairoaks Caravan Club Site 0 0 14 
Southport Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Wirral Country Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 15 
Blackwall Plantation Caravan Club Site 0 0 53 
Chatsworth Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Grin Low Caravan Club Site 0 0 26 
Losehill Caravan Club Site 0 0 34 
Poolsbrook Country Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 42 
Poolsbrook Country Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 3 
The Firs Caravan Club Site 0 0 8 
The Firs Caravan Club Site 0 0 20 
(repetitions are where there's multiple pitch types)

In other words, only option is Low Manesty (site with no toilet block hence not so popular).

Up here, leaving it & seeing what you fancy isn't an option.


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## machilly (Feb 10, 2007)

Hi, Firstly what is the rush to use CC & C&CC sites, they are so expensive, I am sitting on a CS having just been ata DA for the Leuchars Airshow weekend @£6 per Night I have everything I need, in my van, toilet, shower, walks to the little village pub in Strathkinnes,Tonight (Monday) we are the only van on this huge expanse of land, I have electricity, although the weather is not great I have peace and quiet, no Children running around, no barking dogs and No Grumpy Wardens calling me a Wrinklie, if he worked for me and I heard that I would fire him for these remarks, if you have an opinion mate keep it to yourself, and even on your day off you are still a representative of the Club......


regards


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

aultymer said:


> of more use would be a breakdown of statistics showing :nights booked v's no-shows.


I too would love to see these, as members I think we also have the right to them! However I would like to bet there would be a fair proportion of folk who would not believe them.

peedee


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## suffolkmerc (Jul 25, 2010)

Agree with techno100, it's obviously a nickname they have for us old farts, I'm sure they have other nicknames for other groups of people, ankle biters etc, let's not get too up ourselves


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have found the booking system does not work for us, one of the big complaints that I have is that there is a very large number of pitches that are NEVER available.

If you contract for a seasonal booking you are *guaranteed* a pitch every week and you pay a fee that is less than the normal fee over the period of the booking.

If these pitches were available I suspect that all those who want a pitch would be able to get one BUT the CC has opted for a "guaranteed income" from selling these pitches to caravan owners who leave their vans their for the period but may only visit once or twice during that time.

The rush to book many bookings when they are released in December also favours those who do not work - if you are out at work you will be lucky to get through to book anything! The web system also seems to be unreliable every year at about that time "due to upgrades" or too many people using it at once.

Wardens have confirmed to us that no shows is a big problem...... but they have no control over it and only "persistent offenders" will be targeted for action. They are not sure what is meant by "persistent offenders" either!

For the first time recently we did say registration number being displayed in public of users who had been reported as driving in excess of the mph speed limit - about time too as far as we are concerned!

Sadly though, the members do not seem to be the high priority that we believe we should be either to the management of the Club or many of the wardens that we have encountered. Some are excellent, but others would benefit from a course in a "managing public relations" before being let loose.

Dave


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Rosbotham said:


> I notice you're in North London Peedee. That may be part of the difference in opinion. Obviously for a weekend we only want to travel 2hrs absolute max. For us that leaves (copy/paste from this weekend's availability):


I would hardly think where you live has anything to do with it. Club pitches are just as hard to come by in the south as any where else. 
My 6 days away were in fact north of Birmingham and the majority of my forays over the years have been in that direction.

As a matter of interest, did anyone keep a copy of the question asked in the club survey?

peedee


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## HeatherChloe (Oct 18, 2009)

Annsman - I agree that UK sites seem to be much more expensive than sites in France. But I think it all depends upon the pricing system - eg per person or per pitch. Also, remember that wages and land and electricity is more expensive in the UK. 

Rosbotham - I think you've made an excellent point re arrival and departure. 

When I'm in a hotel, I need to check out by 12 noon so that they have time to clean the room before the next occupants arrive, which could be as early as 2pm. Hotels often give you the option of paying a little more to keep the room for longer (presumably to account for cleaning staff staying later).

But on a campsite, once the pitch is empty the next person can arrive immediately. No cleaning required. 

Nearly all sites say you have to be gone by 12 noon. If you've got tents and things, it means that on a Sunday you get up, shower, make breakfast, wash up, then it's time to pack up your tent and be gone. 

But as you say, people touring around and arriving that day rarely arrive at 12 noon. When I travelled for 6 weeks, I usually arrive at a site about 4pm. Now I'm working, I tend to arrive between 7-8pm. As you say, leaving the site empty, and forcing people to leave much earlier than they wanted to.

I'm sure this is a new phenomenon, as when I was a kid, we always went away for the weekend in our tent, and we usually left the site about 3-4pm on a Sunday to head home, to arrive in time for tea at 6pm. There was never any suggestion that this was leaving "late".


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

> would hardly think where you live has anything to do with it.


Blackmore Caravan Club Site 27 27 91 
Broadway Caravan Club Site 0 0 6 
Bromyard Downs Caravan Club Site 0 1 11 
Burford Caravan Club Site 0 0 40 
Cheltenham Racecourse Caravan Club Site 25 25 30 
Cheltenham Racecourse Caravan Club Site 7 7 7 
Cheltenham Racecourse Caravan Club Site 0 1 8 
Cirencester Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 90 
Four Oaks Caravan Club Site 0 0 6 
Moorhampton Caravan Club Site 1 0 11 
Moorhampton Caravan Club Site 0 1 1 
Moreton-In-Marsh Caravan Club Site 0 0 3 
Notgrove Caravan Club Site 0 0 21 
Tewkesbury Abbey Caravan Club Site 0 0 40 
Broadlands Caravan Club Site 0 0 3 
Cherry Hinton Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Ferry Meadows Caravan Club Site 0 0 33 
Grafham Water Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Grafham Water Caravan Club Site 0 0 19 
Great Yarmouth Racecourse Caravan Club Site 23 41 55 
Incleboro Fields Caravan Club Site 1 0 0 
Incleboro Fields Caravan Club Site 0 23 71 
Round Plantation Caravan Club Site  21 21 33 
Round Plantation Caravan Club Site 15 15 15 
The Covert Caravan Club Site 21 21 26 
The Covert Caravan Club Site 19 20 33 
The Covert Caravan Club Site 2 2 2 
White House Beach Caravan Club Site 0 4 23 
Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site 1 2 31 
Alderstead Heath Caravan Club Site 69 69 87 
Amberley Fields Caravan Club Site 6 2 8 
Ashridge Farm Caravan Club Site 0 0 4 
Bearsted Caravan Club Site 0 0 6 
Black Horse Farm Caravan Club Site 7 12 30 
Broomfield Farm Caravan Club Site 10 12 19 
Commons Wood Caravan Club Site 9 17 29 
Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site 0 0 7 
Daleacres Caravan Club Site 0 0 40 
Fairlight Wood Caravan Club Site 1 0 0 
Fairlight Wood Caravan Club Site 0 0 2 
Fairlight Wood Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Littlehampton Caravan Club Site 1 0 16 
Normanhurst Court Caravan Club Site 0 0 29 
Northbrook Farm Caravan Club Site 0 0 18 
Sheepcote Valley Caravan Club Site 0 0 2 
Sheepcote Valley Caravan Club Site 0 0 3 
Sheepcote Valley Caravan Club Site 0 0 35 
Wyatts Covert Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Wyatts Covert Caravan Club Site 2 2 1 
Black Knowl Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Crossways Caravan Club Site 0 0 4 
Exmoor House Caravan Club Site 0 0 2 
Five Acres Caravan Club Site 0 1 1 
Five Acres Caravan Club Site 1 8 21 
Haycraft Caravan Club Site 3 0 0 
Hillside Caravan Club Site 0 4 18 
Hurn Lane Caravan Club Site 0 8 56 
Lakeside Caravan Club Site 0 0 1 
Lakeside Caravan Club Site 1 12 30 
Longleat Caravan Club Site 0 0 52 
Minehead Caravan Club Site 0 3 1 
Morn Hill Caravan Club Site 0 0 10 
New Forest Caravan Club Centenary Site 0 0 1 
Rookesbury Park Caravan Club Site 3 1 4 
Rookesbury Park Caravan Club Site 0 0 5 
Southland Caravan Club Site 3 3 8 
Wincanton Racecourse Caravan Club Site 16 16 16 
Wincanton Racecourse Caravan Club Site 3 3 15

...without doing a detailed analysis of driving times from London, that's 18 sites with availability for Friday & Saturday nights this weekend in South/SE/East Anglia. Bit difference to our choice of 1 with no toilets...

The sites are where the sites are. However, an individual's likely perception of the situation must be influenced by whether they're limited about where they can go, or outright have no availability at all.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Rosbotham said:


> However, an individual's likely perception of the situation must be influenced by whether they're limited about where they can go, or outright have no availability at all.


More likely it is when they can go more than anything else which causes the difficulties. Those that have weekends only have the most problem.

I don't just go for the sake of it. My outings are aimed at areas of interest. Whilst my first choice is a club site (they are generally cheaper for me especially CLs and CSs) I don't limit myself to these and will look at the alternatives to be in the area I want to be.

peedee


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## alecturn1 (Nov 13, 2009)

*sites fully booked*

same happened to me in may 2010. cc site said fully booked on computer,phoned site direct they said that we could get on.i was surprised that during the weekend there was loads of available pitches i agree a small deposit should be taken


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## phil4francoise (Jun 21, 2008)

Had the same problem at Park Coppice a couple of weekends ago. Friends who had pre booked asked us if we would fancy joining them for the week but of course the Friday and Saturday nights were fully booked so we could not join them until the Monday. Our friends rang us from the site to say that there were several empty pitches so they walked to reception to confirm this before suggesting that we travelled on the Saturday. The warden confirmed that there was empty pitches so we travelled up to join our friends who had reserved the pitch for us. We arrived at 5.30pm after a 400km trip ,we explained the above only to be told "Oh dear you did not ring us and book" again we explained that why did we need to ring when our friends already on site had spoken to them in person.Then we explained that our friend had reserved the pitch next to them for us as we was on route. You would have thought we had committed murder from the response.
Anyway having paid our £25.00 per night we walked down to the shower block wher we had to wait out turn as 4 of the showers cubicles had been locked,we guessed that maybe they were out of order. The next day we found out that all Three shower blocks had locked cubicles for no reason. When we complained we was informed that it was due to the time it took to clean them all. Not bad when you pay £25.00 per night for peak season.


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Cheer me up why don't you...I'm due at Park Coppice on Friday. Given it's been closed for half the season to refurbish the toilet blocks, your experience is particularly bizarre.

Paul


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## phil4francoise (Jun 21, 2008)

Rosbotham said:


> Cheer me up why don't you...I'm due at Park Coppice on Friday. Given it's been closed for half the season to refurbish the toilet blocks, your experience is particularly bizarre.
> 
> Paul


Dont worry ,the site is lovely with some nice secluded pitches and the shower blocks are very nice.. If you want to watch TV you MUST take a tv with freeview and a nice long coax cable as 90% of the pitches are under the canopy of trees so your satellite /aerial will not work


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Oh yes, been there a few times before. From your point on long aerial cable, do I assume they've installed a TV distribution system? Always take a good book there normally as I struggle to even get radio reception...recognise satellite's a non-starter.

Paul


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