Booking problems & Bad site closure planning
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No way harry, I went online just prior to my post, & none of the sites I mention showed a full weekend free before the end of June. Surely the online site should be up to date at any given time. My point is that having so many closures in one area is very bad planning !
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I'm totally against this, & believe it's a selfish way to conduct membership. Surely this is part of the problem. Members booking up well in advance, Just in case, & spoiling it for others !
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We returned from a holiday last week at 2 top quality sites, with all the services club sites offer. The first was Naburn Lock nr York, & the 2nd Castle Howard nr Malton. Both £20 a night inc elec, (& half price entry into the stately home & grounds at Castle Howard).
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Who says it's 'just in case'?
I have booked about 120 nights. I guess that 90 of them are club sites. Unless there are unforseen circumstances they will be used as indeed they have been for the last 7+ years.
Most of the dates would not have been a problem say 2 or three months ahead but not knowing what events are on I like to book my touring routes.
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Is this a case of it simply not suiting you, Ravenscar? We all have an equal chance of booking and you can do the same as others do so what is selfish about that?
How dare members book their holidays well in advance. Whatever next!
Your 'just in case' statement is pure supposition.
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harryb, with respect, I'd like to know how you can claim that 'all' of the dales sites show full availability for June. I've just checked Bolton Abbey for a pitch with awning, & the first full weekend available is shown on the website as the 23rd of September. All the prior weekends have at least one of the days full. The other site I've just checked (6pm today) Lower Wensleydale, shows the first available full weekend available as Saturday July 1st.
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Yes, it's true that this does happen - supported by the number of cancellations just outside the 72 hour cut off period seen on 'late availability'. Also, numerous people have said on here that they book speculatively.
Deposits would solve this - even though they would offer me no advantage, I'm willing to see the reality of this.
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O dear Ian Yet again posting with no real evidence to support your speculation about the "just outside the 72hr period" as the "late availability" is just a guide of available pitches at the time,as numerous reasons could alter the amount of pitches at any time
,And i have noted one or two on here who state they book speculatively bu its usually followed by a smiley
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Apparently, according to Ian, 'numerous people have said on here that they book speculatively.'
Must have missed those. I remember one person saying that in jest. I have amended a couple of bookings (longer on one site, miss a stop out, early at another etc due to car problems in the last 7 years. Also cancelled a booking about 5 days ahead on April 9th last year. Non facility site near Carlisle in order to go earlier to a commercial site to be near friends. Doubt that inconvenienced anybody!
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But Ian, it's only a couple of weeks ago when you were saying (I think this is pretty much an exact quote) "I've never subscribed to the theory that deposits would make people less likely to cancel" and agreeing that folk who'd paid a deposit were likely to wait until the last possible minute before cancelling, thus making it more difficult for others to take up their pitch!
When did you change your mind?
As for what "numerous people" have said on here, well, don't believe all you read - fake news is in the headlines at the moment, after all!
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I must have missed the speculative bookers as well, Easy.
In the same way it's odd that an ordinary poster can see how many cancellations happen just before the 72 hour deadline when the club doesn't collect such information.
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There is an Ian started a thread here - not sure if it is the same Ian - not about booking though.
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the 'naked' truth, perhaps?
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especially as all the private site fees were substantially lower. I'm afraid this is often the topic of conversation with other campers.
I've stayed on club sites for over 40 years and never ever ever had a conversation with anybody on a site about the fees............
Often the weather, attractions locally, my van, car, bike etc or who's turn it is to do the washing up......
Do you instigate the "fees" conversation.......? I would suggest that if the price is such an issue, you vote with your feet........
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Hello Ravenscar, I'm sorry to hear you are having difficulties booking sites. I have spoken to my colleague regarding the redevelopment of sites in Yorkshire. She has advised that the decision to redevelop 4 sites in Yorkshire this winter was very considered.
Hawes and Wharfedale were both purchased and developed in the same year and are now both suffering some internal failings within the main toilet block. As a result it was felt that if we were to only focus on one site this winter, we may at some point be facing closure due to faults. We felt that we were better to deliver the programme of works in the same period as both blocks were in the same condition. Please note that we worked hard with the contractors to keep Hawes partially open from April and offer some service point only pitches to members who wanted to stay.
At Knaresborough, we had the fantastic opportunity to grow the number of pitches by extending the site (an opportunity that we didn’t want to turn down) and it made financial sense to redevelop the much needed bistro (that is very popular with our members) as well as the reception and roads.
We appreciate that this has impacted the number of available pitches in this area for the short term, but it also means that there will be more pitches available and fantastic quality sites ready for the summer this year.
All sites in Yorkshire are popular and well occupied; unfortunately there would never have been a right time to close these sites and there are also more Yorkshire sites on the plan for redevelopment this winter, so we have worked to spread the works out as best we can. Naturally we have seen other sites in the vicinity become more popular this year as members are keen to continue to stay on our sites. We are sorry that this has impacted you for 5 months this season, but please continue to check the late availability pages as pitches do become available. Alternatively, why not travel a little further afield and try a new site. With so many in this part of the country, there will be availability.
With regards to this discussion, I will now close it as we hope we have helped to answer your question and unfortunately the conversation has got heated in parts, something we strongly discourage on Club Together. Can I please remind members not to engage in arguments on Club Together or post in a way that could be considered antagonistic as this may affect your ability to use the forum in the future. If you disagree with someone's opinion, that's fine to express, but please keep your responses polite and considered. Many thanks. Let's all try and keep Club Together a constructive and friendly place to be.
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