Chatsworth Chains
Reading the latest couple of reviews, the wardens have now taken to putting a chain across the entrance to stop units entering the access drive before 1pm
Can only assume this is on the small island just as you turn off the Chesterfield Road in Baslow, enabling people to still be able to leave.
From the reviews, it is causing chaos (laughable, if you didn’t arrive too early, why would it be a problem?) and has upset at least a couple of members already.
I’m heading there next week, will be aiming for 1.30 
There will be a queue at reception, but not bothered, give the engine a chance to cool before switching off, cosseting the turbos
Comments
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If it is where you mention I can see it would be a problem. If we go shopping at the farm shop, it is usually in the morning and we try and get back before the rush. If the chain is unattended then we would have to remove it to get back in. If a MH follows us in it could lead to confrontations. As long as there is a warden with it, then as you say it is simple, don't arrive before 1pm.
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As we left Chatsworth yesterday at 11.30 there was indeed a chain across the entrance, on the site side of the small roundabout, forcing early arrivers to go round in circles or leave to park up elsewhere. There is no excuse for turning up before 13.00, everyone booking is made known of this fact. When we arrived on Sunday at 13.30 there were three others in front of us. I estimated travelling time and left home accordingly. Those staying on site and wishing to drive out in the mornings are advised to leave before 12.30 or wait until 14.30 to allow for peak arrivals. If leaving this must be before 12.00. The wardens are very efficient in managing the entrance/exit of vehicles, but it only takes one selfish person to cause problems.
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I did wonder if when checking in, the wardens were advising about the chain and requesting anyone going off site during their stay, to choose their times carefully. Makes sense and I’ll know for sure after next week.
As for one of the reviewers, very upset he had to try and find somewhere to park up in his 8.5m motorhome. Sorry, but how is that the Clubs fault when you have arrived before the VERY clearly notified arrival time.
I can unfortunately see the message taking a while to get through to people though with resulting problems being caused with congestion along Cock Hill. Police getting involved and caravanners/motorhomers being further berated by the public
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Good it's about time something was done .
We use Chatsworth several times a year & the disruption early arrivals cause is totally unexceptable , they block the lane for members leaving the site to go out lunchtime & anyone returning from 12.30am onwards .
It's high time , we have seen people arrive before 11am & sent packing well done the wardens , common sense prevails...... at last .
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have to agree with the above, hope this gets rolled out across all sites?
Actually just not letting people book in early would also work?
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it wont stop queuing, itll just move the queue....out into a highway?
there is a better way.....
ps, called into Lidl this morning to load up the van with vino....Lidl opens at 9 on the dot.....at 8:50 there were around 20 people waiting to get in....
its what folk do.....especially the English.....including (especially at) caravan sites.....
meanwhile, back up the road at a well known extremely busy (full) campsite, vans leave and other vans trickle on to site with no queing, no grumpy customers (quite the contrary actually).....no bow wave for the wardens to deal with, the reception staff (yes, they are a separate team) check the vans in, one (sometimes two) at a time, all in a calmness unfaliliar to those (grumpy folk) waiting in the 'queue'....
yes, its a continental site, but it only has a 50m long access way so they cant block the main street.....so have a sensible approach....that works.
unfortunately, while the club retains its policy of clearing everyone out before letting anyone in (to give all new arrivals an equal chance at the best pitch) you will forever have a scrum outside.
chains wont change the english 'psyche' which has to queue.....
it will just move that queue somewhere else.....
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Every C&CC site I’ve visited since they rolled out the 1pm arrival across their site network has taken a no exception approach to early arrivals. Signs by the entrance stating the reception will not accept anyone booking in until after 1pm. This is regardless of whether there is good two way access to site entrances or not and sufficient parking for those arriving early, or not. A zero tolerance rule that despite a few objections when the changes were rolled out, has been widely accepted.
The problem with the CMC is a number of sites have been relaxed about early arrivals and it does benefit some sites, such as I experienced at M in M a few weeks ago. However, if some sites allow it and others don’t, as a result of restricted access or a lack of wardens on duty for example, because there is no consistency there will always be those that push their luck and bend the rules, regardless of the site they are visiting.
If the Club are looking to clamp down on this, they need to enforce the rule at EVERY site and educate members to that effect, for the message to get through.
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Especially as not only due to the narrow nature of the lane, it is owned by the Chatsworth Estate and also serves the farm and stables along the same road, which are also part of the Estate business.
It’s not just a rule enforced by the Club, but is likely also an agreement with the farm and stable tenants so that they also won’t have problems with access throughout the day.
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yes agree completely
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it will just move that queue somewhere else
No doubt about it and at Chatsworth, the queue will move onto the A619
Not the Clubs problem though is it?
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Don't forget the rugby club /sports field & the bowling club which need access as well , or don't they count ......they are part of the estate too & should have access regardless of us CMC members .
The simple solution is don't arrive till after 1 pm .........it can't be that much to take in........ surely .
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yes, waiting to be let in as you say, but were they allowed in? as you say it opened on the dot at 9 so I assume not?
I have no problem with people arriving early at all, it's being let on before 12 (or 1 on some sites) and if all sites as Nigel says consistently applied that then the message would get through and the problem would go
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again yes, I assume the police might intervene?
Again even with all these restrictions it appears to be a popular site.
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I agree, but there are plenty who, probably don’t read this forum and don’t really care for the rule, who will always try it on.
The chain is a great idea, if it causes chaos on the busy road resulting in Police action or simply confrontation from passing motorists then so be it, it’s not the Clubs problem.
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for some sadly yes?
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while the club retains its policy of clearing everyone out before letting anyone in (to give all new arrivals an equal chance at the best pitch) you will forever have a scrum outside.
That is not what happens. First in gets the biggest choice, which then decreases the further back in the queue one is located. Those who arrive at 12 noon, or 1pm, as required may well find the pitch they wanted is long gone.
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I'm assuming you've never used the site at Chatsworth BB.
As you know, in general, I agree with you on the subject of more relaxed arrival/departure times but it simply wouldn't work at Chatsworth for various reasons, not least the fact that it's one of those site which folk don't tend to leave early in the morning from because of its proximity to the estate itself - make the most of the time there.
However, we did find a way of avoiding the queues when we went there earlier in the year. Put off arrival until Monday, arrive at approx. 2pm and there's no hold up at all and no problem in choosing a suitable pitch. Maybe we were lucky, but it was the week leading up to the May Bank Holiday; if we visit again, which is quite likely we'll do exactly the same next time.
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of course, Corners, youre absolutely right....
but this is exactly the point....they were kept outside and yet still queued early despite every one of them knowing that they couldnt get in for the 'best bargain' till after 9.....just as CC members will continue to do so.
compare this with Bonterra Park (you'll have to take my word for this, of course, as you dont know it) where vans are allowed in (pretty much) any time....certainly there have been arrivals before 9am....
so they come in, get given the list of available pitches, stroll round, select one, park up....
no queues...because the site doesnt want queues, it wants its customers happily installed as soon as they arrive to avoid this very thing....even those who arrive at (say) 10:30 ish might have been travelling for two and half hours...
they dont want to waste a morning on another site twiddling their thumbs waiting to leave until they can 'arrive' at 1pm....
the site understands its customers' needs and accommodates them.
having a van arrive at say 9:00 and move quitely onto (perhaps) the only spare pitch surely wouldnt worry anyone else on site?
to me (and surely to those arrivals) this is far better than making umpteen vans queue in a hot roadway.until some abitrary 'opening time'.
however, i do realise that this system cant work at CC for a variety of reasons, including...
a) the drive at Chatsworth (but not every club site is like this)
b) members like to choose the best pitch from those remaining
c) CC sites arent staffed sufficiently well to allow such extended office hours
d) the club doesnt do change and even the results of 'trials' can be 'confusing'
so, as B Fawlty neatly put it...'looks like we're stuck with it'
happy queuing all
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I agree early arrivals at Chatsworth would not work because of the access road.
However I do agree where possible a more relaxed arrival process would be a lot better. When in France we arrived at sites mid morning and like BB said you are given a choice of available pitches for the maximum stay, OK so maximum stay would not work here as sites are booked up but if you arrive at say 9 and there are 2 pitches available you take one of them, if they are on grass and you want HS tough, if they are next to the playground and you want to be furthest away tough, if in a gloomy corner under trees and you want a sunny pitch again tough etc. etc. no going back later to change as one comes available.
Last year we arrived a Haycraft site about 11:30, no warders about so we dumped the waste water and filled up the fresh, then spotted the warders, asked it it was OK to move onto one of the free pitches (already had a walk round to see what was available) then come back once the office opened to pay and check in etc. Answer was NO, warder then went into office and did not open door till dead on 12, much better if I could have moved onto pitch put of way got set up then went to check in later. I realise they want to make sure you are members and have booking etc. but surely nowadays you could have automated barriers that operate with your membership card so only bonafide people got on site. I know this will only work on some sites but thinking about winter or lesser used sites this could alleviate having warders full time etc.
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yes +1
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I agree with the chain and the warden applying the "not before" rule.
If vanners arrive before that time and the queue backs up and blocks the road, yes, get the police involved and book those who think the rules don't apply to them. A few arrests will concentrate the mind.
K
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an interesting approach to customer service.....thumbscrews, anyone?
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There you go.
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Lol. did the dark haired guy actually sing alone?
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I've seen the vid, I didn't realise how serious it was
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Don't mince your words hooker, say what you mean!!
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Thankyou
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EsuRgxsd6bk
