Club sites - advance booking system
Comments
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Ask66
Given Eurotravellers idea of a campsite a few miles away from Castleton might it be an idea to investigate local taxi companies. We often use taxi's when the place we need to visit is too far to walk or not on convenient transport routes. However I would check that they will operate within the time frame you need.
David
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+1
Also if people do pay a deposit and they want to cancel, why bother tell anyone? I've paid my deposit so I just won't turn up, it's my £10 to lose
And strangely enough that is what happened, when the club stopped taking deposits the number of no shows went down!
OK Ask66 - so say we pay a deposit, and I cancel before the 72 hours, I'd want my deposit back or as you talking about a non refundable one? Bit harsh? No refunds after a certain date then? Two weeks? OK I'll book a year in advance and cancel just before that.
So what would taking a deposit actually achieve? The sites would still show full.
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It's an old debate this one, although perhaps ask66 hasn't seen it before. The Club offers a somewhat unique no deposit, quite late cancellation policy to its members, and in truth, I am guessing it is reasonably well monitored at sites and HQ, although probably not to the depth Ask is suggesting. The simple fact is that the take up of pitches is the prime consideration for the Club, and most cancellations at honeypot sites will probably be snapped up, even the very late ones. It's a balancing act, between inconveniencing members with deposits that are meaningful, and allowing for a few folks who do transgress the system. Start with meaningful deposits, and members will possibly have to use travel insurance just in case, just as you do when booking any other form of holiday. Personally, it works as it is for me. It's hard luck if you realise you need a specific date late after Frenzy Day, but this new system of rolling bookings might help a bit.
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Hi Cornersteady, maybe there isn't a problem - I guess only our Club knows that, because it has access to the booking and cancellation details. And maybe individual members have some idea, if they have found that one day a site shows full, and the next day it shows availability.
I'm not saying I have a perfect solution, just that maybe there's a problem which should be investigated.
Earlier in this thread I mentioned Ryanair, where you pay in full, in advance. That's a real incentive to turn up at the airport! Where there is a genuine reason (e.g. close family bereavement), Ryanair will refund you - I know that from experience. For less serious cases, it's up to you to take out travel insurance if you wish.
Is there a good reason why our Club can't do the same, or at least move in this direction?
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Only if you are a single person and the Club would prefer a family.
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Cancellations aren't the only reason that an apparently full site suddenly has availability, Ask. Pitches out of commission for a variety of reasons then become usable so are entered on the system. The whole premise assumes that the availability shown is accurate in the first place which might be doubtful.
"Is there a good reason why our Club can't do the same, or at least move in this direction?" Yes, the cost of administration, and the fact that we are members and not customers wandering in off the street.
I'm afraid that none of your ideas, will prevent the honeypot sites showing as full at popular times. Nor will they ensure that people turn up.
I think you are falling into the trap of wanting to change the system to suit you regardless of the many people who are quite happy with things the way they are. Isn't it perhaps time to accept that you maybe should have booked earlier and now need to move on? Good luck with finding an alternative.
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Tinwheeler, this isn't about me wanting to stay somewhere in Castleton on a weekend in late June 2018 (I can easily book a hotel room and sort that one out) - it's about a booking system that I think needs improvement, not just to benefit me, but to benefit many current and future members of our Club. You and others are obviously happy with the current system, but that doesn't mean you represent a majority, or that discussion shouldn't continue! All opinions are valid, and worthy of respect, aren't they?
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Deposits have been discussed many times. I do not see that they serve an advantage for members.
There are a number of sites that are booked up for weekends at certain times of the year. If you want them you will need to book ahead (as at Castleton in June). Most providers require a £25 deposit or similar for a few days booking. If CC required such a deposit it would not be a reason not to use them as you will still pay elsewhere generally.
A £25 deposit will not prevent such sites getting from booked up and offers little advantage in my opinion.
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My mistake but seeing you were quoting one particular site and stating your problems with securing a booking for one particular weekend, I think I can be forgiven for thinking this was very much about you wanting to stay in Castleton on a certain weekend in June.
May I suggest you contact the club direct with your views and see what they say?
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Well, since you ask, ask (
), my opinion, for what it's worth, is that the club has a USP which seems to suit the vast majority of its members and the club itself. I've no problem with deposits - I've paid 3 for sites we're using shortly (1 commercial, 1 C&CC and 1 CL) - but the argument always seems to come down to this idea that huge numbers of bookings are made and then not honoured, particularly on the late, lamented (not) frenzy day. And the club have repeatedly said that it's not the case. The new monthly rolling booking system may help, but I'm with Husky on this one - leave things as they are unless there's overwhelming evidence that they're not working. 
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Me, too, Moulesy.
I'm not sure this affects the 'wider public', Ask.
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Personally, I think too many folks look at the booking system and take what is on there as gospel. We usually phone the sites direct and talk to Wardens, and it can often tell a different story, due to changing weather or ground conditions. Always found staff very helpful, especially if there is maybe just one night showing full that would spoil a long stay. I understand some visits need a firm booking though, if it involves an event or meeting up with a group.
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Castleton Club Site serves two very large conurbations as well, so weekends will always be busy, same as Chatsworth and one or two other sites. Working folks like to weekend away if they can, I know we did when I was working. We used to send menfolk off with vans on Thursdays, they would take dogs, get everything set up, then the Ladies would follow on Fridays after work, taking train to Hope, get picked up at station and expect a meal cooked! Mind you, back then it wasn't half as busy, and sometimes you could move vans off pitch, leave elsewhere, and pick up late on Sunday's. Those were the days!
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Suggest you have a look at previous post in UK sites and touring on 26/2/2018 by Bandgirl titled New Booking System from April 2018 to which many on here contributed. Some of the questions raised here about cancellations and the percentage were partly answered in entries 91-98 only a few weeks ago.
Just to add I personally prefer the present booking system as since we are often out for lengthy periods across two or more months I am concerned that I will have to spend much more time on the this site to try to ensure continuity of a holiday and not having to leave at the end of one month because I could not continue the booking into the next as at present. Hope this makes sense.
As for deposits last year we only used one C &CC site for 10 days compared to 13 CMC sites for 16 weeks because I don't like their deposit system.
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Notwithstanding the "Groundhog Day" aspects of this thread, there are idiosyncrasies in the financial side of the booking system. No shows incur no financial penalty but early departures do. There does appear to be a degree of inconsistency in policy.
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Thanks ForestR. I don't spend much time on Club Together so missed the original discussion. I did a search for "Booking System" before starting this discussion, but nothing showed up (as others have said, maybe the search facility could be improved?). Anyway I've just had a look at the discussion you referred to and found at least one poster who seems to share some of my opinions
I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me!
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There's nothing wrong with you ask66, you still exhibit an enthusiasm and hope that your questions and suggestions will get a good airing and elicit a positive response from HQ. I used to be like that, wanting this that and the other improving on the forum, make things easier to use. I am less prone to such hopes for here nowadays, the two years waiting for new website, and the underwhelming changes when it did finally happen, dissolved most of my illusions. It is what it is, most of us get by, hope you get sorted for late June. If you haven't done already, phone Castleton Site direct, a bit closer to your dates.
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Hi think this has been suggested but it has worked for me a few times when in your situation.
It is always worth ringing the site the wardens are generally very helpful and they know more about the site availability than the head office or the computer it as I said worked for me with a pitch being available I could have.
The Castleton site as others have said is a very popular site at weekends, I was trying to book late one week and the system showed full, rang the site told sorry they were full, my daughter was staying on site and we were hoping to meet up with them so we kept ringing each day upto the Saturday still no luck we visited our daughter on the Saturday as we are only 30 mins away leaving at 8.30 pm Saturday night, we walked around site at close of play there were seven empty pitches disappointing but what the answer is is difficult to determine.
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Ask, there's a CL 2 miles away from Castleton, at Hope, Farfield Farm No. 348 in the Site Directory. You could always get a taxi to and from Castleton from there.
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Many thanks to all those who've made constructive comments and suggestions during the day - even if you didn't agree with me. I guess there won't be many more comments made here, as new discussions push this one further back. Anyway, I've made my point and will watch with interest how things develop in the future. Thanks again!
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