What do people want or expect from a CL ?
We have just returned from a wonderful 10 days on a lovely CL in the New Forest. This was exactly as all the reviews had stated, flat, peaceful, lovely owners and very well kept. We were surprised, however, by the remarks of one couple who were staying there who didn't like the CL one bit. They were complaining about the fact that there were three horses in the adjoining paddock (excuse me but we were in the New Forest famous for horses!), They claimed they could smell them and there were flies, neither point we could agree with at all. They also said that they thought the site was bigger than it was. The handbook states it is half an acre which is possibly underestimating the actual size as there was far more space per unit than any CC main site but this couple were trying to judge the size from the photos online. (If they looked at the photos they would also see horse jumping 'jumps' in the adjoining paddock which might have given them a clue as to the possible proximity of horses). Why not believe the owner's description? They then went on to say that they didn't believe the reviews on line claiming that they were probably all written by the owners themselves. What an insult.
Talking the the owners in very general terms about people going into the countryside and then complaining about the characteristics of the countryside, sounds and smells etc, I was told that one couple staying on the site last year asked the owners to do something about the noise of the sheep (which they didn't own) in a neighbouring field. What do people expect ? If you don't like the characteristics of the countryside stay in a city and listen to the traffic and breath in the fumes.
Comments
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Take it from me John, there are some folks who should never visit CLs, or the rural areas altogether. Years ago, we had builders in doing a bit of work for us, a nice team, mainly in twenties age range. We said to them use garden for lunch as it was a lovely Summer. I came out with a pot of tea for them and one of the lads asked what those strange large birds were at bottom of garden. He had never seen a live chicken before!
Some members are dipping in a toe to CLs, as Club Site prices creep ever higher. Upon arriving there, a few are shocked to find live animals around, birds that hoot in the night, no peg dictating how to park and strange green stuff hitherto confined to parks! They then go online demanding things are brought up to Club Site standards!😂👎
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There are some people who are impossible to please.
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The daughter of a farmer friend of ours was asked by a work colleague where milk came from.
As TDA said, there are some people who should avoid the alien environment of the countryside.
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There are also those of us, who have lived and worked in London all our lives up to retirement, who thoroughly enjoy the smells, sounds, muck and beautiful views afforded by CLs.
Quieter and more peaceful than some club sites we have been on.
Each to their own,
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"There are also those of us, who have lived and worked in London all our lives up to retirement, who thoroughly enjoy the smells, sounds, muck and beautiful views afforded by CLs."
That's because you understand and appreciate the differences, RF, others don't.
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There are people who live in the countryside who don't notice what's around them, it's not the environment it's those who live in it without being aware of their surroundings, town or country. Luckily a lot of people do appreciate things.
Our tale is a someone at work who rushed in one morning here in Somerset and declared he'd just seen a Golden Eagle....even though he'd lived all his life in a spot where buzzards lived in the trees near him, he never knew what they were. So you can be amongst it and still not notice!
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Had to laugh today. Had a day out at Chainbridge Honey Farm, which has a vintage double decker bus for a delightful cafe. Top deck, mid cuppa, cue mayhem as someone spotted a couple of wasps inside, and the arm flapping started! I just calmly grabbed a clean glass and a piece of paper, caught said "hornets" inside, then let them go out the window. Some embarrassed faces when I explained they were honey bees, often found on a honey farm! Some folks are just plain barking!
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We've lived in the countryside and holidayed mainly in country areas for the majority of our lives.
However my sister has always lived in a city. One year we took her with us on a flying visit to see some cousins in Dublin. The ferry docked back in Holyhead early in the evening and as I was driving through the Anglesey countryside she asked a very simple question:
"Where do they put the sheep at night?"
She insisted on going home early when she stayed over at our house because she couldn't sleep due to the strange noises that some bird (an owl) was making and as for the birds in the morning. I wouldn't mind but she lived on a busy road in Liverpool.
Some people should never be allowed out in the countryside without taking an exam first.
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A good way of getting your own back on noisy caravan neighbour's is to throw some bread on their roof! Works a treat at coast, seagulls wake up very early. Allegedly.......
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We just like to enjoy the country life, even when the farm sheep pay a visit.
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I am often amazed at CL reviews some are fun to read but sometimes I do feel for the owners, the most beautiful locations IMO are often critiqued for Wifi performance, grass cuttings or some other irritation. There is a review where the local bus stop was a fair way from the site down a hill resorting in a member having to hire a car! Maybe a bit more research before booking? No wonder so many CL's disappeared over the years, will this accelerate with members leaving apparently negative reviews anonymously?
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Whilst we give members the opportunity to write reviews be they for CL's or Club sites I think we have to let the writer say what they want providing it is within the T&C's. I think most of us can read between the lines. Some reviews will be comprehensive others will be the opposite. Some will complain about things that affect them which might well be accepted by others. We are all different and should be allowed to express ourselves. I am somewhat surprised that people can comment on reviews, personally I think that should be restricted to the CL owner or Club admin. Reviews should not be used as an alternative discussion forum!
David
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But put yourself in the CL owners perspective, it takes some effort to run a good CL for a marginal return. You read a string of negative reviews, irritations and whinge's what would you do?
Yes you should be able to leave negative feedback but only if you have taken this up with the CL owner whilst on site. Perhaps there should be a checkbox for this.
As can be seen on many websites and forums where people sit anonymously at their keyboards it is far too tempting to go OTT when commenting or complaining.
I just worry that we are loosing good CL's and wonder if the rate of decline has accelerated since the review system has been in place?
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Is there any evidence that a CL actually gets a string of negative reviews? I would be happy to have a look at them if there is. I can understand the odd one which might be out of kilter with the general run of reviews. If there is a string of negative reviews I would have thought that the CL owner needs to address the issues raised. That might be as simple as giving a better description of the CL in the first place. There does seem to be thread running through many of the comments in the CL section that people should not write negative reviews of a Cl which is a complete nonsense. On the one hand we seem to have people saying please write a review and on the other saying yes write a review but only if its positive and I don't see how that helps anyone?
David
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I think the owners of the CLs I went to in the past were jolly lucky there was no opportunity tor me to write reviews at that time.
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Things have moved on a lot since the 1950's, et.
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Those townies aren't normal though eh K?
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You’re sounding rather defensive there, K. 🤨
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Just quoting your good self from the other thread concerning reviews K, c'mon, keep up
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well as you asked you wrote that normal people do not write reviews
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who knows and could well be? but at least your own reviews on those CL's were factual.
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I would suggest that CL users would expect a rural outlook with great scenery, lots of space , a relaxed environment, nice and knowledgeable owners. In fact the very opposite to the bog standard supermarket car park look with rows upon rows of vans and an oval race track found on "all singing all dancing" CMC sites. Facilities for a CL would include a Drinking water tap, a grey waste disposal point and a black waste disposal point. An electricity bollard could be included but not essential.
K
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In your opinion, that is.😐
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a rural outlook with great scenery, lots of space , a relaxed environment, nice and knowledgeable owners
I can get all that from a club site, you have often praised Bunree I believe K, scenery not good there?
I know it is all relative but then also you should have added that you have not been to a club site for two years? How do you know personally things have not changed?
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What have you, and by association, the CMC got against Townies anyway. ??. 