Booking ahead is unfair at some sites
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Indeed, as TDA says other tweaks will be required to make a difference. I agree with BB and have long argued that a seven day cancellation period is more realistic. 72 hours is ridiculously short.
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I would agree re the retirement thing and also the catch up. In that respect not a lot has changed and there wasn’t even a pandemic in 2005, when we joined. We bought our first van in the February and took it to Clumber for a weekend to try it out. Then tried to book for Easter BH (we still worked then). We only got anywhere within 150 miles of home, because they decided to open Malvern after a refurbishment early. We then played catch up for the rest of our first year, having to be flexible on where we went. However, just like now there were sites available. Clearly it will depend on where you are located, but I have not looked at any month this year, where a bit of flexibility wouldn’t have allowed a break, even if we were working.
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From our observations, Club Site occupancy changes at weekends. Midweek it’s mainly couples, a good bit quieter. Come Fridays, the family outfits move in. Quite how deposits will alter this I am not sure, other than penalise families of working age.
I still think it’s going to need a lot of commitment and effort, regardless of age, income etc....to get a pitch at certain Sites at certain times of the year.
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Fully agree with that, our usual pattern is midweek to midweek. During the week I'm one of the youngest but during the weekend I'm the oldest!
And +1 to the rest.
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with pitches only being returned to 'stock' 72 hrs before being due to be used, it's more likely they will be snapped up by those who have the time to 'keep an eye on' the late availability...that won't be working mums and dads...
Certainly happened when I released two days of my Chatsworth booking (a good four weeks ago)...snapped up on same day. Looking at Chatsworth for next year , w/e are almost fully booked..as are full weeks as weather months improve.
Some eagle eyed posters may know that Chatsworth is virtually our back garden..so why should I stay there..simple, we meet up with friends who have come to tour in the area...
FYI...walked in the park Friday to have a pre opening visit (Yesterday) of the Xmas market. Looks good..Hard standing 'trackways' and car parks better organised this year. £10 per car in the week , £20 at the w/e.
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Two solutions to the Chatsworth situation - put the price up for that site, or restrict the number of bookings per year at Chatsworth that any one member can make. Or both.
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That’s three possible suggestions to run alongside deposits, and you can bet the Club are mulling over all three😉
Restricted bookings for certain Sites
Premium price for certain Sites (I suspect this is in use already)
Premium price certain days of the week, and certain times of the year. (Already in use, but it’s termed mid week discounts, and high season)
All the above are common to a lot hospitality businesses. The Club is unique however in that it needs to retain its core Membership, those that have supported it through thick and thin, whose fees have helped keep it going through difficult times, and then trying to build on newer, younger Members who they can rely on for the future. Both are needed, and need to respect each other’s contribution.
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It would be interesting to know how many members book multiple times at the same site throughout a year, especially the honeypot sites like Chatsworth? Perhaps there should be a limit, perhaps no more than 3-4 times a year on the really popular sites. Whether in reality it would improve availability for the likes of the OP I don't know?
David
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OK this is off topic I know, but I am amused at the notion of Chatsworth being a "honeypot" site. It is seven years since I went to this site and, unless it has been markedly improved, I have no plans to return. I just re-read my review of the site (I stayed on a super pitch) and it is one negative after another. The only positives in my review were the friendly wardens and Chatsworth House - the latter nothing to do with the club. If I want to visit the house again or the various events they hold, I am fortunate to be able to do it as a day trip from my home.
On the topic: I find the OP confusing. If all he wants is deposits then I agree 100%. If there really are more than a very few who will stop using CMC sites because of deposits, which I seriously doubt, then so be it. Hopefully that's more space available for the rest of us. But no one has mentioned the headline to the post, wherein the OP describes advance booking as unfair. This implies that busy sites (or even all sites) should not have advance booking. I think we must all agree that that would result in chaos and is surely impracticable.
Some of the criticism of the OP, especially early in the thread is unfair and unkind. If he is recently joined, he has a right to be disappointed at the difficulty in finding pitches.
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"But no one has mentioned the headline to the post, wherein the OP describes advance booking as unfair"
I did near the start of the thread. I took "unfair" to mean not being equitable to all members and that is far from true as we all have the same opportunities to book.
However, I agree that, if the OP is a new member, he/she may indeed have been disappointed with the short notice choice available but will be more able to select early in future now he/she knows the ways of the club - new systems permitting, of course. I hope he/she fares better in future.
I may be wrong but I can’t help feeling that the OP may well have heard the term "speculative booking" from someone else and assumed that to be the case at Chatsworth. We all know there are many reasons for cancelling and we have no way of knowing how many bookings were cancelled way in advance and the pitches rebooked to the benefit of people like the OP.
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Maybe the way forward is for the club to charge non refundable full price for all weekend bookings, to also include just the weekend part of full week or longer bookings. In that way any weekends booked would be serious wants for a break and not just maybes, it does seem to be the weekends that cause most problems. I’ll duck now while people post that this is unfair to anyone who works. In my view it isn’t and obviously something does need to be considered now that there are more members all looking to book.
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Even introducing "pay in full on booking" for other members is never going to work to suit some others. Once one has taken the initial hit it becomes just a case of replacing one booking (or set of bookings) with another. As interest rates are approaching the position of banks charging their customes to keep money in their accounts, having a series of booking with caravan sites (Clubs and commercials) is possibly a better use of funds.
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Once one has taken the initial hit it becomes just a case of replacing one booking (or set of bookings) with another
I would argue that this depends on the T&C's the club sets out...will they say 'non refundable if cancelled in the 30 days prior to arrival' with the proviso...'we strongly recommend you take out travel insurance'...which we will provide at £??....
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I don’t know the Site at Chatsworth, but living not far from Sheffield, and having family in Bakewell, we do know the area very well. For those looking to pitch up up, not turn a wheel of any kind, it’s not a bad location. Easy access to the house and parklands, and that basically is the big draw, along of course with a big selection of events at the house, throughout the year. Perfect for a a bit of walking, retail therapy (if your wallet can stand it) in the Estate shops, eat out either in Baslow or in the Estate eateries. Some other nice places a stones throw away. It’s a cheap place to visit a popular area of Peak District if you own a tourer, so same as visiting York RP, or Bristol BW. Family Summer holiday location? Not as far as I am concerned. We have never stayed, and go elsewhere in the Peaks, with more to visit, better cycling and walking, and a lot cheaper overnight fees. Been round the house &estate a couple of times on day trips, so ticked those boxes. Haddon Hall is a far nicer day out as far as we are concerned.
I think the term the OP has used, unfair, is a little bit harsh, because as pointed out, the booking conditions are the same for everyone. To me, I don’t think the Club has met the expectations of a new Member who might have thought that belonging to something (paying a fee) gave them easy access to Sites. That simply isn’t the case at the moment, because too many Members are chasing too few pitches at selected locations.
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Well, as an IT guy I can assure you if there's going to be an announcement in the next 12 months, they aren't mulling over anything.
They will be way past the point of no return in terms of systems development to make these kind of fundamental changes. OK, adding a new class or classes of pitch fairly easy, differential pricing based on availability a nightmare and deposits, big big change.
Not only on systems, probably they'll need a whole new back office team to deal with the ramifications of failed payments, refunds, expired cards etc etc.
They have the simplest of systems at the moment. Turn up and pay.
Look at the other club, can't even view your bookings online let alone amend them...
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It has been rumoured the Club has bought into some hospitality system, but as far as I am aware, it’s just rumour. But I take your word for how long such a system will need to be in place and up and running. Recruitment of posts......there was a flurry in September/October, but not sure what exactly.
I have just opened a thread on the current inability to alter my profile or marketing preferences at the moment, so I have little faith things will get any better.
Personally, not a huge user of Club Sites, tend to take up short term availability, so totally on the fence about deposits, couldn’t care less. No experience of other Club, other than reading what others post, namely that CAMC system seems easier.
Now, If the Club offered a cheaper, access to CL network only option, I would definitely go for that👍👍👍 😂
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Baslow is just a roundabout to me😂 Pretty scenery granted, but the walks are elsewhere. Totally agree £50 per night doesn’t represent good value to us. But others are happy, their choice😁
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At £50 a night, no way! Although that is for 2 adults + 2 children, haven't looked it up, but would be less for us as just 2 adults. Suspect it would be around the £40 mark, so still wouldn't entertain that.
We have stayed on that site a couple of times many years ago; agree that as a site it's unattractive, first time the pitch we were on flooded after heavy rain, so not impressed, and steered clear of that pitch after that! But we did enjoy a number of lovely walks from there, that's the best thing I remember about that site
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I posted on another thread,, when we were parked at FM next to 3 hired motor caravans ,and were very impressed at how reasonable it was to stay on this "companies "sites off peak non members prices was £43 for a couple per night
Which seems with what some post on CT ,about prices, is what new LV users are quite prepared to pay
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Chatsworth Site is what it is. If you want to look around the house and estate, got your own tourer, and don’t live close by, it’s possible a cheap way to visit.
We wanted to visit Forde Abbey, Somerset, which is a long way from where we live. I found a nice CL, serviced pitches, loo and shower (clean and modern). We could have easily cycled to Abbey from CL, only a mile or so. That cost us £18 per night. You can tour a whole lot cheaper, even in this country, September if you want to do so. That was our dearest nightly fee over three weeks touring, lots of other options cheaper on the doorstep of what we wanted to see.
The Club charges prices some Members are happy to pay. Other Members, like us are going elsewhere.
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The whole point of the Chatsworth site is that it gives easy access to the Chatsworth Estate. Now for those that live reasonably close by, the simple answer is a day visit. However for those of us that live over a hundred miles away a day visit loses its attraction. Staying in the motorhome, even at what some would consider inflated prices is still cheaper if you have to factor in staying elsewhere and paying to park plus the fuel used to get there, it is just not worth it. I perfectly understand those that suggest the site is not a holiday destination but I suspect most people that stay there stay less than a week. It's horses for courses. I love the idea of having my personal key to the Estate. The Christmas displays in the house are very well done and the gardens are lovely. A couple of years ago we took my son's in laws, from Brazil, and they loved it. They drove up from MK for the day and we stayed at the site. I guess our visit was much more relaxing!!
David
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You might not be able to view bookings on the C&CC web site but as an IT guy you'll know they'll be in your e mail confirmations. Amending bookings with deposits is another ball game and requires another set of parameters. When I've needed to amend bookings and move a deposit a phone call is easy enough.
What might be interesting with CAMC is the availability of contact time, will it be normal office hours, weekends etc.
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What might be interesting with CAMC is the availability of contact time, will it be normal office hours, weekends etc?
What's going to happen during Bank Holidays weekends, Easter, Whit,Christmas etc?
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Also might prove rather time consuming. We have only changed one booking with the C&CC and it took about 10 minutes, including getting connected. If we need to amend an up and coming tour, due to say a vehicle issue, we might have 10 to 15 bookings that required changing. If it’s like the C&CC you can’t just keep the deposit to use later, it has to be used against another booking. Wether you could combine several deposits to pay for a future booking, I don’t know, as that would speed things up.
What ever happens, it’s going to make a simple system that works well for most, a lot more complicated to administer.☹️
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Ive mentioned before about how some leisure businesses 'do support' differently to the Club.
to me, closing the main office at weekends and Bank Holidays is just so poor, these days.
having experienced a real requirement for help when ferries were being cancelled left, right and centre due to CV, I was delighted that at 6 pm on a Friday night (with us chasing across Spain to clear the French border) an informative message to call back on Monday wasnt what I wanted to hear...
well done Brittany Ferries for getting in touch separately....
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+1, the world & life goes on 24/7 any business that wants not just to survive but to flourish needs to get with the programme. No room for dinosaurs in the 21st century, good point BB👍🏻
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