Booking ahead is unfair at some sites
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Forgive fellow caravanners, for I have acted "outwith the "spirit of club membership".
A wet dinner time and farmers not really keen to dash out to work, we discussed upcoming events to add to the calendar. Owing to our work/lifestyle we usually expect to get away for a weekend in April and in September, plus 7 - 10 days in June. We're creatures of habit and return to sites we know and like. We have to fit in our main holiday between 1st and 2nd cut silage, and that of course is in the hands of the weather gods. So - I have booked 19 nights at New England Bay, knowing full well that I will have to chop some dates off the beginning or end.
Sorry. You can either call it "working the system", or any other epithet, but I would probably do the same with deposits in place.
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A D.....Sorry to hear that, rural area's means lanes as you know and weather in this country is all about luck. As for crowds and hassle one comes with the other and no doubt because of the Covid and flying restrictions both intensified. Don't know what site you were on, but we have always been satisfied with the conditions of the C& M C sites we have stayed at.
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Some might suggest a mass desertion from the ranks of Club members. But where do they go? The Club is a very big player in the campsite market and inevitably anyone leaving the Club is just going to encounter the situation with deposits elsewhere and perhaps more rigorous requirements to pay up front 4/6 weeks prior to arrival. I imagine it will be met with some disappointment but probably accepted. Perhaps some older members whose thoughts might be whether it was time to give up might just hasten that decision. After a period of reflection I am sure it will all settle down?
Talking it over with OH and one option when / if deposits are brought in is…. Rather than tie a lot of money up in deposits, which even if only £25 would mount up with the number we make, we might as well put it into another flexible booking with Brittany Ferries and go twice a year, rather than as we do now one tour here one over there. Then if for some reason we couldn’t go, all we would have to alter is one ferry booking at no cost, rather than numerous site bookings. All assuming things get back to near normal of course.😀
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I think from watching the AGM, the Club were pleased at the numbers who had chosen to renew for a second year, but then we are still in a pandemic situation, so no great surprise really. I suppose C19 and Brexit happening together were bound to require certain changes, new hurdles to going overseas, but plenty are more than happy to do it, and it was possibly a better option in terms of case rates, than here.
Unfortunately, because of caring commitments, we are still reluctant to pay for expensive ferry/Chunnel fees for a mere 3 weeks maximum, and of course we have our elderly pooch in the equation as well, or we might very well have looked at France this year. I want to commit to at least six+ weeks though.Shame you had such a poor time in SW though AD, it can be a tad hit and miss. We knew getting down there would be fraught this year, hence why we took our time and hopped there and back on A and B roads. We dropped very lucky with our weather as well.
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What many don't realise is that many members who take a real interest in the workings of the club are Centre members and ralliers. I'd be interested to know if their influence affects club decisions more than the rest of us? I don't think they'll be giving up and rally bookings already require a small deposit.
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Agree Brue, if you are a rally user, then Membership still worthwhile.
Just out of interest, I know nothing about rallies, or Centres, but is there a price discount for a rally on a Club Site, can they use any of the Club Sites all year, or does the Club have any restrictions on when and where? Long time ago, but we got caught out arriving on spec at Dulverton, a normally not too busy Site was full with ralliers. Wasn’t an issue, we drove a bit further and had a nice week at Burrowhayes Farm instead. There was a rally happening at Exeter Racecourse when we left in September this year. This is very much I suspect where the “Club” heart beats.
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Brue
I think I am right in saying that people that belong to Centres do have more opportunities to have input into the Club. Slightly ironic of course if they spend all their camping nights at rallies, so not using Club sites much, but possibly undue influence on how the Club do things?
David
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Having run Willingcott site before I spent quite a bit of time (when I could) there this season helping out due to staff shortage. I probably spoke with AD!!
JK
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I could spend years touring France, in fact possibly just Aquitaine and never want to move on. 😂 All that history, wonderful churches and castles, and in many ways, so closely linked to the history of our own country. I think Tunnel would be first choice, I got seasick just motoring along in our MH a couple of years ago, so bad I ended up in A&E at Airedale District General, so just the thoughts of a ferry has me quaking.🤢 Maybe I could fly out, and meet OH😂 I had to do that back from Scillies, I was practically carried off the Scillonian on a flat calm sea. But we digress.....
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"we might as well put it into another flexible booking with Brittany Ferries and go twice a year"
Even with the '180 day rule' many will still be venturing overseas twice a year..
we avoid the rigours of a UK winter by 'living' in Spain for three months, mid Jan to mid April..upon return (notwithstanding the odd flying/cruising excursion) the UK is warming up to an acceptable level, so we do a bit here...
...but as the sun begins to wane, slipping over to mid/southern France...or Italy..or etc...seems a very attractive way to spend September and early October.
home for autumn catch-up with family and friends, a couple of late tours, Christmas at home with kids, New Year in the van with pals and then back on the road..
now...would I prefer the 'ferry money' to be sat as a CC deposit? Difficult one, not.
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Thing is jv, I have an agreement with upstairs to stay on this site until I retire. If your theory becomes fact my retirement will be a little earlier
Apparently if we're all still here come the spring we will be fully staffed so I'm told. Fingers crossed
JK
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Mb1 wrote "I'm all in favour of deposits and have said, on more than one occasion that, if and when they are introduced, it may affect how I book sites."
How would it affect your habits if there was no deposit but a penalty scheme?
As an aside, if CAMC wish to 'control' members conduct vis a vis 'no shows/late cancellation', a penalty scheme would be a better way than deposits as the amount of the penalty could be tuned to achieve the desired result. For well behaved members it would be 'business as usual'.
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A lot of people have stuff delivered to site Ad (remember that thread!!). Come mid season everything seems to blur over
What did you think of leisureshop direct AD? I've always found them to be helpful and reasonable. No gas next year either.
JK
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I think your idea is very doable CY. Far easier to administer as well.
JK
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Agree. If the Club came down hard on anyone who transgressed Site or booking rules, it would soon get the message home to the few, and leave everyone else to get on with behaving as they should. It doesn’t really need deposits, just a limit on certain bookings at certain sites, at certain times of the year. Surely a booking system can be programmed to do this🤷♀️ You don’t turn up, you are charged for your full booking. You cancel within a stated period, you are charged a percentage. Club already operates this system on Experience Freedom. Incidentally, it costs £30 to amend a booking on there as well.
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Is that a hint?
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We only tend to go for 6 weeks at a time, so wouldn’t fall foul of the rule. 6 weeks end of May to early July and again September / October. Now we have a MH we quite like touring in our own country, and utilising mainly CAMC sites for 1 / 4 day stays. However, given the number of bookings we make it may become a right faff, as well as expensive if any changes are needed. Not needing to book anything and the large Aires network, has a definite appeal in those circumstance
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As if I'd know CS!! Just my opinion.
JK
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In the past your site was put forward to be an unstaffed site, with willingcott staff "popping in to keep an eye on,it
