When is a rule not a rule?
Comments
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Why use the term club defenders? Why can't people post their views with you labelling them as such? Is it meant to devalue what they post.
But apart from that, who has denied or challenged any honesty?
no good to the club denying it or even worse challenging the honesty of those who have come across it.
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Night, David. Sleep well.
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A working life time amongst the general public taught me just how grateful most folks are for the services provided and the efforts made on their behalf. It also taught me just how nasty and vindictive one or two others could be if they failed to get their own way despite careful explanations and doing one’s best. There are always two sides to any disagreement (has to be really, or it wouldn’t be a disagreement😉) but social media rants and nasty reviewing techniques take things to a whole new level nowadays.
Hence the proliferation of “do not harass or mistreat our staff” notices in many public services.🤷♀️
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I've come across some of the wardens that David is describing, not many, but some .... they're those that used to have some degree of authority when working & think that people should still kowtow & tug their forelock when talking to them or the other end of the scale, those that would have liked to be authority when working and see being a warden as way up the ladder. The sign outside Southport's club site that basically said ... "It's 12 o'clock when I say it's 12 o'clock" was a good example!
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I wish the same to you, ED. Is that against the T&Cs? 🤷🏻♂️
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A bit of selecting posting there Dave. You missed off from my post: I'm not saying it doesn't happen...
So SC write on this forum about posts from another forum and I am supposed to take them as completely true? Is that you are saying? Is that what you would do?
And yes there are two sides to every story as completely proved by one side of that arriving early thread and the response from the club. So which to believe?
You logic does appear skewed and incorrect in my view
As to who has more experience of club officials you may have years as a member but you have clearly stated that for the last 20 years or so your experience of club sites has been limited to perhaps a few days a year, apart from last year, and even then you may be up to 20,30 or 40 days in that time. So really you have no recent relevant experiences at all. I have done more days on club in one year than you in 10.
Sorry who have I attacked? Again very emotive language and clearly not true. another attempt at trying to devalue my posts?
And really why do you try and devalue anyone's post by using the term pals? Are posters not allowed to agree without being called this? Just use rational polite arguments ?
Goodnight I'm sure you'll be back in the morning.
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Yes +1
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On the relatively infrequent visits to club sites, my interaction with wardens has seldom extended beyond one or two sentences upon arrival. It doesn't give much opportunity for attitude, good or bad, to manifest itself.
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A few weeks ago I arrived at 12.30pm at Chapel lane site having encounted non of the usual and expected traffic delays. I did not expect to be admitted but was quite happy to wait until 1pm, I was approached by a warden( I was the only outfit there) and told very rudely to go away and return at 1pm. My outfit is 40ft long, I know the area well and there is nowhere in the vicinity to legally park up. I went away.
I contacted the club regarding this and was told arrival times of 1pm would be enforced. No apology for the very abrupt and rude way I was spoken to by the site warden. Firstly the 1pm arrival time was I thought bought in during Covid to enable wardens to deep clean facilities. I was under the impression Covid regulations had now been abandoned so why wasn't arrival times reinstated to 12md? In a further reply from the club I was told 'The Executive Committee' had decided to carry on with 1pm arrivals to assist wardens to prepare the site. Did the committee ask members opinion on this decision, certainly no one asked me! So as well as site fees going up we also loose an hour of pitching time.
For the 36 years I have been a member wardens have managed to complete their duties and have sites open at 12md. I asked the question.....on whose behalf is the club run, members (customers) or wardens, obviously the answer is not members but wardens!
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Once again the crux of the issue is arriving early. Why arrive at 1230 not expecting to be allowed on site, Blue? Arrival time is just that. It's not booking in time but the time of arrival at the site that matters.
If the warden was rude, you have every right to complain but you need to accept the original error was yours.
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My outfit is 40ft long, I know the area well and there is nowhere in the vicinity to legally park up. I went away.
Well there is the the motorway services at Hopwood Park, all of 4 miles away, where I would have stopped if early. Or you might have been able to find room at Becketts Farm shop at the roundabout and go for a coffee. One thing is certain more than a few 40 foot units queuing at Chapel Lane will cause a blockage. Information on earliest arrival times, is available on the website.
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"Hence the proliferation of “do not harass or mistreat our staff” notices in many public services."
I too worked 'with the general public' and as you say most are appreciative of the efforts you were making to help them.
There is no room for abusive behaviour however, my experience has been that in many places what such signs are actually saying is "Do as I say, and do not question it".
It can be quite surprising the response one gets, after being told some implausible or unreasonable explanation for 'bad service', to the simple question 'why?'.
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I am sorry, but I still think most of the grumbles, complaints, disagreements that folks mention on here about turning up early, and let’s face it, not getting their own way, are simply down to not understanding things from the point of view of the Club. If the Club has asked staff to keep new arrivals off Site until 1pm, and have used a variety of communication methods to try and ensure Members are aware, then it’s unfair to blame the staff for doing what they have been instructed to do. Likewise, some staff might be using their initiative in preventing what might turn into a difficult safety situation, by allowing the odd unit on Site, so they get damned for this as well🤷♀️ Personally, it’s not the easiest of “rules” to apply, because it ends up pleasing no one really, and I think is a step too far at slack periods. But it is a rule and as such should be respected.
As for staff not being overly welcoming to those who find the arrival time information challenging…… members perhaps need to consider they might be the umpteenth person that day that the staff have had to inform of their “mistake” and try to move on until the proper arrival time. I am not saying rudeness should happen, but if it’s a constant issue, then I think my smile would slip a little. Staff are human, and as such being caught between Club expectations and Members playing the system is not always a happy one.In thirty plus years of Membership, only had one very poor welcome, and I sorted that personally. Every other visit has been good, including a medical emergency where onsite staff were frankly marvellous, and lots of help with mechanical issues. I like the staff generally, they do a difficult at times task, generally very well. I don’t need my boots licking clean, or a cap doffed. Just efficiency and that usually what I get.
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+1, why not aim to get there at 13:30hrs🤷🏻♂️. I think attitude of others is down to our personal perception👍🏻. I’ve been talked to abruptly, that bothers me not one iota👍🏻. I’ve been talked to as if I was a child-‘what is wrong with you are you stupid?’ To which I complained(our raised voices summoned the manager). It transpired-The lady was having home issues, add to that I walked into an area that had a wee sign(no admittance). In the end we both accepted joint responsibility & the area was later cordoned off. . .Result👍🏻. Moral of the story-We all have bad days🙂
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I prefer the new arrival times because:
1. We never arrive before 13.00 anyway, but
2. More importantly the new departure time of 12.00 noon is much better. Leaves plenty of time to pack up on departure day, rather than having to start the night before.
On a recent stay at New Forest Centenary, we were rather surprised to see folks arriving mid morning. The wardens quite rightly did not allow entry until 13.00. When we arrived, around 13.15 there was long queue waiting to check in - guessing that many of those arrived before the allotted time.
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If the club is turning away early arriving outfits then I fully support that.
We drove past the Troutbeck Head site last week at about 12.15 there was a warden with radio and clipboard right the site entrance on the main road which is quite a way up the approach road from the reception. I couldn't work out why but now maybe it was to stop outfits even coming onto the site?
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Now that’s proactive-let em know it’s not on before they get to the point of no return👍🏻
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I purposely avoided any comment on the reception, as we have no way of knowing what actually happened. One persons rude is another’s rather abrupt. My point was if early there is not really an issue finding somewhere to park. Hopwood is actually one of the better ones. We have never had an issue finding somewhere there, either with our 12 m caravan rig or much shorter MH. Becketts at the end of the lane is admittedly more suited to a MH.
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I worked in the service industry for around 45 years and agree with what you say and from reading many reviews and the comments on this site, it is obvious that certain members seem to think that THEY are the only members of the Club and it should cater specifically for THEM ALONE, even though they often don't read the information about the site prior to arrival. A reviewer recently even mentioned that a site which regularly receives 4 and 5 star reviews was "hell on earth", simply because it did not match their expectation of it. I doubt if any sites have everything that every single member wants! Of course, there are times when a complaint is justified but often it is due to circumstances beyond the control of the wardens or the Club but the good reviews and comments, far outwiegh the negative ones.
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My main point is on whose behalf is the club run for and the decision to alter arrival times was made without any consultation. The point I have already made is we are customers as well as members!
I know it was my fault for arriving early( something I always try to avoid)but I hadn’t planned to. Someone refers to Becket farm shop to park up, if you know the area you will know it is always full, anyway why should they a private concern accommodate my 40 ft outfit. Yes Hopwood services is 4 miles away but I came from the opposite direction, by the time I realised I would be early due to no traffic problems I had passed all possible legal parking up places.0 -
My main point is on whose behalf is the club run for and the decision to alter arrival times was made without any consultation. The point I have already made is we are customers as well as members!
Tescos didn’t consult me when they changed there opening times recently and I spend a lot more money with them than I do with the club. I’m not sure why any organisation, even a club needs to do so. Clearly it was for operational reasons. I suppose as with Tesco if I don’t like it, I am free to take my business elsewhere. That’s of course if you can find a site that allows access before 1pm.
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Why do you think the club needs to consult you and me about a day to day operational matter? Should they ask us what colour the toilet doors should be or what type of lawn mower to buy? Of course not!
We empower the club council by voting (or not) for its members and they consult with the employed staff who organise the running of the club and its sites on a day to day basis. If there is something you don't like, either vote accordingly for/against a council member or raise it at the AGM. It's our club and we all have these avenues open to us.
Your hypothesis is rather like suggesting your local council should consult you before changing the refuse collection day.
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The irony is, it’s actually the popularity of Club Sites that means there has to be a departure and arrival time stated. You simply cannot let arrivals in at all hours, if there aren’t vacant pitches there for them to go on🤷♀️ Hence my comment about perhaps being a tad more lenient at very quiet times.
I see this as primarily a caravan issue to be honest. Fully understand the need to want to drop off asap as it’s harder to park up a towing outfit. Any MH caught up in queuing is rather foolish in my opinion, easier to park up somewhere, or visit something, have a cuppa, then roll onto site a bit later. But that’s only a personal opinion, and others like to do things their own way.
And yes I do know other Sites allow arrivals all day. But if you have a 1000 pitches, and are never full, the issue doesn’t arise🤷♀️ Club Site pitches at certain times are only empty for an hour, things can be that busy. Certainly what we saw at Marazion last year.
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Morning
Can I just ask, did you read your booking confirmation email? That would clearly state the earliest arrival time.
Interestingly modern technology such as phones and sat navs etc are good at giving an estimated arrival time and they update as you drive along so irrespective of the road conditions , traffic or not etc you'll know what time you're going to arrive. Even with a good old map it's easy to judge distances and times.
JK
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Yes I read my booking conditions and yes my sat nav gave arrival time of 12.53. I travel A46, M6 and then M42, it is normally on the last 10 miles or so on theM42 where problems occur with traffic and I normally que extending my journey time. On this occasion it was clear, no delays, unfortunately on and after this stretch there is nowhere to park up. Obviously there had been delays as shown by my arrival on sat nav.
But yet again the point is being missed…. Who does the club serve its customers or staff? I see from a number of posts that the thought it is we should just abide by what the club decides and why should they consult us. They should because we are the members, we pay our membership fee and we pay for site nights. As I said before I have been a member for 36 years and will continue to be so. The club isn’t perfect, far from it but if members don’t put their point of view how will the management know how we feel. As a last point o have never heard members complain so much about various things as in the last 5 or so years.0
