Booking a specific pitch

I can see that this might cause problems and result in restrictions on availability of pitches.  It could ultimately result in more spare pitches, because of the overlap of people wanting specific pitches.  I can understand an independent site being able
to offer this, especially if they are not running to capacity, but it wouldn't be as easy for a club with hundreds of sites to be able to administer, especially if sites are running at nearly full capacity.

I think the Club are finding it interesting with the results of allowing folk to book hardstandings on a small number of trial sites, let alone giving folk the opportunity to book individual pitches.

David 

I very rarely go back to a site I have previously visited so have no first hand knowledge of my next chosen site. I always look at the site plan and select a number of preferred pitches before arriving based on grass or hard standing, pitch orientation,
location of site amenities etc.  and then drive around the site to make a final selection.

It is not uncommon for what looked a good pitch on the map to turn out in reality a not so good pitch due to trees, hedges etc. that are not shown on the site plan.

In my view the current first come first served method is the fairest way of allocating pitches and should not be altered.

I think we should be able to book a specific pitch type, hard standing, grass, serviced etc.

I agree with this Michael and have been campaigning for it for a while.  At the moment the Club are trialling the booking of hardstanding or grass pitches on a handful of sites.  We can already book serviced pitches, non-electric pitches and non-awning pitches
throughout the Club's site network.  I suspect we will soon be getting the results of the trial and I for one will be interested to see where the Club will go from here.

David 

Thanks for your comments, BoleroBoy.  I will try and address them as best as I am able below:

“David, whats running multiple sites got to do with booking a specific type of pitch on one site.....the club already allows choice on its site, albeit only between awning and non-awning. narrowing the choice down further to pitch level, just moves the
decision making to booking time not 'site cruising' time....might speed up some folks 'deliberations'....”

As the Club administers site bookings centrally, I guess it would make it difficult to make large numbers of adjustments to bookings on such a scale.  If folks were allowed to book specific pitches then I would think that this would increase the number of
pitches that would need to be changed in order to maximize the use of all pitches.  As in my original example, the Club would clearly have to negotiate moving a person from one pitch to another in order to fit in someone who wanted to stay for a complete week
– or alternatively lose the booking.  My guess is that if the Club lost bookings, the site prices would increase.  Alternatively, if the Club had to engage more staff to deal with this, it would also have a cost implication.  I certainly don’t think that the
site wardens would have the man-hours to spend dealing with this.

“also, why the reference to 'full club sites' yet suggest that commercials wouldnt be full.....?

havent you been reading the threads where commercials even manage to fill sites midweek (and off peak) with forward thinking price structures, whereas club sites are criticised for being empty at these times because the prices dont alter (downwards)
sufficiently.”

I think the type of sites that are more able to deal with the booking of individual pitches are sites that either commonly often have a lot of spare spaces, or sites that are well ‘over-subscibed’.  Overall, I think the Club probably fits somewhere between
the two.  The ‘undersubscribed’ site has the flexibility and the ‘oversubscribed’ site probably doesn’t need to worry too much: if it can’t fit someone in for 7 nights (as it only has a 5 night space), they would expect someone along in a moment to fill the
5 night gap!

The problem of pricing structure is something that I suspect is a fine line.  I would think that the Club has to ask itself, if by reducing the cost of off peak pitches would it actually get more income by attracting more people.  I can’t answer the question,
but I suspect this is a question that those that set the site fees have to ask themselves.

“its quite simple, if you want a particular category of pitch, then choose any in this type, if you want a specific pitch (and its free) book it. if 'your' pitch isnt free, then book one as near a possible.....guess what....it works.”

For reasons I have already tried to explain, I don’t think it does work.

“im afraid your post came over as a bit 'company man'.... you know, the 'that might be a good idea at other places, but couldnt possible work at club sites' type of posting....”

I’m really sorry you feel that way.  I have given my own point view which does not necessarily reflect the ideas of the management of the Club and none of my comment are a response by the Club.  I just want that to be crystal clear!

“also, as you seem to know the 'interesting' results the club is having with its exhaustive (exhausting?) trial.. ....yawn.... ..perhaps you could share it with us before we completely forget what it was they were trialling....”

I have given all the information I have.  All as I know is that I have been told that the results show some interesting patterns and the results will soon be reported to the appropriate committee.  I guess we will get the results soon with an indication
on what further action will be taken. 

David

I think we should be able to book a specific pitch type, hard standing, grass, serviced etc.

I agree with this Michael and have been campaigning for it for a while.  At the moment the Club are trialling the booking of hardstanding or grass pitches on a handful of sites.  We can already book serviced pitches, non-electric pitches and non-awning pitches throughout the Club's site network.  I suspect we will soon be getting the results of the trial and I for one will be interested to see where the Club will go from here.

David 

david, on the one hand you are criticising pitch selection as it restricts choice, now you are advocating being able to select from a number of pitch types which will restrict ypur choice when you arrive on site....

the more categories you have to choose from, the less choice of pitch you will have on arrival...

you cant have it both ways.....

more 'work' upfront on specifying type means a narrower choice once on site....

if you want to choose from the (available pitches on) whole site, leave it as now.

With regard to being able to book hardstanding and grass pitches, it will put further restrictions on the use of pitches but I believe these will be very tiny in comparison.  I also believe that there are a good number of members who do not book Club sites in season because they cannot book a hardstanding pitch, and there are those who book a full serviced pitch in order to get a hardstanding.  This may, of course, be inflating the necessity for this type of pitch.

I think it’s all about balance, and for me I sense that the right balance is to allow the booking of hardstanding or grass standard pitches, but not to allow the booking of individual pitches, at this moment in time.  I guess this is why we have trials and no doubt we will soon know the conclusion that has been reached with regard to booking hardstanding of grass pitches.

From a personal point of view, I would quite like to be able to book a specific pitch, but I don’t think it make sense for the Club to allow it.  Whatever, I think one thing is fairly certain.  If the Club don’t feel it’s good to allow folk to book hardstandings or grass pitch types, I don’t think there’s much chance of us being allowed to book a specific pitch!

David

Do the majority of CC members want more hardstandings or is it that those that want hardstandings are more vocal? I would dig up every hardstanding and turf it! 

We are at Incleboro ..... if everyone preferred gravel then they would all be taken but they're not.

My sense is that the majority prefer hardstandings, but not all by any means.  When I go to CC sites there always seem to be more grass pitches left than hardstandings, but that's just my experience.  Other might find it different.  I just think we should
have the choice before we get to the site, and that way we can make an informed decision on whether to go there or elsewhere.

David

Presumably if you can book a pitch type and you choose grass over hardstanding, you would be the one to loose out if they were too wet to use. Rather than someone who booked a hardstanding at a later date?

Presumably if you can book a pitch type and you choose grass over hardstanding, you would be the one to loose out if they were too wet to use. Rather than someone who booked a hardstanding at a later date?

It could be that that is another one of the 'interesting challenges' they are dealing with in the trial.  

David

Presumably if you can book a pitch type and you choose grass over hardstanding, you would be the one to loose out if they were too wet to use. Rather than someone who booked a hardstanding at a later date?

But I've never wanted to choose ...... apart from awning or no awning 

'twas not aimed at anybody in particular. Just given the other threads on here, re cancelations, a genuine question.