Is there still a need?
Is there still a need for non-awning pitches? OK, some pitches are situated in areas where an awning cant be erected, or wound out, but to arrive on site, (after booking months in advance), to be told that all hard standing pitches are taken, and that grass pitches are not being used due to wet conditions, when loads of large non awning pitches are standing empty, seems a bit silly??? The prices for both are now the same, so why are the non awning pitches still needed??
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As it's not the size of pitch but the spaces between them that often determines awning or not I guess its better to have those extra pitches and maintain the number available for others. In some cases, particularly those 'informal' layout sites it would be quite an expence I would think to excavate out and relocate, construct pitches. To reduce the total number available in this way makes little sence to me, and of course, reduced potential revenue, particularly if quite a few of us never put awnings up!
Dont know if you are aware Vonslap but a motorhome without car can wind out a canopy on a non awning pitch!
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....but wouldnt any investment be better spent on making those pitches which are susceptible to wet, being turned into HS.
Or improving the drainage.
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Some pitches have to be non awning because it would not be possible to maintain the required safety spacings. If they were converted to awning it would mean loosing pitches to enable correct spacing to be maintained.
steve is right, we would lose a small number of pitches on each site....but wouldnt any investment be better spent on making those pitches which are susceptible to wet, being turned into HS.
i still like grass, im on a nice dry grass pitch at the moment, and those grass pitches that dont cause concern should be left as grass, as many members still like the feel of grass, especially in summer.
but where there are winter problems, converting and keeping them open seems sensible, and then lower midweek winter prices to tempt folk out to use them.
We use Lytton Lawns in the winter, spent Xmas there.
BB over this winter when they close for February there was investment work planned to be carried out on site in respect of pitches, don't recall exactly what. We use pitch 425 fully serviced in the corner to provide cover. Do you know what they did in February
in respect of pitces? We haven't had chance to pop in recently. In previous years they had widened the approaches to each HS pitch and enlarged them to give more footprint for awnings.Shorefield have a good model including access to the sister park with pool, gym etc at LL and are open over winter at very good prices. The 2 CC sites in the area are not open.
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Noit sure if it is a major problem. When we have booked sites this year we have found in most cases the non awning pitches have all gone and only awning pitches are left. There are a couple of sites that I know of where some of the non awning pitches are sub standard and do not book up quickly but in the majority of cases sites only have a few non awning pitches and there is no problem.
I cannot agree that all pitches should be converted to awning ones as this would reduce the numbers and fully booked sites are already a problem. To me it would be better tackled by making non awning pitches a bit cheaper than the awning ones.
Reducing pitch numbers by converting them all to awning ones would reduce income and put prices up so that would not go down well with those who think prices are too high now.
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I wondered about this at one time, but there are some sites where it would be more difficult (i.e. costly) to convert. There are parts of some sites that are completely tarmaced and even if you increased the spacing, you wouldn't be able to put up a traditional
awning - if my memory served me correctly, I think part of Chapel Lane is like this.I once did a random view of a number of sites with non-awning pitches, and they seemed to be well used, so while there is a need, I think best to keep them.
I also wondered about reducing the cost for non-awning pitches, and began to wonder if this would give an 'unfair advantage' to motorhomers. I'm guessing here, but I think a non-awning pitch may be more attractive to a motorhomers - you haven't usually
got the worry of parking a car as well as the motorhome. Without the car, it could very well be possible for a motorhomer to erect a canopy and still keep the 3 metre safely distance.I've no strong feelings about all this, but just a few thoughts!
Best wishes
David
(Now back to my holiday....
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Just an observation that some non awning pitches are regarded as the "best" on the site........
Garlieston and Bunree spring to mind......
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Just an observation that some non awning pitches are regarded as the "best" on the site........
Garlieston and Bunree spring to mind......
that's right and some are in the not so 'best' places! Mind you, as we have oft heard, best/prime is a very subjective call!
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Just an observation that some non awning pitches are regarded as the "best" on the site........
Garlieston and Bunree spring to mind......
that's right and some are in the not so 'best' places! Mind you, as we have oft heard, best/prime is a very subjective call!
Generally on sites with non awning pitches equal or better than awning pitches the non awning pitches bok up quickly. On the odd site where there are some poorer quality non awning pitches then you will find these still available when the awning pitches
have gone. Meathrop Fell springs to mind as having some inferior non awning pitches although it is a few years since we were there.0 -
We often book non-awning pitches......because we don't own an awning.
We too, but will book awnings if no non awnings are available. A pitch is a pitch to me and I'll choose from those available on arrival. Often ask if we can swap on arrival having booked an awning to non awning. This option is frequently made possible to us if cancellations have occurred. Great that discretion thing!
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Just an observation that some non awning pitches are regarded as the "best" on the site........
Garlieston and Bunree spring to mind......
that's right and some are in the not so 'best' places! Mind you, as we have oft heard, best/prime is a very subjective call!
Generally on sites with non awning pitches equal or better than awning pitches the non awning pitches bok up quickly. On the odd site where there are some poorer quality non awning pitches then you will find these still available when the awning pitches have gone. Meathop Fell springs to mind as having some inferior non awning pitches although it is a few years since we were there.
Since the re-organising of pitches Meathop Fell has some very nice non-awning pitches with pleasant grassed area on which to sit out. I'm going next weekend.
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My OH always struggles to get the pegs in CC hardstandings and this is mainly why we just don't bother with an awning most of the time.
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We often book non-awning pitches......because we don't own an awning.
Thats the way it should be but when we get on the booking page they are often booked up but then again on most sites they are very few in number. We were on Chester Fairoaks and I think the site map showed only six.
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Oh dear. I am probably regarded as very selfish but I like as much space as possible round me, and being on grass if there is a choice, so although I don't own an awning I always book an awning pitch. As I see it I pay the same membership as anyone else
and when the pitch costs the same I don't see why I should have a small pitch because I choose not to have an awning.0 -
Oh dear. I am probably regarded as very selfish but I like as much space as possible round me, and being on grass if there is a choice, so although I don't own an awning I always book an awning pitch. As I see it I pay the same membership as anyone else and when the pitch costs the same I don't see why I should have a small pitch because I choose not to have an awning.
Not selfish at all, although I roll out a canopy most times, I understand your logic and I too want as much space as possible. Whilst there is no price difference and my preference is for space I'll take an awning pitch and decide myself whether to roll out the canopy, rather than knowing I can't.
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