Weekender warriors are back in force
Comments
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We have between 8 and 12 weeks a year on CC sites. Because I like to travel on a Sunday, when the roads are generally less busy, every one of our weeks includes a weekend. Talking with other folk on site, I think we are far from unique in doing this. So, far from the weekends just being taken up by weekenders, a large number are taken up those who have booked a full seven days. This does however require some advanced planning, particularly for sites like Chatsworth or Baltic Wharf.
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I can sympathise to an extent. I would like to see some restrictions as I've said before - say a maximum number of bookings anyone can hold or a maximum number of nights held at any one time.
I would be more than happy to see a maximum number of bookings held by any person - say 5 or 6 - because I think that would be a fair way to ensure everyone gets a little slice of the pie, so to speak, rather than some hogging the whole pie.
I wouldnt be happy to see any type of bookings prioritised over another type though - whether they are one night, two nights, four nights or fourteen they should be eqally valid. Otherwise it is a slippery slope - lets prioritise family bookings over couples in the peak season for example as they generate more income per pitch,
Write your comments here...
Lets "not" prioritise any group or individual over any other person. Let's "not" allow favoured customers to pre book individual pitches, lets "not" start to contrive rules which favour one person's needs over another. Let's instead, keep a level playing field for all members. Book when it suits you, arrive and depart during approved times, cancel within published timeframes, lets adhere to rules re dog leads and fouling, ditto ballgame areas, noise and van spacing. Let's not discriminate against old or young, children or dogs, and let's speak kindly about our enthusiastic wardens. In fact, let's be nice to each other, whether you believe or don't in motor movers, BBQs, fixed beds, foreign vans or any other personal choice. I know that the world is a bit overcrowded, but there's space for us all if we consider other people as well as our own needs.
Sermon over!
But it's not a level playing field from booking day! Members that don't work on a Wednesday or are retired have a distinct advantage.
There is another thread about arrival times not being adhered too - again not a level playing field. I could go on.
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Ahhhhh the booking day myth. Well last year I booked us into both Bristol in time for the balloon rally and London's Abby Wood for New Year's Eve, outside of the sacred booking opening date - both for the dates we wanted. As it happened, I was taken into hospital shortly before New Year, so we had to cancel, making a further, late, availability for another van. Early arrivals/ late leavers, what awful cheats! I'm not an enthusiastic early riser, so I'm not going to join the scrum for picking all the wild mushrooms just after dawn, nor turning up at a site early so as to win the next pitch. I'd rather turn up a bit later and site on the best pitch after a late leaver has just vacated it. Oh the angst it must cause those who turned up early, but you know what, I won't notice because I'm too busy getting on with my happy life - and appreciating our warden's and the club's tolerance too.
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Not on the prime sites there arent - they are all gone by lunchtime on booking day which is - as said - disadvantaging those who work.
Not entirely the case. Although the BH's and any festival weekends have gone, other weekends and full weeks were still available on the evening of booking day. As far as festivals are concerned, it is very much a lottery in any event. All the spaces at Baltic Wharf for the Balloon festival sold out in about an hour. So even if you were not working and able to try from 8am, a space was by no means guaranteed.
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Not on the prime sites there arent - they are all gone by lunchtime on booking day which is - as said - disadvantaging those who work.
Not entirely the case. Although the BH's and any festival weekends have gone, other weekends and full weeks were still available on the evening of booking day. As far as festivals are concerned, it is very much a lottery in any event. All the spaces at Baltic Wharf for the Balloon festival sold out in about an hour. So even if you were not working and able to try from 8am, a space was by no means guaranteed.
Write your comments here...
I'm happy to accept that Baltic Wharf was fully booked for the balloon rally in an hour. We didn't try right then and I certainly wasn't around to monitor how long they took to sell out. All I know was that later in the year, around March, there were more nights available than we wanted. If you ever tried to get festival tickets for Glastonbury, which once took 16 weeks to sell out and now all 180,000 are gone in under an hour, then you'd understand the meaning of frustration. Personally I much preferred the CCs availability 30 years ago, when you could tour and book on the day, wherever you were, a bit like France today. But so many members are hell bent on advantaging themselves, even to the extent of lobbying for rule changes, that I really can't be bothered to take part in the competition. If the CC isn't available, or members can't make time to book key dates, then there are plenty of alternatives, particularly if you aren't wedded to EHUs.
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Not on the prime sites there arent - they are all gone by lunchtime on booking day which is - as said - disadvantaging those who work.
Not entirely the case. Although the BH's and any festival weekends have gone, other weekends and full weeks were still available on the evening of booking day. As far as festivals are concerned, it is very much a lottery in any event. All the spaces at Baltic
Wharf for the Balloon festival sold out in about an hour. So even if you were not working and able to try from 8am, a space was by no means guaranteed.Write your comments here...
I'm happy to accept that Baltic Wharf was fully booked for the balloon rally in an hour. We didn't try right then and I certainly wasn't around to monitor how long they took to sell out. All I know was that later in the year, around March, there were more
nights available than we wanted. If you ever tried to get festival tickets for Glastonbury, which once took 16 weeks to sell out and now all 180,000 are gone in under an hour, then you'd understand the meaning of frustration. Personally I much preferred the
CCs availability 30 years ago, when you could tour and book on the day, wherever you were, a bit like France today. But so many members are hell bent on advantaging themselves, even to the extent of lobbying for rule changes, that I really can't be bothered
to take part in the competition. If the CC isn't available, or members can't make time to book key dates, then there are plenty of alternatives, particularly if you aren't wedded to EHUs.We don't find the current system frustrating at all. I think it is reasonably fair, in that it gives everyone an even chance of getting the prime dates. Yes I know some work, we did as well until a few years ago. However, it is not that difficult to sort
something our re booking if you really want to. Anyone can do it for you, if they can be trusted with your log in details. It not as though any payment / credit cards are involved.0 -
I'm not complaining, I accept it the way it is and I don't give two hoots about anyone else be they advantaged or disadvantaged. I'm not looking for a level playing field and much rather it favours me, but if not then so be it.
I also start my hols on a Monday and take in the following weekend if possible, plus turning up in the middle of the afternoon. No worries from me
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As children, we regularly visited our permanently sited tent by the River Mole, Walton-on-Thames. When the visitors turned up Friday night or Saturday morning the cry "Weekenders!" would go up. Seems like the derogatory terminology hasn't changed much in
sixty years.0 -
I'm not complaining, I accept it the way it is and I don't give two hoots about anyone else be they advantaged or disadvantaged. I'm not looking for a level playing field and much rather it favours me, but if not then so be it.
I also start my hols on a Monday and take in the following weekend if possible, plus turning up in the middle of the afternoon. No worries from me
We are similar. OH works 12 hour + shifts (essential services) Monday to Sunday inclusive. So we usually start our holidays on a Tuesday which gives us a day to shop,load the van etc. So ... it's more than likely going to include a weekend or even two
weekends
We don't tend to book months in advance unless we want to be on a specific site in a specific location. We just accept that we need to be flexible ... if we can't get onto one site .. we'll get onto another
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I can sympathise to an extent. I would like to see some restrictions as I've said before - say a maximum number of bookings anyone can hold or a maximum number of nights held at any one time.
I would be more than happy to see a maximum number of bookings held by any person - say 5 or 6 - because I think that would be a fair way to ensure everyone gets a little slice of the pie, so to speak, rather than some hogging the whole pie.
I wouldnt be happy to see any type of bookings prioritised over another type though - whether they are one night, two nights, four nights or fourteen they should be eqally valid. Otherwise it is a slippery slope - lets prioritise family bookings over couples in the peak season for example as they generate more income per pitch,
Write your comments here...
Lets "not" prioritise any group or individual over any other person. Let's "not" allow favoured customers to pre book individual pitches, lets "not" start to contrive rules which favour one person's needs over another. Let's instead, keep a level playing field for all members. Book when it suits you, arrive and depart during approved times, cancel within published timeframes, lets adhere to rules re dog leads and fouling, ditto ballgame areas, noise and van spacing. Let's not discriminate against old or young, children or dogs, and let's speak kindly about our enthusiastic wardens. In fact, let's be nice to each other, whether you believe or don't in motor movers, BBQs, fixed beds, foreign vans or any other personal choice. I know that the world is a bit overcrowded, but there's space for us all if we consider other people as well as our own needs.
Sermon over!
But it's not a level playing field from booking day! Members that don't work on a Wednesday or are retired have a distinct advantage.
There is another thread about arrival times not being adhered too - again not a level playing field. I could go on.
..We booked most of our 2016 sites on thursday and missed "frenzy" day except for one site I knew would be "difficult"as we had things to do and was not prepared to spend ages on line
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Where's Banff gone ?
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It's an annual moan
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A number of commercial sites will not permit just a Friday/Saturday night booking in peak times I read. Not sure how true how widespread that is generally but I have read such when I have looked at one or another site's web page. I am glad that the CC does not have that restriction.
I am unsure what booking restriction C&CC have on some sites.
The C&CC do have mimimum booking periods. See link - http://www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk/minimumbookingperiods/
Wonder if a moderator could make this a live link please.
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But it's not a level playing field from booking day! Members that don't work on a Wednesday or are retired have a distinct advantage.
There is another thread about arrival times not being adhered too - again not a level playing field. I could go on.
There is generaly still plenty of availability of pitches in the evening on booking day and later.
Not on the prime sites there arent - they are all gone by lunchtime on booking day which is - as said - disadvantaging those who work.
Depends what you call a prime site! I'm pretty sure that my prime site would not be fully booked every weekend, or possibly any weekend for that matter.
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No Grief here. As I go on tours for 30 nights to 75 nights I book ahead
Similarly for us, although we tend to use many more CLs than we use CC sites.
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Where's Banff gone ?
Off to book next weekend's site perhaps?
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Where's Banff gone ?
Flown away as seagulls tend to.
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Trouble is, they leave thier deposits behind, much to poeples annoyance!!
Still, it takes all sorts.....
Edit.... He also had a moan about Ramslade....
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I know, BT, and I thought it was really unfair to the new member who's just bought his first van and is seeking advice re towing, sites etc.
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If you read the C&CC forum you will find them complaining that they cannot book weekends due to minimum booking conditions on sites. Quite simply there is no way tp please both sides in this argument for either club.
Maybe all those wanting weekends should use this club and those wanting longer stays the other one.
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Banff, with all respect, you complained about not being able to get a weekend exactly the same time last August. I understand your frustration, although am a tad puzzled at you allowing the same issue to blight your holiday two years running. Sometimes
a bit of flexibility, or better forward planning can pay dividends, and I hope you manage to sort something out.He did indeed Takethedogalong and I replied then that his post was not just selfish but damned annoying then and it is just as selfish now clearly he learns nothing hope you have a good holiday Bannf (not)
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Banff, with all respect, you complained about not being able to get a weekend exactly the same time last August. I understand your frustration, although am a tad puzzled at you allowing the same issue to blight your holiday two years running. Sometimes
a bit of flexibility, or better forward planning can pay dividends, and I hope you manage to sort something out.He did indeed Takethedogalong and I replied then that his post was not just selfish but damned annoying then and it is just as selfish now clearly he learns nothing hope you have a good holiday Bannf (not)
Oh, I didn't find Banff's post selfish or even annoying. Just a tad peculiar. But I am quite an organised person, so maybe it is me. Still hope he/she gets away though!
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Sorry when I saw the title it meant something quite differant to me "Weekend Warriors" is a term used to discribe TA soldiers
I agree with most on here that all members should be able to book weekends, single nights etc. without being made to feel guilty of depriving anyone else of a break away. We often spend just 1 night on a site while travelling, why should we be forced to
spend more than required just because some can't/won't get off their backsides and sort themselves out. If you can't book well ahead then you just have to accept that your prefered site just might not have space when you want to go, its life get used to it.
There are plenty of other sites to choose from.0 -
But he is still entitled to express an opinion
Of course he is. I look forward to the same opinion next August.
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Sorry when I saw the title it meant something quite differant to me "Weekend Warriors" is a term used to discribe TA soldiers
I agree with most on here that all members should be able to book weekends, single nights etc. without being made to feel guilty of depriving anyone else of a break away. We often spend just 1 night on a site while travelling, why should we be forced to
spend more than required just because some can't/won't get off their backsides and sort themselves out. If you can't book well ahead then you just have to accept that your prefered site just might not have space when you want to go, its life get used to it.
There are plenty of other sites to choose from.Yup, agree with that.
As long as it's the same rules for everyone (and it is) then it's difficult to argue against the current system. Yes, several times I have been looking at a week on a club site and only the Saturday is booked up but that's how it is so I just go somewhere
else.I should add we are not into booking much in advance (if at all) so we accept we have to be flexible. Always found somewhere nice to go.
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Given that the OP appears to have exactly the same problem as last year and has taken no further part in the thread since the original post, it may be safe to assume he is a troll.
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Given that the OP appears to have exactly the same problem as last year and has taken no further part in the thread since the original post, it may be safe to assume he is a troll.
Possibly, given an equally negative dropping (sorry, post) on the Ramslade thread!
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