Inability to book at certain popular sites
We are very disappointed that following the purchase New Motorhome and recently becoming members again, that we had assumed outside school
holidays we would easily find pitches available at certain popular sites.Booking seemed to be easier when we were previously members from 1987 to 2001 with our caravan.Popular city centre sites such as Abbey Wood,Baltic Wharf,Rowntree Park should require members
upon booking to pay a site deposit .I am sure this would eliminate those people who I have heard 'blanket' book certain sites and clearly then cancel at the short notice period.Whilst it is argued that the taking of a deposit creates a little more administration
for those few sites it is a fairer system to all members.I am sorry for the whinge but things may get better. On the positive side, we have thoroughhly enjoyed the two sites we have stayed on todate providing excellent customer service by the wardens.Gareth
and Carolyn Phillips
Comments
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Loads of room at Abbey Wood. Plenty of room at Baltic Wharf and Rowntree in the new year, just have to plan ahead with such popular sites. There's only so many pitches to go round on these sites.
let's hope this doesn't start the old chestnut about deposits stopping members from blanket booking and then cancelling!
happy motorhoming any way.
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The CC does not think deposits would make a significant difference to cancelations. In the case of Baltic Wharf and Rowntree, I am convinced of that, they are just very popular sites and you have to plan ahead. As stated Abbey Wood has good availability,
currently only booked up for 10th and 11th September, October half term and new year.0 -
Since you last used any type of sites the "Hobby/Lifestyle" has become far more popular as more and more take it up,and and the "peak" period on popular sites is now nearly all year as when the sprogs are back at school ,us "older" generation fill what was
in the past a "quieter" time and it tends to be a bit "cheaper", to make the vast amounts of the kids inheritance we have spent on our lifestyle go further
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Just have to add a useless piece of info.
baltic wharf has 55 pitches and the cc has membership of 375,000 families which means that each family can have one night there every 18 years (if i've done that correctly!). We had a couple of nights there about 3 years ago so we're willing to forego another
visit in this lifetime!!!its a good site to visit if you can manage to before it closes.
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Just have to add a useless piece of info.
baltic wharf has 55 pitches and the cc has membership of 375,000 families which means that each family can have one night there every 18 years (if i've done that correctly!). We had a couple of nights there about 3 years ago so we're willing to forego another
visit in this lifetime!!!its a good site to visit if you can manage to before it closes.
...
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Never assume anything, phillips27. Things have changed a lot in the last 15 years. Did you not check out the booking situation before you rejoined?
I think the other posters have said it all really but I don't know how you can say that people 'clearly' cancel at short notice after making block bookings. As I said, never assume anything.
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Never assume anything, phillips27. Things have changed a lot in the last 15 years. Did you not check out the booking situation before you rejoined?
I think the other posters have said it all really but I don't know how you can say that people 'clearly' cancel at short notice after making block bookings. As I said, never assume anything.
...+1 The block booking is like a lot of things that are mentioned and usually turn out to be "urban myths"
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Welcome back, best advice I can give is look beyond just the Cc for sites, there are some lovely small private sites out there!
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Never assume anything, phillips27. Things have changed a lot in the last 15 years. Did you not check out the booking situation before you rejoined?
I think the other posters have said it all really but I don't know how you can say that people 'clearly' cancel at short notice after making block bookings. As I said, never assume anything.
...+1 The block booking is like a lot of things that are mentioned and usually turn out to be "urban myths"
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We are very disappointed that following the purchase New Motorhome and recently becoming members again, that we had assumed outside school
holidays we would easily find pitches available at certain popular sites.Booking seemed to be easier when we were previously members from 1987 to 2001 with our caravan.Popular city centre sites such as Abbey Wood,Baltic Wharf,Rowntree Park should require members
upon booking to pay a site deposit .I am sure this would eliminate those people who I have heard 'blanket' book certain sites and clearly then cancel at the short notice period.Whilst it is argued that the taking of a deposit creates a little more administration
for those few sites it is a fairer system to all members.I am sorry for the whinge but things may get better. On the positive side, we have thoroughhly enjoyed the two sites we have stayed on todate providing excellent customer service by the wardens.Gareth
and Carolyn PhillipsWrite your comments here... Thought for the day..........Pre planning , that's the way now days , I can only say that things have changed over the years & there are now more people chasing the most popular sites on the network.
I retired in June , so availability will definitely be down in the years to come.
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If indeed there are people block booking and then cancelling just outside the 72 hour rule, then what one must do is work out when it is they will be cancelling and get on to the booking system right afterwards.
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I'm going to suspend this thread as the subject of deposits has been discussed many times.
I'll ask the Community Manager if she wishes to re-open it.
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