Hard standing booking trial
Comments
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Here's another thought, someone posted that the sites on trial lost revenue because if folk couldn't get a H/S they didn't book and went elsewhere. Question here is, where was the elsewhere? was it another CC site, if so then the club didn't lose revenue. Has the club done a full survey not only of the trial sites but of ALL sites in the network, it could be the case that the trial sites did less bookings but other sites did more because folk could guarentee a H/S. Has the club had more bookings for Serviced pitches, again because of the H/S guarentee. Lots of questions, none of which I will expect we will get an answer to.
...And who posted with the evidence or as is often the case just theory
I am sure "elsewhere" might be a figure of speech? As far as the site in the booking experiment it matters not that someone went to another Club sites or a site outside of the Club because its the revenue of that site that is under review. Members may well go to another Club site and you would be right in saying that the money stays within the Club but not easy to establish I imagine. I suspect the point you made a few pages back about it causing difficullties to existing members on sites wanting to extend a stay could be a major deciding factor in terms of feedback which I am sure the wardens of those sites concerned would given to HQ and perhaps was something none of us cottoned onto during the course of these discussions.
David
But what's to say that on the first time of trying a member couldn't get on to said 'trial site' went instead to another club site, and at a later date went back to 'trial site' as the H/S availability was there. Given this scenario the club never missed out on revenue in anyway. However as we will never know we can only hypothersise. Like JayEss I will just go elsewhere (non CC)
DK a member not being able to extend a stay can happen at any site, at any time, not just because it was a 'trial site' but because there is no pitches available, be it grass or H/S, awning or non-awning.
...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass, as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,
I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
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...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass, as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,
I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
At least it is better than being told, "Sorry you cannot stay the site is fully booked" and you do have the option to move on as planned
peedee
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...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass,
as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
But it's not possible to book a specific pitch, so how was this possible??
And how many of these instances have your 'friends on the front line' told you about? One?Two? Any more than the number supporting booking of pitch types on this forum alone (never mind the membership at large)?
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...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass,
as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
But it's not possible to book a specific pitch, so how was this possible??
And how many of these instances have your 'friends on the front line' told you about? One?Two? Any more than the number supporting booking of pitch types on this forum alone (never mind the membership at large)?
Write your comments here...You would have to assume it was not that specfic pitch booked but all hardstandings were booked so only grass now available. Assuming the grass was in decent condition though I do not see the problem although moving pitches would
be a bind.0 -
Agreed. I'm not joining the midday shuffle to try to get a HS. We hate arriving at midday - done it once and never again.
If the CC has decided not to make HS bookable that is absolutely fine. It's a business decision and I respect that.
There are plenty of alternatives. I'll continue to use them and book CC sites when the grass has been retired
I fully understand Jayess. For us - we move every 5 days and on moving day wish to pitch the caravan and go out. Usually leave after 9am, 2 or so hours drive and 30 mins to pitch. Then have a sarnie by which time 1pm
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Agreed. I'm not joining the midday shuffle to try to get a HS. We hate arriving at midday - done it once and never again.
If the CC has decided not to make HS bookable that is absolutely fine. It's a business decision and I respect that.
There are plenty of alternatives. I'll continue to use them and book CC sites when the grass has been retired
I fully understand Jayess. For us - we move every 5 days and on moving day wish to pitch the caravan and go out. Usually leave after 9am, 2 or so hours drive and 30 mins to pitch. Then have a sarnie by which time 1pm
We are similar ET. However with all those not booking club sites when they can't be certain of a H/S pitch does mean that there's a greater chance of us getting one when arriving just after noon.
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...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass, as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,
I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
But it's not possible to book a specific pitch, so how was this possible??
And how many of these instances have your 'friends on the front line' told you about? One?Two? Any more than the number supporting booking of pitch types on this forum alone (never mind the membership at large)?
..You do not seem to understand ,the trial system ,on a site with say thirty HS and a person is on a hardstand and due to leave, but wants to stay longer,as the other 29 HS are full or 5 inc you leaving, that day and 5 arrivals booked on HS, what happens to the 5th arrival?
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Good question. In the last 10 years and probably well over a hundred sites I have done so twice. Once waiting for a poer steering pipe to re[lace one damaged by a stone and another waiting for a holiday weekend to pass to get new front brake disks. However
I have added a site to my intended tours about 10 times, Sometimes leaving obe slightly early after 4 nights. If HS was bookable I probably would not have got one. The present set up does work for me as I don't weekend or use the main school holidays0 -
I am probably the only person on CT who likes the system as it is.Not bothered about being able to book HS. Don't mind using grass pitches. Like to choose what type of pitch when we arrive.
Write your comments here...no you are not, We too are happy with the way things are, first come first served. If i desperately want a differant pitch or type of pitch, l will wait until someone leaves, and ask to move to the pitch they vacate, easy (no complicated awning to put up or take down). If we like a site or an area, we often extend our stay, its the good thing about being retired.
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The inability to book hardstandings is a big issue for me. Other organisations seem to cope with the complexities.
As a late arriver I frequently used to end up on grass pitches so I only use all HS sites or club sites in winter nowadays
Shows the relative popularity of hardstanding pitches as there are often only a third of pitches as grass on many sites but it is the availability hardstandings that runs out first
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"...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass,
as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
"...but this very scenario must come up with regard to Serviced Pitches.....
they are in limited supply, but are popular and can be booked, but may also be unavailable for someone wishing to extend and would therefore have to move pitch.
so, i assume the same 'conversations' would apply
this will always be the case when you give more choice of 'pitch type' at booking time.....it will always mean you are choosing from a smaller overall total....
we, as customers, cant have it both ways....we either want to ne able to be sure of what we are getting on arrival (a decent slick booking system that reflects our preferences) or we stick with the free for all.....
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An interesting and thoughtful discussion, in my opinion. I find myself agreeing with much that Tammygirl has said. As regards the midday arrival, we never arrive at midday. Our usual day for travelling to a site is a Sunday, and we cannot usually leave home until about 1pm because of a regular commitment. Therefore, in common with others, I cannot see me using CC sites more than the limited use as at present - because of the hardstanding issue.
David
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Even though I'm disappointed in the outcome I'm pleased that the CC did at least carry out a trial on this issue. So many changes in both clubs seem to appear from nowhere after no consultation at all.
No change is no surprise. If pitches are filled then there's little need for my, Tammygirl's and David's bookings after all
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"...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass, as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,
I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
"...but this very scenario must come up with regard to Serviced Pitches.....
they are in limited supply, but are popular and can be booked, but may also be unavailable for someone wishing to extend and would therefore have to move pitch.
so, i assume the same 'conversations' would apply
this will always be the case when you give more choice of 'pitch type' at booking time.....it will always mean you are choosing from a smaller overall total....
we, as customers, cant have it both ways....we either want to ne able to be sure of what we are getting on arrival (a decent slick booking system that reflects our preferences) or we stick with the free for all.....
...You are probably right about serviced pitches and as the "older" population gets bigger there might be a need for more ,HSs to be converted,which could generate more revenue
and as there are 20,000 pitches of which about half are already not grass
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"...But we are talking about the specific trial of booking hardstands, and if a member wanted to extend their stay they would want a hardstand , and the problems i understand arose because of them having to move to grass,
as the pitch they were on had a booking from their original departure date,I can just imagine some of the "conversations" on sites
"...but this very scenario must come up with regard to Serviced Pitches.....
they are in limited supply, but are popular and can be booked, but may also be unavailable for someone wishing to extend and would therefore have to move pitch.
so, i assume the same 'conversations' would apply
this will always be the case when you give more choice of 'pitch type' at booking time.....it will always mean you are choosing from a smaller overall total....
we, as customers, cant have it both ways....we either want to ne able to be sure of what we are getting on arrival (a decent slick booking system that reflects our preferences) or we stick with the free for all.....
...You are probably right about serviced pitches and as the "older" population gets bigger there might be a need for more ,HSs to be converted,which could generate more revenue
and
as there are 20,000 pitches of which about half are already not grassconversely, the move away from caravans and their 'water toting' regimes, the MHers wont need serviced pitches, they (those with reasonably decent sized tanks) are, effectively, on one all the time..
..so perhaps a move to HS but not specifically to HS....although one might sufpggest that, if digging up the pitch, why not install water/drainage at the same time?
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From our own experience extending the stay is very rare. We did it once last year because the weather was nice but it is the only one I can remember although I think we have done it before. I suspect it would not be a big problem.
It certainly would with services pitches. We stayed on two in September and just out of interest I checked for availability on our leaving day. Both sites were fully booked.
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From our own experience extending the stay is very rare. We did it once last year because the weather was nice but it is the only one I can remember although I think we have done it before. I suspect it would not be a big problem.
It certainly would with services pitches. We stayed on two in September and just out of interest I checked for availability on our leaving day. Both sites were fully booked.
so, a pretty swift example of my point above.....
options for Steve....?
stay on site and change pitch or go 'elsewhere' to seek what you require....
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Page 28 of the November magazine doesn't really shed any further light on the subject but I didn't expect to read that the trial had caused confusiion among members!
peedee
What were members confused about?
The fact there were empty hardstandings when they arrived which they couldn't utilise because they were booked up. I guess some members just don't pick up at all what is going on in the Club no matter how many times it put infront of their noses.
peedee
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It is difficult to understand any confusion. The hardstandings must have shown as fully booked or they would have booked them instead of the grass. The fact that there still might be some free when you arrive, means nothing. If they booked grass and then
after arrival wanted to change, then as peedee says, they just have not been paying attention. Any confusion would be removed if you could choose pitch type at all sites with a choice. The small number in the trial could mean that folk booked it, but then
forgot that they had selected a pitch type. We book months ahead, so not impossible,0 -
It appears the trial was not successful because the Club became aware that people (and not just members) would not book at all if it was clear there were no hard pitches available.
I wonder if this piece of knowlege will now be applied by the Club to understanding the booking of awning pitches where bookings are (probably) not being made when the type of pitch required is not available.
[I have yet to read of any technical problem about using an awning pitch without erecting an awning.]
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