Hard standing booking trial
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Being curious, I've just had a look through this years nights away... By the end of the year it will be 98...Of those 98, There are 50 at CC sites, mostly early / late season, or when grass was not in use, 48 nights, this year.. were at CC&C , commercial
or CLs or CSs with all hardstandings....Thats 48 nights, so roughly £1000 income, this year, potentially lost by the Caravan Club which we have spent elsewhere. If the CC are happy for that income to go elswhere, then so am I.
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Like TG I use club sites (sparingly ) as a stopover to and from the port and the timing of our arrival is dictated by ferries and we inariably end up on the grass or mud depending on the weather. As a caravanner it is not quite so important that we get
HS but it is and has been a real downer at the end of a trip having to fight the mud to get off. As we feel forced to book these pitches a long time in advance I dont think it unreasonable to expect better for over £20As a caravaner it is important to me that I get hard standing particularly if I am staying my usual 5 nights.
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All these emails people are sending now, after the event. Did you send them during the trial, or just assume that comments on here were sufficient?
Goldie, personally I didn't even consider sending an e mail earlier on. I assumed the CC would arrange a proper trial which was long enough for people to adjust to the new situation. I also assumed they would communicate this plan to everyone and would train
the staff do deal with the "confused."The fact that it was successful on some sites leaves a bit of a question mark with me and the fact that other non CC sites are able to let people book a pitch type. In fact the CC are already half way there with their awning and non awning, non ehu or serviced
pitches. Why not go the whole hog, have an appropriate pricing structure and join the 21st century.Brue, very good post....are members 'confused' on arrival after booking one of the other pitch types you mention?
surely not?
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Will the cessation of the trial rtesult in an even greater 11am rush? (Yes I did type 11:00)
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The present arrangements have not caused me any problems as I have been able to get hardstanding on sites that have a mix. There are however sites that I have not used in the past because of ratio of grass to hard standing. The greatest inconvenience to
me has been adjusting lengths of stay such as to arrive on a site in advance of a busy weekend (apart from not using a couple of sites). For example we usually are away for almost all September but also the last few days of August and so go off on a Thursday
rather than a Friday or Saturday. Similarly if may bank holiday falls part way through a 6 week tour we adjust stays to arrive on a site before the Friday. Not a big deal.0 -
Will the cessation of the trial rtesult in an even greater 11am rush? (Yes I did type 11:00)
I hope not Cyber. I have arrived at that sort of time only by invite from the staff. For example wjen we were travelling to a lake district site from Hawes. Not sure of earliest arrival time. We were sat in the caravan and info in the car and raining very
heavily and so I phoned to ask. Was told 12 O'clock but come any time after 11am as not a problem here.0 -
Being curious, I've just had a look through this years nights away... By the end of the year it will be 98...Of those 98, There are 50 at CC sites, mostly early / late season, or when grass was not in use, 48 nights, this year.. were at CC&C , commercial
or CLs or CSs with all hardstandings....Thats 48 nights, so roughly £1000 income, this year, potentially lost by the Caravan Club which we have spent elsewhere. If the CC are happy for that income to go elswhere, then so am I.
Although I would quite like the facility to book HS, you could turn your statement around. AN OTHER may have booked CC sites, because no matter how late they have to book, they have equal chance of getting HS. If all the HS pitches at the C&CC / commercials
have gone, the CC in this scenario benefits.0 -
When we had a caravan we used CC sites in the main. Since owning a motorhome that has changed quite a bit. So far this year we have spent 38 nights away in the motorhome in the UK. 17 nights on Club sites and 21 nights elsewhere. Of those 21 nights eleswhere 6 nights were actually spent on grass pitches but that was in August/September when you would expect grass to be more reliable. In the main a decision on where to stay is made on location although for stays early/late in the year selecting a hardstanding is an important part of the decision.
I imagine the Club are not going to change their minds on this issue regardless of how much protesting we may make here or by direct contact to the Club. As a way of moving forward perhaps what we want from the Club is more information when booking on when grass pitches open/close for the season. That way it would be less of a gamble when it came to selecting which sites to use? Whilst my first choice would always be a hardstanding pitch I am reasonably happy to use a grass pitch providing it is firm and won't cause me any issues getting on and off.
David
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steve, that is certainly one way of interpreting it...
however, my guess is that those who 'prefer/require' a HS would rather have the certainty of a confirmed HS booking (perhaps with another provider) than rely on chance as a result of an early arrival.
for those who travel longer distances (as in TG's example) or those goverened by 'external forces' (ferries, as in AD's example) relying on the 'early arrival' principle just isnt good enough.
yes, it works well for Alan (EasyT) as he is up early and can arrive comfortably ahead of the scramble, and for those travalling shorter distances, but in this era of slick electronic processes, shouldnt the club be able to match its services to its customers'
requirements (the reason for the trial) and at least be the equal of its competitors?to have put the process in place (and the associated effort to get it there) and then withdraw it on the basis of some pretty unconvincing 'conclusions' seems a wasted opportunity.
a shame, IMHO, but not that surprising
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DK, another good post.....
however, it would be a shame to select places to visit more on their ability to provide a HS than for its other attactions...
similarly, not visiting a place you really want to see because they cant provide one is equally frustrating....
for those that are prepared to look outside the CC network, other local sites with HS booking options will become more attractive.
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I will have visited 22 sites this year. 1 are either CC or AS. Only 5 or 6 I have been on before. Most not for over 5 years. On most of those 5 or 6 I have been able to find a suitable pitch. No interest in booking a specific pitch therefore. On many sites
the locations are similar. On some sites I have a general preference and always been able to be in that area.0 -
One last (from me) point about booking specific pitches. For all those who dislike the frenzy day booking system because they say it unfairly advantages a certain group of members, the ability to book a specific pitch would surely exacerbate this perceived
unfairness even further? OK if you have the time to sit around on the computer and book up a specific pitch as soon as it's available, not so good for those who can't do so?0 -
DK, another good post.....
however, it would be a shame to select places to visit more on their ability to provide a HS than for its other attactions...
similarly, not visiting a place you really want to see because they cant provide one is equally frustrating....
for those that are prepared to look outside the CC network, other local sites with HS booking options will become more attractive.
BB
As I said it was part of the decision. Having been a Club member for 35 years (badge to prove it!!!) I have already visited a fair proportion of CC sites. I suspose what is happening now is that we are looking more at other options like the C&CC
and commercial sites to give a greater choice of location. I always reseach any new location for ease of access and oppotunities for public transport so somewhere new is always out there somewhere!David
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Earlier in this thread a poster said Quote :- "OK if you have the time to sit around on the computer and book up a specific pitch as soon as it's available, not so good for those who can't do so?". -- Unquote
In the light of this quote :- a few questions !!
Does this favour those who are retired and disadvantage those who actually work for a living ????.
Or does the CC recognise that most it's clientele are mainly of the "One Foot in the Grave" variety and customers who are working for a living are so few that they do not really matter. ????
Is the current CC booking system perceived to be unfair ??.
K
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The last Club site I went to was Wincanton. I phoned at 2pm. and arrived about 7pm. Not a mega problem. All grass pitches there anyway so always spare pitches I suppose.
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Earlier in this thread a poster said Quote :- "OK if you have the time to sit around on the computer and book up a specific pitch as soon as it's available, not so good for those who can't do so?". -- Unquote
In the light of this quote :- a few questions !!
Does this favour those who are retired and disadvantage those who actually work for a living ????.
Or does the CC recognise that most it's clientele are mainly of the "One Foot in the Grave" variety and customers who are working for a living are so few that they do not really matter. ????
Is the current CC booking system perceived to be unfair ??.
K
Flattered though I maybe should be by your quoting me, K, I ought to make it clear to anyone who hasn't read the whole of my post that that comment was in response to the request for the ability to be able to book a specific pitch, and not a criticism of
the current CC booking system. Personally, I don't like the frenzy day system and don't partake on that day, but I don't share the view that the system is greatly unfair to any particular group of members.Just wanted to make that clear!
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The last Club site I went to was Wincanton. I phoned at 2pm. and arrived about 7pm. Not a mega problem. All grass pitches there anyway so always spare pitches I suppose.
In general I am happy to use all grass sites but don't wish to use grass on sites with hard standing
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I also had an automated reply to my email -- It said I would receive an answer within the next two working days.
Ahhh yes, I got that one too.......then the reply that comes within two working days says that it's been past to someone for a reply within 4 weeks.
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