Queueing at Chatsworth

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  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,585
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    edited December 2016 #62

    The problem at Chatsworth and a few other sites is access so some rules are needed but they are not made clear enough on the site details to me. Where there is no problem with access I cannot see a problem with people arriving any time after nine but I would make a small charge for this up to midday.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2016 #63

    It could work on sites with more than two couples or possibly non facility sites where the wardens are not tied to cleaning the facilities

    Ps it would need the exec commitee to agree any takers yetundecided

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #64

    What on earth is the issue? Checking the earliest arrival time for the site we are about to visit should leave us folk in no quandary at all. Problem sorted!

    Now if folk want to suggest a possible changing of the working practices of a site or the club then that is a totally different thing, not a reason to tip up earlier than the current published times and then protest mind! I'd bet such protestation are met with the contempt they deserve!

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #65

    the 'problem' is that each site has an 'opening time' and even with members sticking to that time, having several turn up at the same time and wanting to maximise what they have paid for, will cause congestion.

    no-one has broken a rule, yet the rule itself contributes to the congestion, just like a department store opening its doors on sale day.

    so, a staggered system, managed by the natural process of members turning up at different times, would reduce congestion.

    add in a simple ANPR system and an automatic barrier and you wont have an issue with wardens who are cleaning or whatever and not in the office.

    folk can always book in when they tell staff what pitch theyre on...

    always seemed a bit daft to me to visit the office twice....

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited December 2016 #66

    There is not a rigid arrival time. You can arrive anytime between the earliest arrival time, ( on most sites this is 12.00 noon) and late afternoon. That gives a good few hours in which people can arrive, get set up  and not cause any problems. (Nothing rigid about it.)

    The "Earliest arrival"  time stated on the site details is sensible. It allows those leaving the site up to 12.00 noon, a clear exit from the site.

      

    Cheers.......................K

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #67

    agreed, bit folk tend to fall into different categories.....

    some like to take their time and explore an area before getting to site...

    some, however, like to get to a site as early as possible, quickly get set up and get off out exploring and making the most of the day.

    if there are a few with this latter preference,they will all arrive at the same time...opening time....no messing about, set up and away out to see the surrounding area....with club prices, you cant waste time dawdling about.   

    you can also arrive at a cinema any time but most want to catch the start of the movie....

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #68

    Agreed too! For those that advocate that seemless arrival/departure I ask how would that work? Surely you couldn't have 24hr comings and goings. Surely you would still have an earliest opening/arrival time, wouldn't that just bring with it exactly what occasional happens now, a queue?  Aren't we Brits praised for our queuing habits!wink

     

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #69

    Agreed too! For those that advocate that seemless arrival/departure I ask how would that work? Surely you couldn't have 24hr comings and goings. Surely you would still have an earliest opening/arrival time, wouldn't that just bring with it exactly what occasional happens now, a queue?  Aren't we Brits praised for our queuing habits!wink

     

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #70

    all i can say is that ive seen this system working (without incident) on one of the busiest sites on the Ile De Re.....with a narrow access and a narrow road on site.

    someone arrives early.....no worries, someone has already left.....if not, they will soon, come and have a coffee, leave the van there....

    oh look, they've gone now, you may have their pitch (not much choice), but no queuing and not much waiting.....

    the thing is, there only ever seems to be one or two vans actually doing anything...one leaving, one arriving....no ossues with speeding either, so win, win.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #71

    So how to they man that 24hr reception/coffee shop? Would be great if it worked mind without any problems 24/7

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #72

    We got off a ferry from Shetland at midnight and drove to our pre-booked pre-paid pitch on Orkney with a code for the gate. It can be done.smile

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #73

    Just out of interest, how many pitches all together on site were there? How many available to you on arrival? 

    Almost land of the midnight sun too!wink

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #74

    A pre-booked pitch on the site meant we had a pitch number and a particular pitch. I can't remember the number of pitches, quite a few, plus tents and a couple of pods. We've used this system several times.

    edit . Just checked, there are 80 pitches.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #75

    Sounds like they had a site specific system then where the managers manage the site accordingly. That's good, but I'd bet it wouldn't suit all sites and all members in our club! Fancy being disturbed at potentially any hour in 24hrs, fancy not fancying the allocated pitch you have been allocated.  Good that we have variety mind available to us. Just happen to like the arrangements we currently enjoy!

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #76

    Sounds like they had a site specific system then where the managers manage the site accordingly. That's good, but I'd bet it wouldn't suit all sites and all members in our club! Fancy being disturbed at potentially any hour in 24hrs, fancy not fancying the allocated pitch you have been allocated.  Good that we have variety mind available to us. Just happen to like the arrangements we currently enjoy!

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #77

    Not many arrive over 24 hrs, it's ferry related, after the last ferry at midnight that's it til the morning. All the pitches are ok, no horrible surprises lay in wait. wink

     

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #78

    So it's site specific ferry related that's good management and I guess all who use this at least understand if not appreciate this!

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #79

    So it's site specific ferry related that's good management and I guess all who use this at least understand if not appreciate this!

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #80

    It's run to suit the customers needs not on a one size fits all basis. The CC has a reasonable system but I feel it doesn't suits all sites, particularly the very busy ones. 

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #81

    That I'm not convinced of, brue! It's appears to run to maximise the potential uptake and the local circumstances, maybe not matching the needs of all customers! Good commercial practise maybe but possibly not pleasing everyone all the time! I guess that system is yet to realised if that is at all possible

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #82

    That I'm not convinced of, brue! It appears to run to maximise the potential uptake and local circumstances, maybe not matching the needs of all customers! Good commercial practise maybe but possibly not pleasing everyone all the time! I guess that system is yet to realised if that is at all possible

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited December 2016 #83

    What ever system will not suit every one ,its a fact of life, but the system that is in operation on most sites seems to satisfy the most,in the uk

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #84

    I'd agree with that and the fact that site specific circumstances does allow some variance.smile Obviously, that will not suit all folk mind!wink

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #85

    Micky, you do seem to favour rules over customers' convenience...wink

    on the site in France that i mentioned, the owner would likely get you a coffee in his restaurant, manned by his restaurant staff.

    if he couldnt fit you in on site, he'd more than likely let you use his overflow area (with ehu and no charge) until a pitch became free...i know this as he did this for us for a couple of days.

    the office would be manned by the office staff (all day, for the convenience of the customers checking in and out) and the toilets would be cleaned by the cleaning staff....several times a day

    all this 'one couple' stuff smacks of penny pinching, and is oft used as an excuse as to why 'something cant be done'....) add this to the fact that some sites are charged a miserly 10p over others (to maximise the take) and what do you get....

    ...rules and penny pinching over customer service...??.

    which brings us back to those rules contributing to the congestion at sites at opening time....you (well, not you) can see why customers get frustrated....

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #86

    No not at all, all I'm advocating is considering all and looking at the whole picture. Some of us, including me, are not always good at that overview when we have our own interests at heart. I do however try my best!wink Don't forget that many of these sites quoted are family run by family members for 'pin' money. Penny pinching maybe?

  • young thomas
    young thomas Club Member Posts: 11,357 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #87

    yet the club makes how many millions each year by running a skeleton (minimum level) staffing.......??...."look after the pennies, perhapswink

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #88

    Having given up Club sites a few years ago, I have just been thinking through the last 50 sites we went to - of all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of access, but no queues at any of them, no 12 o clock rush, and no dash for the best pitch. So why does it happen at Club sites? 

  • Unknown
    Unknown Forum Participant
    edited December 2016 #89
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  • IanH
    IanH Forum Participant Posts: 4,708
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    edited December 2016 #90

    Where did this delusion that all French sites are run by family members for slave wages come from?

    I would imagine that the sub-contractors who clean the toilets, cut the grass / hedges, maintain the site, operate the restaurant.......etc. are probably better paid than CC wardens.

    This is just a weak argument for over-working / under-paying site staff by the CC.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited December 2016 #91

    I can think of quiet a few with no early arrivals areas and many which are full for weekends if not all week in the summer! That's where the site specific aspect comes in!