National rally - why has it sold out so soon?

Attendance at the National has been dwindling for years so it is good to see so much interest for the 2017 event.  I think that Sandringham is a popular venue and probably has offered less spaces than in previous years.  We and most of our friends and colleagues, who are regular attendees, don't plan our rally year until after Christmas so all missed out.

For people who want to visit Norfolk over this period the Caravan Club's website are promoting, amongst other locations, the Norfolk Centres rallies i.e. Strumpshaw Steam Rally 26-29th May and Wells Next the Sea Holiday Rally 27th May - 4th June.  Both, I feel, will fill up quickly because of the Nationals status.

Sparky, get your name on the waiting list quickly, there are all kinds of reasons why people discover later on that they cannot attend, yes - it might be a list but many on it will go on to make other arrangements rather than be left without anywhere to go, so it IS worth getting your name down. If you don't get in there is always the option to go for a Club site or CL and visit for the day.

As to why it is booked up so quickly - well it is a special one in a very special place and yes, there are slightly less spaces than usual because of where it is. We have attended two previous Nationals at Sandringham and and sadly in the intervening years our outfits have grown in size while rules have meant more space needed for fire regulations etc,, so capacity goes down accordingly.

Alison

national rally why has it sold out so soon ?

Two reasons :- 

1-- Its location is very handy for those in the South of England meaning that there will be a much bigger demand for places .

 2-- The CC has underestimated the number of CC customers wanting to attend.  Should have hired a much larger rally field. 

Cheers....................K 

where do you get the ridiculous idea that the majority of those booked in are all from the south K ? Members come from all over the country to the National and the option to have a bigger rally area is not available at Sandringham, so the question was to have a rally there as it is or go somewhere completely different. with it being the Club's 90th and last year the Queen's 90th too, the royal connection is strengthened by having our 90th at a royal residence (and a lovely one too)

Alison

Three points

1 please don't call it a rally the powers that be decided in their infinite wisdom to remove the word rally from the title. 

2 Basic marketing, restrict numbers so you can claim a triumph. 

3 if the club is clever they find extra space due to unprecedented demand. This is unlikely due to the fifth word in this point. 

I think you are right that many long standing members will feel let down.  I know many members who have attended the National for many, many years that feel let down and certainly would never book the National 6 months in advance and within 4 weeks of the booking opening date.  They, like me, felt it was supporting the club who have been bleating for a number of years about the reducing attendances.

A group of us were going to meet up at the National, as we often do.  Unfortunately only 3 of us got in so these will be cancelled so at least 3 off the waiting list will get a booking.

Hi Bill, we always used to book in January too, but then that was when the booking opened, so opening in October is earlier than it used to be, I don't see how opening booking at the end of the National itself benefits anyone other than those who haven't already left. Even if the Events committee were anywhere near ready to take bookings then. They wouldn't have any surveys done on the only just announced venue anyway, it all takes time to sort out, rules have to be followed and even if the venue has been used before there is no guarantee the same amount of space is available, sometimes more space is possible to arrange with the landowner if we can show it would be good (and profitable).

Sparky, how exactly do you & your friends think the event is badly organised? Feedback would be good.

Alison

No body has spoken to me about it,

I see there is now a list on the National page of Club Sites and rallies (relatively) near so if some of those on the waiting list make alternative arrangements to go as day visitors then the waiting list will possibly go down (as long as they remember to take their names off it of course)

Alison

Each National venue is different, some are bigger than others and as long as our outfits keep getting bigger the pitches grow accordingly. This year all pitches are 11m x 10m to accommodate car, caravan & awning. We have attended two previous Nationals at Sandringham and I suspect there are less pitches than the last time we were there simply because pitch size has grown and regulations have also changed a little since then too. 

The warnings went out to book early as this National is special (it is the 90th) the upside of that is that some will have booked to be sure of a space without being sure they can actually attend, so there is a chance of getting a space right up to the last minute.

Alison

That and the need to provide everyone with an ehu (are you reading this Merve?).  

I am aware of one fire related incident on a rally which had devastating consequences are you saying that there have been others where tight spacing has caused further consequences?