Two great new ideas
We've recently experienced two good new innovations on sites.
The first at York Rowntree where the Warden was waiting at the the barrier as we arrived with a list of all the arrivals that day. He asked our name, crossed us off his list and told us to find a pitch and return to the office, when ready, to complete the signing in procedure. Quick, simple and efficient.
The second was at Broadway where the shower block is cleaned between 2 and 2.45pm. Brilliant, a time when very few people use the showers and no last minute rush for the toilets when you finish your relaxed breakfast and realise the toilets are closing in 10 mins!
Both great ideas in my opinion.
Comments
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Can't say that I would want wardens staff standing in the pouring rain awaiting staggered arrivals.
I have no concerns on when toilets are cleaned personally although I would prefer (personally) that they were available between mid day and 1.30pm for my arrival or on sites with 1pm arrival between 1pm and 2.30. At all other times the caravan is set up and I have facilities.
On most sites 11am cleaning ready for 12 O'clock arrivals makes more sense to me.
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Great idea about the warden allowing pre-booked units through. Common sense dictates that having avoided a queue at the barrier, the warden would not have to permanently stand at the barrier - whatever the weather.
Cleaning the service blocks in the afternoon makes a lot of sense and is customer focused. Gets my vote.
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I am happy for toilet cleaning times to be varied site to site, depending on the situations of warden staff. Not fussed about warden at entrance area on most sites at the times of year I travel. Not a problem on most sites. On some sites it may well make good operational sense. Not bothered about saving 5 mins of my time but on some sites it may help prevent traffic problems.
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Hasn't Broadway got two facility blocks? If so, they probably clean one in the am and the other in the pm. That's what usually happens at sites with two blocks.
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At Cirencester they also have two blocks, one closes with the grass pitches. This is cleaned in the am the other in the pm. However, when the site goes to one block it remains at pm cleaning. Perhaps similar at Broadway. At Clumber although they have two blocks a lot of the year, they are both cleaned in the am, although not at the same time.
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We've encountered that checking-in at Rowntree too; makes a lot of sense, as there is limited room for queuing caravans/motorhomes, and most people seem to arrive just after 12 there, so the queue would soon stretch down Terry Avenue!
At sites where that isn't a problem, perhaps it may still be an idea at busy arrival times, to get units on site quicker and away from the entrance area.
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I'm on River Breamish site, Northumberland at the minute, arrival time 1pm. Why, because the wardens are on their own and clean the toilets as late as possible, 11am, to please members who have requested this. This is then followed by their lunch break which unfortunately is rudely interupted by the midday barmy army who can't read. When I arrived at 1pm there were already 10 vans on and fully set up
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For the rush of the Barmy army it makes a lot of sense. However for me (not normally Barmy army) I find it difficult enough to have to go back for the barrier code etc.etc. once I have set up I want to put my feet up and recover from the journey and not have the long walk to the office, I normally park as far away as poss.
Cleaning the T blocks in the afternoon would interfere with manning the office etc surely?
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It sounds as though the checking in procedure at York has improved since we were last there. On that occasion we were met and beckoned through the barrier and then I was told to stay with the van and Margaret was expected to go and book in. Whilst I can see the need for some sort of control at Rowntree I did object the the warden deciding who should go and pay!!! The new system seems much more sensible.
As far as the toilet blocks are concerned I have always argued that a later cleaning time would be more convenient on sites with just one block. Usually one part of the leaving process is emptying the chemical toilet in readiness for the journey. Having an onsite toilet block available just before you leave is often more convenient than using you own facilities in those circumstances.
David
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I was told to stay with the van and Margaret was expected to go and book in.
That does seem a bit draconian. At Chatsworth they have just said that if it is the driver who is going to pay, then wait until you get to the front of the queue before getting out to pay. OH always pays so does not affect us.😀
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Surely they just think it makes more sense for the driver to stay with the vehicle as they can be moving off quicker and make a suggestion accordingly. I always nip in to pay so we can be out of the way quickly and we arrive late. I'd not dream of holding up a queue by insisting we go together or that the other half uses his card for the same bank account
I've no problem with a warden suggesting that couples share such minor tasks to get them processed and out of the way quickly
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Without going into the reasons behind the recent surge in gender identity issues, the time is rapidly approaching where it will not be legal to define a toilet as "male" or "female". As far as our Club is concerned this will mean all sites will have at least two toilet blocks which can be cleaned in sucession - so at least everyone, whatever their current stance, will have somewhere to "go" at all times.
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I was told to stay with the van and Margaret was expected to go and book in.
I take such a request as just that - a request. If I feel that there is a good reason for me (the driver) to go in to book then I shall regardless of what might suit others.
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I'm begining to think that full payment in advance is perhaps a good idea for all. Taken from credit card at 72 hours in advance, and an email sent out with something in it that will get one through the barrier. A bar code that is read by the barrier would be good use of technology, and it would expire at end of booking, just like the cards issued at hotels. And it would not work before 13:00 hours!!
One would not need to visit the the office at all, as once a pitch was selected one would scan the barcode on the pitch marker and send it back as a reply to the email.
Having no queues to book in would do more to attract new members than a washed out colour logo.
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The new adventurers are App savvy. So an App to show a QR code that a bar code reader can read including the relevant booking info would be useful
The sprog passes the device to the driver as they draw up at the barrier, job done Oh wait, the CC / camc / wotever have an App..... that doesn't do that. They asked for info on tow car matching to develop an App.
Of course it could be an ANPR camera system that registers the vehicle number plate that was contained in the booking the member made that had the unit details, number of people etc.
It really isn't rocket science.
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That just sounds sensible to me. Driver stays with the vehicle so they can move forward as vans ahead move through the barrier.
Like JS, we would not think to hold up the queue by sending the driver to pay, or by both going in.
We pay by card, usually credit card, we both have cards on all accounts, so never any need for me to make a payment.
Only time I leave the car is if it has been a long journey and I need to nip into the van to use the facilities.
We generally look at the site plan before we travel, OH asks if I have any pitch preferences, then she discusses with the warden what is available. If permitted, she will choose a pitch number immediately, but this is only possible if the warden knows for sure that that pitch is not occupied.
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Suitable 'phones are now available from a multitude of outlets and at very reasonable prices. Do we have any members who still pay by cheque?
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OH likes the after lunch cleaning times but we understand that where there is only 1 couple to manage a site facilities cleaning has to be done am leaving them both free to deal with members arrival after 12 noon/1pm plus grass cutting duties etc.
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