Re-pitching after late leaver gone
A couple of years ago, my wife and I were looking forward to a nice week at Longleat and made our way there with excitement at the prospect of seeing all the animals and being able to take our time looking around the grand house. On our arrival just after one in the afternoon the only pitches left available were two both dark and in a corner. Not to worry, we were excited about the week ahead, however we did notice one of the pitches opposite was a lovely one well in the sunlight and bright and cheerful. We started to unpack and set about putting up the awning at the same time our neighbour opposite was taking his down. Presuming he was leaving first thing the next day we got a shock when around three o'clock he drove out and away. Now the moral of this story is… isn't it about time the wardens INSIST on people leaving before the 12 o'clock deadline? After all there is seldom a reason for staying after this time and one can only assume it is because you are selfish and think only of yourself. Leaving late so often happens we have noticed at Ingleboro fields in Norfolk where the site is split in two and the warden is only able to note one side at a time. The far side has a box for keys for those vacating the site enabling some to leave practically when they want. What do others feel about the club insisting on official leaving time?
Moderator Comment - As you are asking for comments on this subject I have moved this here from the Story Section.
Comments
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After all there is seldom a reason for staying after this time and one can only assume it is because you are selfish and think only of yourself
Or perhaps they did as we do and pay for the extra night to leave when we want. How quick members of this club are to see the worst in others. Makes me laugh
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Giffer, it's all been said in the other thread.
Wardens have the discretion to allow a late departure - familiarise yourself with the rules.
People have the right to pay for an extra night and leave early.
You assume the worst of people and to suggest there is seldom a reason for staying after 12 is a wild assumption without basis.
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With regard to Incleboro Fields in Norfolk the approach road is single track in parts so arrival and departure times are best adhered to.
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The sun moves around the sky! Sit tight and eventually your dark corner will light up. Failing that, just get on with the holiday and enjoy yourself! Life is just too short to get overly het up about trivia and what other folks are doing! Quite legitimately in most instances....
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Brilliant post!
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With all due respect, the thing is, when you come across those that 'appear' to be 'late departers' on that access road, how do you know whether to:-
(a)...wave a fist in disapproval at those who may just be adhering to the rule which under certain circumstances allows a slightly later departure ......or
(b)...doff a cap in deference to those who have paid for the 'privilege' or
(c).....politely give way to that emergency early leaver?You won't!
In addition, there are also those fellow members (possibly motorhomers) who are just going about their daily trips out and about from site! Some of these may also appear to some as unauthorised late departers, and some, unfortunately, will cheerfully jump to that incorrect conclusion!
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I have just reread the opening post, twice in fact. Someone has been sat on this perceived injustice for a couple of years! I sincerely hope that it really didn't spoil your lovely holiday to that extent. Hope your caravan holidays have improved since the visit to Longleat!
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Yes, TDA, which makes it surprising that it was lifted from Stories and posted here.
However, the OP has raised the same point in another thread - Booking a pitch pg9 - and been given the same answers.
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SELFISH !!!!! staying longer! come on get real last weekend I was in West Ayton as it was a lovely sunny day I went at 11 am to the office to ask if I could stay a bit longer the warden looked at her bookings and said 2pm ???? fine thankyou I said and went back to my pitch to sit in the sun as I live alone I have no reason to rush off home .so if I want to stay later than noon why is that selfish !!!!
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That's the way to do it gc, polite request to Wardens, they check, yes or no depending on usage and bookings. Nothing selfish in that, just good common sense and empowered thinking by Wardens!
As for narrow roads, users are entitled to come and go at whatever times they like once pitched up. So we could book in at say 12.10pm, pick a pitch, put a marker on it then choose to go out in MH for rest of day. Not our fault if others are coming in, and it looks if we are leaving late. To easy to jump to mistaken conclusions.
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We had this at ramslade. I drove passed the bloke twice looking for a pitch . He was busy talking to someone. He left about 3pm. And i bet he moaned about traffic on the lanes to the site. Rules do state no arrival before 12-30 and leave before 12 mid day because of narrow lanes
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They are a bit narrow but perfectly usable so I guess the occasional meeting head to head is no great problem. Nobody can legislate for busses and HGVs so, if someone's willing to take the chance by having a late stay, that's up to them.
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You have made plenty of assumptions regarding late leavers 'giffer', I think the selfishness lies within yourself for not getting what you want and wanting what others have.
Just pitch and get on with the reason you chose your leisure vehicle.
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I can never understand why some posters are so quick to assume the worst of fellow members. We used to use Longleat very often ( before the dog ban on the estate and in the days when you arrived by driving down the hill past the front of the house). Given the new access route I can't think that the wardens would give permission for a late stay. But I would assume this member was leaving "early" having paid for the night involved (because that's what I would have done if necessary). And if I was really desperate to have his pitch, I'd do the bare minimum of setting up and then move the following morning. What I wouldn't do is dwell on it for a couple of years and think "I know what I'll do, I'll stir things up a bit on CT - it could do with a bit of controversy!" (Winking smiley)
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Having read giffer's post, I noticed several things:
The site was practically full, only two spare pitches - highly unlikely that the other camper would be given an extended, free stay.
The access road to this site is a problem and this again indicates that the warden wouldn't / shouldn't be allowing late stays. It would make a mockery of insisting on people not arriving until after 1pm on this site to avoid clashes, only then to encourage a clash with a late leaver.
The other camper was taking down his awning as giffer arrived and was gone by 3pm - highly unlikely that he would have paid an extra night's fee to do that.
So, whilst I accept that none of us knows with certainty, I would have to agree that, on the balance of probability this was simply a late leaver, who thinks only of himself and doesn't mind inconveniencing other members.
So I think giffer's comments are fully justified and he was unduly inconvenienced by this other person. We have seen the same ourselves and these people are quite awful.
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What would we have done had we had the same circumstances as giffer? Easy. We would have gone across and said hello and asked when the people were leaving. Ok, we might have had to wait a short while until the leavers had packed up, but hey, sit back have a cuppa and chill out. Had he/she done this, then they could have had the pitch of their dreams without too much hassle.
But no, the Wardens are expected to micro manage everything, because some folks are unable to communicate or just don't think to do so. Even if the leavers had stayed on until next day, if giffer's pitch was such a holiday spoiler, then they could have moved the next morning. It's just not such a big deal to be honest. If you choose to pay for an extra night somewhere at busy times, you have the right to leave at whatever time you want, it called being organised not selfish. Anyone who cannot comprehend this is clearly using the wrong touring company!
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I'm not sure if Longleat have the same arrangements as when we used to use the site - departure by 12, arrivals after 1. But I do remember the wardens being vey proactive at busy times in insisting that those arrangements were adhered to. Assuming that's still the case I would think it highly unlikely that anyone would still be there at 3pm. I'd assume that, as many have said on here that they do, he'd paid for the following night in order to have a relaxed final day. I prefer to think the best of my fellow members rather than point the finger and assume they're deliberately flouting the rules.
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We stayed at longleat twice and left early - ie the day before. First time was 8.30 pm on a Sunday. The second time we left at 3.30 and yes it was worth the extra because we wanted to see the murals and that opened at 12.
I refuse to conform to the narrow and unimaginative behavioural expectations of others. I do what I want when I want and if that cost me an extra £20-30 and it's worth it to me then I'll do it.
I wont be alone in this
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You are not alone! we also have the capacity to think outside "the box"!
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