Mildenhall site not opening 2017
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An update: I was at Thetford forest site the 1st weekend of opening, as Mildenall was not open, and talking to some people on site, who same as me had originally intended to go to Mildenhall, all appear to have heard different rumours, the warden mentioned a drainage problem, which I feel sure could have been sorted far cheaper than the figures bandied about, at least repaired enough to get the site open for perhaps the last season as the site was still being paid for lease wise anyway ?
I also attended the anglia region question time and the answer we got from Grenville was it was an 'environmental authority' issue, so still don't confer, I did take this up with Martin Stringer (executive secretary) concerning the way this whole situation has been so badly handled, he did get back to me by email, and feels there are sensitive issues and that we will not get to know why, and still no answer why it was handled so badly, I do feel sad for the people who had there Easter & B/H weekends ruined by insensive management of the situation, but then we are only members after all !!
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+1
I went to Thetford a couple of years ago at the hieght of the season and I would guess that at least a third of pitches were unoccupied. Now as there are 2 very similar sites within a few miles of each other I wonder if the reason for the Mildenhall site decision is purely commercial using smoking mirrors to justify.
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feels there are sensitive issues.
What? We're not talking about National Security or Brexit Negotiations here. We, as members of this club, would like to know why this site was closed prematurely and they still refuse to answer the questions. Are they practising for a career in politics?
I really am getting fed up with the sanctimonious tosh that EG keep feeding us.
A sort of "There, there, now go away and don't ask questions" type of attitude that seems to be our lot in life.
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Wherenext I totally agree. Sensitive in the sense the members may query decisions???
I do begin to wonder where we are being lead. Are we are club? Is there likely to be more significant changes that follow the rebranding? Who knows? But unless the club start to focus on providing their own sites with high standard facilities to match the charges they are increasing and promote and foster a good relationship with CL's they may find that members are free to choose whichever site suits them and may vote with their feet. After all the handbook contains sites that are AS not their own thus they appear to have more to offer than they actually own, they can't be booked online and require a deposit so not an equal offering. That said we book our sites in the area we want by they this or the other club or privately owned.
I'm not particularly interested in the politics of the club but I would like to be informed in a proper manner about sites closing and a justification of the decision.
It easy for folks to say they only want to holiday and use the sites - but if EG continue unchallenged there may be none to use!
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Well, after the closure of "Rustic", forested Mildenhall and the, I shall be polite here, 'responses' from EG et al, I am very concerned about the future for Altnahara !!.
Another rustic, albeit 'Scottish', site with less than 100% EHU, No MVWP at all, no hard standings provided ( purely the natural rock etc) , little within the site, other than nature at its rawest & the remnants of a broken down broch.
What is there, then, to insist it remains within the Club's plans. if a more readily accessible site is closed literally under some members wheels.
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The big problem seems to stem from leasehold sites. But it's puzzling to find problems in places not earmarked for development other than landowners looking for new, higher paying leaseholders doing a similar thing. I don't know how many sites the club actually owns and how many are leased and whether the leases are favourable for long term usage? Lets hope places like Altnahara are not under any pressure. I believe Steamer Quay could be under threat at some point.
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Brue
I suppose you could work out some of the sites which are leasehold. The likes of Chatsworth, Ferry Meadows or anywhere they are situated in Country Parks etc. I think I am right in saying that Morn Hill is half leased and half owned!!! Its understandable that people get upset when a site leaves the network but they have done that ever since I have been a member. The problem is every landowner now looks upon their land as a means of a revenue earner to a greater extent than they once did. The temptation must be great at the end of a lease for them to think they can make more money from running the site themselves. After all the Club have built up the reputation of the site and provided the infrastructure so for minimum outlay they can run the campsite? The problem for Mildenhall, which seemed to be on an annual renewable lease, is that any expenditure would still mean the site would only attract the minimum nightly fees. This must bring into question whether that expenditure is worthwhile. Do we retain sites at any costs? Whilst that might appeal to some it would severely affect our ability to look for new sites. As nice as some of us think Mildenhall was we have to face the fact that it was not that popular with a greater number of members who seem to prefer full facility sites so looking at it in those terms you can understand why the Club made the decision. We can all second guess Club decisions but it sounds from what has been gleaned from various comments and meetings there was more to the decision than meets the eye.
David
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"Sensitive" is a joke though, David. It sounds as if the club is trying to cover up some major goof on their part while treating the members as idiots.
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It seems the club only lose sites. Where are the replacement ones? Don't say there arent any. Morris Leisure recently acquired a site at Llanberis. There must be others changing hands all the time .They also did their refurbishment in the winter with the site opening when it was required not like Hawes etc who are now closed for refurbishment. Something lacking in the Ivory Tower me thinks
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Morn Hill is as you say part owned and the club ,i understand have been trying to buy the lease of the other part ,but the council who also i understand own the lease are under pressure to have more "traveller"pitches in the area which is not looking good for the cc owned part of the site
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Tell us more, JVB.
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David, I think most members would accept that the club have to make difficult decisions based on cost effectiveness. However what has really got up our noses is;
1. This decision was taken after allowing members to make bookings, including Easter. This showed a total lack of consideration for their customers. You cannot convince me that some last minute problem reared its head and forced their decision and...
2. If there is a logical reason for this decision why isn't the club being open and honest with their customers and telling us? Their patronising attitude isn't helping. We're all adults and can accept that some sites may disappear from the network but quite a few members on this forum would like to see some positive action taken by EG in replacing them. As Fisherman points out there are other operators out there buying or building sites. Be more open with us for goodness sake.
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It does make one wonder if there is a "hidden agender"and some one is hovering in the shadows,the way the membership are being given so little in the way of explanations for a lot very dubious?actions that have been taken not least the "new company name?
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"A little bird told me some weeks ago that an all singing site in Dorset? has come into the cc portfolio ,that is being run as a "joint"site this year with the current owners and as a full cc site next year"
"Tell us more, JVB."
I guess your reluctance to expand on that means either that you know nothing or realise you engaged keyboard with brain in neutral, JVB. The lesson here is to say nothing at all unless you're prepared to tell the full story.
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Yep. That's the gist of my previous post. 🙄
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, I see what you did there
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