Would It Work ? – Open for sensible debate.
Comments
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BIG +1
For yers and years I manged to get the sites and dates I wanted and no I didn't tell the class to read chapter five while doing it. There were always plenty of sites left when I manged to get on a computer usually in the late afternoon.
Just as the club has stated, lots of pitches left after booking day.
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Just as the club has stated, lots of pitches left after booking day.
Even more these days.
My perception is that bookings are down this year and what with mebership numbers being static that surely must be bad news for the next set of accounts.peedee
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The next set of accounts are for 2016 and won't reflect trading for this year. The 2016 accounts are due in September of this year and will no doubt be published at the next AGM which I think is in October.
If trading has slumped this year, why do you think this is?
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Perhaps we shouldn't jump the gun until we see the figures. It's probably next year's figures (for 2017) that will be more defining in that we will get an idea of whether the rebrand has had a positive or negative affect?
David
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Even at this late stage you can get more than a week continuously in the Peak District if you use Castleton, Carsington water and Chatsworh to make up the stay. What more could you expect at this late stage. Its only the prices that keep me away for the next few weeks.
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Slip of the fingers Nigel, I did realise the next set will be for 2016 after I had sent it. Nevertheless it is usual for the Chairman and the DG to give a report on the year to date at the AGM.
If bookings/pitch occupancy is in actual fact down it is likely this is for several reasons but probably the main one the Club will latch onto is the rise in prices above that of income with the result a tightening of belts and folks looking around for better deals. i.e. difficult trading conditions? However as David says best wait and see.
peedee
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Agree, it'll be interesting when the time comes.
The Club are certainly trying to make the right noises not just with the rebrand itself, but the new marketing strategy too. Will be fascinating to see it it has paid off.
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Yes I think you're right, if in fact bookings/memberships have dropped or are stagnant. It's not a great reason though especially if caravan and motorhome sales have increased. The two factors would go hand in hand you would expect
If new unit sales have dropped, then yes, you'd expect the rest of the industry to feel it too.
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I've just read the last AGM minutes for both clubs. Some stark differences in membership growth, average sites nights and insurance incomes. It's no surprise this Club has attempted to reinvent. Whilst the CMC has a much greater turnover, growth is behind in comparison.
PD is spot on, flat membership growth for the CMC, 5% membership growth (~54000) for the C&CC in 2015
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double post removed, painfully slow page updating again
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Quite so, David
...and for all other times, theres the wonderful C&CC THS system of no booking, turn up and leave when you like, pay on departure, a few quid a night in wonderful locations
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a good question, Husky, might get some interesting answers.
might get some predictable ones, too..
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We pick sites according to the area we want to visit. We read reviews and decide between what's offered, sometimes there's little choice in the area 😉. Previously we would have plumped for a club site if it was where we wanted it BUT these days we do far more comparisons. The price, albeit for a known product, for club sites are getting silly at times. We are 2 adults never have another person 😢 rarely a dog with us and are more than happy to ultisie our own facilities. Plus the club sites we've used lately (Southport, Warwick, Ferrari Meadows) felt like a car parks, less so with the latter. They were chosen purely for location and we weren't looking to spend time on site, which is a shame in some ways as it cuts down on the social side of the site. We always acknowledge neighbours and fellow campers- sometime with mixed results 😉😂
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Out of interest, are you a member of both clubs and do you use commercial sites, CL's and CS's?
In the last year, how many nights have been spent on CMC club sites out of your total and as this thread started about booking systems, which alternative do you prefer, if any, to the CMC system?
Only asking this as a comparison to my habits this year, in that a tiny proportion of nights I've booked have been on CMC club sites, mainly because there has been a night or two fully booked and unavailable during the periods I'm looking to reserve and I can't be bothered to keep checking to see if they become free nearer the time, or, I want to book further in advance than the Club will allow.
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Yes members of both clubs using CL and CS along with commercial sites. Deposits don't worry me happy to pay, vaguely safer feel that we do have a pitch reservation (?). But have used commercial who don't require deposits and not had a problem! We can't do extended tours in this country or over there at present so always book rather than turn up. On the deposit front it's nice to arrive and find the bulk of the cost is paid for already, especially if you booked a while ago 😉.
Number of nights not to hand at present less than 30 last year 😢😭 (but 2 extended trips to NZ 😉) and 34 or thereabouts so far this year. Probably least on CAMC sites and same this year.
We are booked on a rally next month and so far only for those nights but hope to tag a bit on either end. Rally with a different organisation to the 2 clubs.
I am generally a planner in life and like things tidy, thus I'd like to have a booking system that allows me to book at least 12 months in advance if necessary, so for definite dates say meeting with friends, celebrations or events more than happy to pay at least a deposit if not in full to ensure its confirmed.
I find lack of deposits or cost in full before arrival amazing in some ways. No other trip I take allows this 😉. We book flights to visit our daughter in nz up to 11 months, the maximum, and have to pay in full at time of booking, car hire, airport hotels etc expect at least part payment. That said those are the club rules which we agree to abide by. Whether it's good business sense - who knows ???
Never take part in frenzy day and don't intend too. Life's too short 😂
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The other way round for me, Husky. I last went to a Club site in September 2012 - Chapel Lane at Wythall. Just so quiet and boring, but my daughter's boy friend thought he saw movement in the caravan opposite and reckoned there might be someone alive in there. Perhaps we should have checked? But we left, and haven't been to a Club site since.
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Interesting.
I'm the same, I enter sporting events and after my entry is confirmed, I want to secure my accommodation. If the CMC allowed forward booking further in advance than they currently do, I'm positive I'd use the club sites more. As with you, deposits don't bother me, happy to pay them to secure the pitches.
Yes, the Club has its way of doing things and it works better for some, not so good for others and I accept their way but it does restrict my use of Club sites, so I look elsewhere.
I'm not entirely sure why the Club don't allow bookings further in advance prior to frenzy day, does anyone know the reason?
Would it be conceivable to be able to book up to two years in advance on frenzy day? So this December, a member can book anything in 2018 and 2019, and come December 2018 a member could book for 2019 and 2020 etc etc. What effect would this have on members booking habits?
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I dought that for the miniscule ammount of people who want to do bookings so far in advance it would be worth the mods to the systems, there are already numerous post saying that the way the system is now is to far in advance for them to get pitches as they cannot book that far because of work roters
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I tend to agree with JVB, I can not really see any advantage to the Club unless deposits were required. The only reason for even contemplating booking so far ahead would be for a very special event that I did not want to miss under any circumstances.
I also agree with Moulesy, I suspect very few have not tried other sites. My use of Club sites has been in decline, This year it looks like being the lowest use ever. It probably has more to do with the style of touring I enjoy with the Continent offering and meeting requirements much more than the UK. . In the last two years 40 percent of nights away have been spent across the Channel
peedee
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OK. Nothing wrong with your opinion and as the OP asked for a sensible debate, so I'll be rational :-)
I've booked two long weekends in 2018 and 5 a five night break, the long weekends are in March and the 5 nighter in April. 8 months away.
The C&CC have secured approx £300 of my money because I can't book for next year with the CMC. If I wait until frenzy day, there's no guarantee I'd get the bookings and by then, the C&CC might not have availability at the sites close to where I want to be. One of the weekends is Easter.
I like Club sites, nothing against them at all, it's just for me, the inability to secure forward dates forces me to find alternatives and yes, I'm probably in a tiny minority and the current system suits most members fine. Having the ability to book alternative sites either commercial or with the other club overcomes the problem so really, I haven't got a problem. However I'd happily spend more with the CMC if there was a little bit more flexibility, not much, just a little bit :-);-)
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What effect would this have on members booking habits?
I find it hard enough deciding on 3 touring routes in December for the forthcoming year - probably 24 sites in total and probably 20 CC sites of those.
I use primarily CC sites for ease of selection and lack of mither in booking.
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There is much talk of 'Frenzy Day'. For me there is no frenzy. I simply sit down for an hour with a cup of coffee or three and book 20 club sites probably and during the next week book commercials that I might need. Job done. I do consider however if I want a site with a limited number of pitches (such as Cadeside where I think there are 17 pitches and it is a convenient site for meeting friends in the area) that I book that first simply in case there is something on locally for those dates that I don't know about.
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(not that I am telling people what to do )
