Would It Work ? – Open for sensible debate.
Comments
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Yes, I know this works. I did this Christmas and New Year 2015. The staff at Moreton were very accommodating especially when I told them I was looking to book 10 nights, but NYE was showing full. They opened up one of their 'back up reserves' and I got in for the duration I wanted. However, it doesn't always work. Castleton and Chatsworth, two sites I've tried to do a similar thing but were told it wasn't possible. Asking if they could look out for a cancellation for me, was told no, you'll have to keep checking online. Which I guess is fair enough, wardens can't keep using their time to do this if they are busy with other things.
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if I leave a site early without giving 72 hours notice I lose one days site fees, fair enough, why don't they do the same for cancellations within 72 hours or no shows! It only needs for the booking system to take card details on booking just like all hotel booking systems do. Not sure if the system allows multiple booking for same days, if it does it shouldn't. First come first served is for every booking for anything I have done, whatever day the system opens some can't access the system,there is always someone at a disadvantage so I would leave it as it is and put in a better system to discourage late cancellations and no shows.
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My understanding is that you can't make two online bookings for the same date. When the Club embarked on the change to bookings by introducing the 72 hours rule they did so to discourage late cancellations which was becoming a serious problem. They already had enforcement measures in place to tackle "no shows" and this was no longer considered a major problem. I do have some sympathy with those that leave a site early and lose a days site fees. It hardly seems a level playing field but the real problem is the time, cost and effort it would take to put in place a late cancellation fee collection service. So as you say probably better to leave things as they are but hopefully monitored to watch for any worsening of the situation.
David
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For all those who oppose changes to the Club's booking system, it is interesting to compare the "late availability" of both Clubs.especially in areas where the Clubs have sites in the same areas!
It is most definitely not a level playing field, why take money up front for Events and the National and not a Club site?
peedee
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You're right, its not possible to book more than one site for the same dates and rightly so, that really would be abusing the system.
From a personal point of view, the Clubs booking system is costing the Club money. I can't be the only one who would like to book ahead for more than a weekend, but often can't because a Friday and Saturday night is often showing as full but would likely become available nearer the time. Unless I want to take a chance and leave my booking until the same week I'm due to travel, constantly checking online and jumping in should that Friday and Saturday change from yellow to light blue, then the Club are not going to get my longer than a weekend booking. That's 5-7 or maybe more, site night fees the Club are losing because their booking system favours the ad hoc weekender over the holiday 'planner'
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That's 5-7 or maybe more, site night fees the Club are losing because their booking system favours the ad hoc weekender over the holiday 'planner'
By 'ad hoc' I take it you mean impromptu? The CC can't win really. Weekenders complain that they can't get desired bookings unless booked in advance.
Others, like yourself, complain that they can't book full weeks because of weekend bookings. The simple fact is that on a club site with a flexible system where members can book any number of days from 1 to 21 weekends are and will remain a pinch point.
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Lucky you PD. I am going to sort a mountain of paperwork, claim my pension, tidy my study cook a casserole, do some shopping etc.
Looked at C&CC late availability. Hard for me to get a true picture as it does not show sites more than 50 miles from a point, does not show number of pitches and I presume availability shown is only for today?
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So, could the Club rewrite their booking system to allow the current way of doing things for a certain percentage of pitches on a site, lets say 80%, with the remaining 20% of pitches unavailable to anyone not booking for more than 3 nights. If all of the 20% pitches are not taken after a cutoff point, for example 14 days, then those pitches revert to being open for all.
Yes, complicated for a software developer, but not impossible.
Just throwing ideas out there for debate, not deliberately looking to upset anyone
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Out of the total number of Club sites - is it 150 - how many have vacancies on 13 August 2017 ? 146. Setting up ever more elaborate booking schemes seems a bit unnecessary. Just phone and go.
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Booked across that weekend 4 months ago, a commercial AO site for 5 nights.
The site I'm in at is fully booked over that weekend and everyone who has booked it, has paid for it, in full, 6 weeks ago.
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I wonder why we can't simply have a rolling system. Make it possible to book up to 15 months in advance rather than setting one day for bookings to open.
The club must plan any closures for maintenance well in advance so 15 months would be reasonable.
I am easy regarding deposits, if I book with the other club I pay a deposit and can't change the booking on line. I like the fact that I can change a CMC booking on line, I've just extended my stay in York next month. If taking a deposit meant less cancellations and more space for me then go for it.
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Looking at it from the site operator's point of view, I can’t see the club being happy to have 50% of pitches with a big question mark hanging over them. Will they let or will they stay empty?
A business needs more certainty as to the likely take up of what's on offer.
Anyway, we're told the system is already being looked at for next year.
Deposits I'm not really bothered about but I feel there is likely a huge myth surrounding bookings and cancellations and Moulesy makes some good points on the subject.
We're in danger of going round in circles again here.
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"If taking a deposit meant less cancellations and more space for me then go for it."
As long as you're alright, John, that’s fine. The rest of us can go whistle.
Sometimes it’s really hard to believe that we're fellow members of the same club.
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I was meaning more space for everyone Tinwheeler not just me. I have heard of people booking several sites and then cancelling most of them at the last minute. That leaves site booked for months and then empty spaces at the last minute.
A deposit might reduce the number of last minute cancellations and make it easier for everyone to book.
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" I have heard of people booking several sites and then cancelling most of them at the last minute. That leaves site booked for months and then empty spaces at the last minute. "
I've read that same claim many times over the years but never seen or heard anyone actually admitting to doing it. It seems to crop up every year around this time!
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Theoretically it is possible I guess but I'd also guess that the number who do this are insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Certainly not worth changing a system for. You can never please all the people all the time and there will always be exceptions, at least the present system is transparent and fair in its intentions.
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The "complaint? " from a few who think that "block booking"then ends up with short notice pitches appearing on sites that show "full"are it seems, not aware of how the sites network is managed by the warden staff,for the good of the majority of the membership, i have through our retired warden friends and their colleagues,seen first hand what goes on to keep as many pitches available "to let"and the completely wrong idea that short notice cancellations are to blame,the majority of pitches let it seems,at short notice are coming out of repaired or, "not now so wet shall we chance it" ,to make as many as possible available for the w/end,(late availability )which are then taken out again on the Sundays to give more chance of recovery,or another cenario is if a bollard is unusable and then the contractors have been able put it or a replacement back in use,there are even more reasons that pitches suddenly"appear on previosly "full"sites
All the above is true and wardens do know that some members need short notice breaks which all the above helps via the Late Availabilty thread and even a call to a site
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That's it another Booking Day over , despite all the usual speculation of block bookers , one nighters , two nighters , retired members spoiling members from booking weekends , full weeks & what ever you care to mention if you don't get what you want , its always someone , or something that other members have done .
I posted the day before D Day , that only 10% to 15% of all pitch availability for the next year is taken up & booked on booking day , have a look today there is loads of availability even some of the most popular sites still have weekends (Chatsworth)
One post stood out yesterday , it was one member who had booked several sites .....from a ship in the Bay of Biscay yesterday morning , how ironic that some members didn't or couldn't book anything ....because the system doesn't work ....I think it does .
All the hype about booking day is just that ....HYPE with patience & the right internet connection & device even my 4 year old great grand son could manage my bookings.😇
12 months & it all starts again 😁look on the bright side 👍
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It’s all hearsay with no proof I’m afraid and if deposits are taken there will likely be more no shows. The club has said there are fewer cancellations now than when deposits were taken.
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The "Club" must make a profit on every pitch night booked. That average nominal figure is what the nightly deposit should be. If someone turns up to use the booking, then the rest of the fee pays for the actual costs. If no-one turns up then the pitch could be relet at full price, so Club makes two lots of profit and covers costs.
The only thing I see standing in the way is that the current IT system could not handle the money. In fact, were deposits not abandoned at about the same time the IT started to go silly . . . . ?
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As with everything there are winners and losers. Bods like me lose out because schools don't publish exact holiday dates far enough ahead, work only plans 6 months ahead etc.
Not an issue that's life and there are many good sites in nearby locations, some better and cheaper. However, when I retire I'll be expecting my CMC pitch clear of families early on a Sunday afternoon, or is that another thread?
IMOH The sad part of the whole process is this. On the honeypot sites like Chatsworth, Rowntree, Palace, Bristol etc it's hard to get a booking a couple of months in advance to suit school and work, clearly not just a problem for some just on F***** Day.
Solution; I 'phone on a Wednesday and I can usually get in for the weekend. Why? Because the kindly block bookers' car has broken down, hamster died or they have a 6kg CalorLite bottle that they can't exchange. (In last year Chatsworth twice, Rowntree thrice and Palace just the once, but only called once).
I thought that this was how the CMC reserved sites for working families of school age or have I got it wrong?
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Perhaps better luck next year .....perhaps the booking system will have been changed / altered . 👍
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Where we are the school term dates are available about one year if not more ahead;via our county council website and have been for years,thats how we have planned our holidays to take grandchildren,
Ps and since they have gone on their own holidays to miss term times
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and the system is so simple 
