What changes would you make ?
Comments
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It would be interesting to see why people book Serviced Pitches, just to see if there really is a need for more of these.
Do people want them because;
a) Like JayEss they guarantee a Hardstanding pitch
b) They have mobility problems and find the ease of on tap services and waste water disposal a boon
c) They don't have mobility problems but still like the reasons given above
d) They just like using new gadgets.
e) They dislike all of the other choices of pitches on site.
f) They don't like them but there's nothing else left to book.
I wouldn't want the club to get the wrong idea about the reasons for the so called popularity of these pitches.
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JayEss, yes you are correct. I am suggesting that new sites be built in a way that reduces costs but gives the majority of members options. It will still leave the existing 200 or so expensive sites for those who may prefer the full facilities.
I am obviously making a lot of assumptions here, but if it doesn’t appeal to members there’s still the option to build the washblocks. As Navigator added they would need to be in popular places, or no one will use them.
Ken
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for me:
none of the above, but
g) I like having running water on tap (pun intended), I don't like having to fetch water when required or empty the waste.
I suppose I've been spoilt by not doing that sort of stuff at home. I'd rather spend my holiday doing something else that fetching or emptying water, like eating, sleeping, drinking, going out... you know that sort of holiday type things?
two other point, on all HS sites which have SP, why do SP get booked quicker and all get booked up, than non service pitches? Wouldn't that seem to suggest they may actually be popular and rule out option a)
Also SP get booked up before non SP, look at most sites with SP and they go before non SP, so that may rule out your option f)?
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You consider paying for facilities a divergence because they might, only might, mostly suit campers?
And I thought the club had moved on from the us and them days to be inclusive!
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Tinwheeler, Yes. Campers don’t need to join this club there are many other clubs that cater for their needs. However for those that wish to there are still the existing sites on the network.
I am talking about providing new sites for existing caravanning members at a lower cost.
Ken
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just looked at some all HS sites and it would appear that (like Onepjg says) the SP go quicker than non SP. So maybe they are popluar in their own right?
Look at the difference in HS and SP - top and bottom at Knaresborough for February
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It's not a good comparison I'm afraid Corners. Most sites only have a few Service pitches compared with other pitches.
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We would be more likely to splash out on a serviced pitch in winter for 2 reasons.....
Pitches are less expensive in winter, so more likely to be not too far over our self imposed limit
In winter the weather is more likely to be poor, so avoiding the walk to the block is more attractive.
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But some campers and other people who need facilities are already members!
You give the appearance, whether intentional or not, of being anti campers.
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The service pitches on one site we used a few Winter's ago were all empty. The taps were frozen solid. It was -11c though. Folks were managing fine, hardy types who just got on with things, others giving a bit of help to those who needed it. Pitch next to us had a fold out trailer tent on it!
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CS - You used to fill your water etc. from the central filling areas before Service Pitches were introduced so presumably it didn't impinge on the enjoyment of your holiday time then but you've obviously decided to take advantage of this new system. Fair enough, you're paying for it, but I wouldn't want the club to concentrate on building too many of these pitches and ignore the more pressing need of ordinary H/S pitches (IMO)
(Actually you would fall into category c) in my list.)
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But the demand is there isn't it? Also most sites have more than a few now and the number is growing steadily, Troutbeck Head has over a third SP, Bridlington a fifth, most others run between 10% to 15% and in real figures for example Melrose has 10 out of 62, so it's not a few?
And a lot of SP get booked first, yes not proving anything beyond people want them?
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I usually book only a few weeks ahead but will always take a service pitch if any are still available. This is because mygirlfriend likes to shower but is absolutely terrified that the water in the caravan will run out.
That seems a reasonable arguement, except that if I'm timing things correctly there is 80 litres on line and another 40 available at the flick of a lever. She never uses anywhere near that amount of water as she is finished before the water heater can't keep up with demand, which I put at around 12 litres.
Now I've explained this to her, and shown her the still nearly full Aquarolls after her shower, but she still says, "Well, it might run out" so a vitrually endless supply of hundreds of millions of gallons lets her shower without worry.
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firstly no I don't fall into c) at all:
a) Like JayEss they guarantee a Hardstanding pitch
b) They have mobility problems and find the ease of on tap services and waste water disposal a boon
c) They don't have mobility problems but still like the reasons given above
As I go to SP sites first and then all HS site if no SP are available, that rules out a) and I don't thankfully have mobility problems so that rules out b)
Actually I have been using SP since 2001, and yes I actually found fetching and emptying water a bit of a chore and it did impinge on holiday time away before then, and so glad when I 'discovered' the club had service pitches.
I do agree with you that all HS should come first, as I said at the start of this thread, but after that more SP
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Hadn't realised there were so many on some sites, I must admit. But haven't visited those sites you listed. Must be a demand if Club is investing in so many. I suppose if you are touring with a family, can't do the basic chores as well for whatever reason, or just want a total chill out stay they are a boon.
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As in all things in life, it's just best to agree with one's OH.
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there are more than that and they have been there for a while, since the old statics were removed, from just past the warden's house to the top of the hill are all SP.
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Toilets that don't close - yes clean whilst they're open
Agree..happens all the time in Europe....had some lovely conversations with the cleaning ladies whilst taking a leak..
Wardens who are more customer friendly
Agree, some are definitely not suited to "front of house" duties
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I don't think some folks have fully thought out the staffing of sites to be honest. Anyone employed has to be recruited, safety checked, trained, retrained on a regular basis, covered in times of ill health, emergencies etc......
So one person, working alone, does booking in, walks the site, carries out whatever daily safety checks are required, deals with visitor requirements, is a presence on site daily for 24 hours. (I think not!) Then you have another person doing same exactly the same, to give the first person a break. Then you have a third person to do the same duties while the others are on holiday. Then you have someone else who arrives once, twice?, three times a day? No set hours to clean the toilets and showers and other communal areas. Then you have a gardener, no set hours, to do the grounds. Is he/she using their own equipment? Can it be stored safely?
Questions to consider:
Do visitors not have requirements in evenings, through the night, do the "Site Managers" live in?
Do toilets/showers not get dirty/ need restocking during the day?
Do visitors not need some supervision in terms of speeding on site, noise, dog fouling, etc...... 24 hours per day? ( yes they do, is my own personal opinion)
I have never stayed on a site that didn't have some form of staff/owner presence on site 24 hours per day in case of emergencies, or problems. (I am not counting CLs, but most of these have owners around most of time) Most of Club Sites are large sites, can't think of many with less than 80/90 pitches. Law of averages says more people around, more likelyhood of someone needing help or assistance.
The Club's staffing of sites may not be everyone's ideal, the people doing it might not be to every visitor's taste, but on the whole all I can say is that for the last thirty years of our membership, we have had few problems or complaints about how sites are managed, and on the few occasions that something has gone wrong, such as a Traveller invasion, the staff have been superb. And it has kept prices reasonable on the whole.
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I would agree entirely, based on 19 year's membership there have been very friendly wardens and some not as friendly, but all have been very efficient and effective in their jobs.
They are there, in my view anyway to keep the site tidy, clean, and sort out any problems whatever they may be, if they do that part right (and all have in my experience) then extra friendly is just an extra bonus. I don't really have much to do with wardens apart from booking in, buying milk, and leaving. My enjoyment comes from my caravan and people in it not directly in the contact with wardens.
Also they are club members and have actually used a caravan/MH themselves with lots of experience and have helped me with technical issues.
The fact that they live on site rather than do a '9 -5 shift' then leave means they take more of an interest in the site they look after.
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"I don't think some folks have fully thought out the staffing of sites to be honest. Anyone employed has to be recruited, safety checked, trained, retrained on a regular basis, covered in times of ill health, emergencies etc......"
But so do wardens now and new recruits as wardens. Why does a warden (or assistant warden) have to clean the toilets? I suspect most toilet blocks are closed for an hour a day. So, depending upon whether both male and female are closed for the same hour or consecutive hours, and how many toilet blocks are on site, you employ a local cleaner for those hours. I still and never have been able to see why toilets close anyway! How often have you seen a warden in the toilet block outside of the cleaning hour replenishing something - I never have in all my years as a member. Likewise why does a warden have the cut the grass or empty the bins? You employ a "handyperson" on a lower rate of pay who might only need to work 9-5 but at least you're putting back something into the local economy. The warden(s) or managers can then get on with managing the site (and local staff) as necessary. Yes I imagine they would live on site and would potentially be available out of hours for emergencies.
Yes I would also like to see wardens be more customer focused. The majority of wardens are really great but there's a small nucleus who are miserable b*****s and, no disrepect to anyone, but they tend to be the older wardens. We use a site a few miles away quite often where there are three sets of wardens. The two sets of assistant wardens are really great, friendly, helpful, cheerful wave if they pass you but I can't say the same for the wardens. In fact if the male warden smiled I'm sure his face would crack! This shouldn't be the face of a customer oriented club, even more so on sites that attract foreign tourists.
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