Easter Late Availability
Hi everyone,
Just to let you know we still have availability at some of our sites over the Easter period. These include:
1. Coniston, Lake District
2. Scarborough, North Yorkshire
3. St David's Lleithyr Meadow, Wales
4. Strathclyde, Glasgow
5. Godrevy, Cornwall
6. Dunnet Bay, Scotland
7. Ramslade, Devon
8. Seacroft, Norfolk
Don't forget our CL sites too. See here for the late availability CL discussion.
Wherever you decide to go have a wonderful time. 
Comments
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It really is about time Club offered a substantial discount on unbooked pitches at peak times. For example waive the pitch fee for anything booked within 72 hours of arrival at all except very busy sites. All those desperate to get away will have booked, but you might just pick up some chance bookings at the less popular sites. When I was in charge of 20 Leisure Centres/Swimming pools, any income on unfilled classes or courts was better than no income at all! All it takes is an extra button on the till!
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If the weather forecast for Easter is to be believed then there may well be some late cancellations.
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TDA, great post. a ray of inspiration.
perhaps a halfway house between those who 'must book' and those who 'never book' where last minute bookings can attract discounts to reflect the 'chance taken' and the nearness of the arrival date...
some have advocated leaving a few pitches available on sites for 'casual touring' but this idea could make the take up of 'bargain late availability' self attracting...
like it....
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We stopped going away for Easter years ago because of the ridiculous hike in prices, in fact we don’t bother with any bank holidays. We have left after the holiday having the extra day at home so saving the higher site fee and a day to relax before we travel. Works for us, though it might not so much for families who do not have that option.
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A good percentage of folks will have a Club Site within an hours drive, we actually have no less than five, and whilst three I wouldn't discount, (York RP, Castleton, Chatsworth), the other two I would if there were unbooked pitches, Clumber Park and York Beechwood Grange. It's got to be worth a trial at some point, if a site is less than two thirds full, allow the Wardens to use initiative and adopt a discount, during local school holidays. Even got a name for it............WOW Time! (We're Out Wandering!)
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Not sure they would want to do it for many holidays at Clumber TDA. We walk past the site frequently and with the exception of Easter, it always looks at least two thirds full during school holidays. Agreed having peak prices for more than the weekend over Easter seems totally daft, and discounting the rest of the holiday would seem sensible.
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It all depends where you live PD. Folks around the Bristol area might not find it too far, we have done a long weekend to Cornwall from up here in Yorkshire, and that's towing as well! You have to remember local folks like to get away as well.
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We learned never to travel anywhere at bank holidays rush days well over 25 years ago! Anyone below Exeter doesn't have to worry!
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There is no ambition by HO to try anything new. Just back from Morris Leisure- Llanberis on 3 for 2 offer. Only 14 units on site Tuesday but with offer going through the week end by last night 3/4 full. Can yo see the CC doing anything similar even with sites almost empty after the Easter week end? Not a chance.
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We haven't been away in the van yet this year and thought of going to Burrs Country Park the day after Easter Monday for a couple of nights so that we could go to some museums in Manchester. The cost of £56.80 put us off!
We are retired so will wait until a couple of weeks later when the cost is £36.00!! That, in our opinion, is a much more sensible price.
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Can't see the early booker's happy at paying more than late booker's, same with holidays and flights folk not happy that booking early you end up paying more than those last minute. Airlines learnt that one a long time ago, now its the other way round big discounts for early booking.
Would like to see prices more realistic over all the year, these up and down prices send me nuts. Why not just 3 bands low, med, high.
Out of the 8 sites mentioned at least 6 of them I wouldn't consider this early on in the year. Maybe they are open too early (tin hat at the ready)
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TG, that was the point that struck me, great idea that it is.....for other companies....in the CC.....hmmmm.
i remember years ago when we first started doing package holidays, we used to us a company called Portland Holidays and we always seemed to have paid far below most others on the plane...and when you told them you only booked the day before.......
although I love the idea, i think CC isn't into the variable price model, not in the way of an airline system....they're happy to have varying prices but all published well in advance.....sits nicely with the 'we must book' ethos, too.
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answer.....forever.....
making advance bookings is a culture thing for many CC members, it's in the blood....and can be very necessary here if you want that particular holiday...
while we virtually never book 'over there' I do usually ring ahead or book when going to a CC site....though often not necessary.
however, the sort of 'fill spaces at last minute' system being discussed won't be for families or those with fixed holidays, or those who 'always book'.....it would be for those who wanted a quick dash away at short notice because there were cheap places available.....those who might not have been thinking specifically about going away at that time otherwise.
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Those who want a specific site at a specific date will always play safe no matter what the cost,but it may well be those who complain that sites are always full may well get the site of their choice if "the later the cheaper"system was ever (not likely) system was introduced, and as is quite well known most sites in the West Country are very rarely ,anywhere near full other than the the main summer school holiday period then there could be some real bargain holidays to be had for the less "timid"
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I have no idea what airlines do, I haven't flown for 30+ years bar 20 minutes in a helicopter! Air travel appears super cheap anyway, certainly in comparison to most rail travel.
We often get some fantastic deals on cottages, hotels and B&Bs though, through booking late. As no one else knows what we have paid, it's never been a problem. Unused pitches are a waste, any income is better than no income, that's what I was thinking. You wouldn't discount anything that is nearly full of course, and certain sites not at all. It's not quite the same as booking a flight earlybto get discount. I doubt you would get all your money back from an airline if you didn't go!
I had a very adventurous colleague at work. He packed the car, drove to Cornwall each Summer and haggled with hotels over a price for unsold nights. He was so successful at it, I gave it a go one long weekend. We had taken a tent, but we called into a very nice pub hostelry around 4pm. They wanted £150 for a room for night. I haggled, couldn't get them down below £130, so walked away. We went back at 7pm, still not booked, they eventually settled on £75 for the night, and we promised to eat in the pub. Result all around, they even took the dogs for no extra! We stayed another night as well at same rate. They got something, we got something. You have to have sphericals of brass of course to try it, but why not!
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When buying train tickets through Trainline or whatever they are cheaper the earlier you buy them.
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That goes for Wightlink ferries as well.
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Cheaper still via the individual train companies! But to get those tickets you have to adhere to a very strict timetable, route and train time specific. I travelled from Doncaster to Berwick for £8 a couple of years ago, but was limited to catching 6am train, and penalties for choosing a later train, or missing that train.
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, we used to us a company called Portland Holidays
BB, Portland became part of Thompson Holidays in 2013 and they themselves have changed their name to Tui (
). I think that the heavily discounted holidays resulted in them going out of business as a separate company.1 -
Just had to cancel Baltic Wharf over Easter due to illness - hope someone gets to use it. It's showing up on the late availability now xx
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