Chatsworth refurb
Recently arrived and was chatting to the warden who was telling me about next year’s refurb. Will happen in two halves so I’m under the impression it will also close early in 2019. Next year will see the refurb of the toilet block and those pitches nearest the house including new roads.
Subject to the weather they are hoping to reopen by the late May bank holiday.
The following year will see the rest of the pitches done nearest the entrance. I asked if there would be more service pitches but he said not. Interestingly it will lose one pitch overall but he said there would be more non awning pitches.
Sounds like this might be a problem with spacing if there will be one pitch less and more non awning. This begs the question should type of pitch be introduced? Lots of motorhomes here on awning pitches yet they can still put a canopy up on a non awning pitch.
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Can you explain the question “should type of pitch be introduced”, please?
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Sounds like this might be a problem with spacing if there will be one pitch less and more non awning. This begs the question should type of pitch be introduced? Lots of motorhomes here on awning pitches yet they can still put a canopy up on a non awning pitch.
Not if you mean you must book a non awning pitch if you have a MH or no intention of deploying an awning. What about MH's who tow a car and also want to use a pull out.
You can of course already book awning or non awning.
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Perhaps I didn’t phrase it correctly. Should motorhomes be asked to book a non awning pitch if there isn’t a second vehicle? Most motorhomes have a wind out canopy which they can deploy on a non awning pitch. The nature of a caravan means there will always be a car with it. I’ve put an awning up now as we’re there for 8 nights but I might be a bit miffed it I couldn’t get an awning pitch especially if there was a plethora of motorhomes using awning pitches when they don’t really need to
I suggested there may be a spacing problem at the moment in view of the fact that there will be one less pitch overall and more non awning (and therefore smaller) pitches when the work is complete.
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I have sometimes booked a non awning pitch but I always look at the site plan first and usually the decision is based on the number of pitches to choose from. If you reduced the pitch fee by £1 that would be popular with motorhomers
David
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My answer is no, they should not be asked, or rather they could be asked but not forced in any way to accept one.. It is the same as 'asking' a caravaner to not take up an awning pitch if they have no awning. They might need that space for other things (sitting out) and that applies to whatever outfit you have.
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Thanks for elaborating.
No, I feel it’s far too complicated an issue to try to insist that MHs book a non-awning pitch. To start with you would need a significant price differential as many non-awning pitches are squashed away in dark corners. Then you'd have to decide what size MH the 'rule' applied to - a small camper or a 9m RV. That would vary site to site as do pitch sizes and, more importantly, the space between them. It’s not always possible to extend, or fully extend, a roll out canopy on a non-awning pitch depending on spacing and there’s also the matter of free standing awnings, small tents for storage and so on.
For all the foregoing reasons, I fully understand MH-ers booking awning pitches, especially on an unknown site and suspect any attempt towards enforcement of pitch type would be met in a similar way to the suggestion of caravanners having to leave their cars in the car park due to limited pitch size/spacing. Remember, we are all members treated equally and paying the same fees. None of us should be treated differently or have specific conditions implied upon us.
There is, of course, still the option available of a warden asking a MH-er to consider a non-awning pitch upon arrival. That would allow the MH-er chance to check the pitch and accept or reject it accordingly.
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In the summer months we have either a small utility tent or a pop up tent in lieu of an awning, and a roll out canopy too, so i still want an awning pitch thank-you with space to spread out.
I don't see why we should be encouraged to have a smaller or non awning pitch, they are the same price after all, and I would be rather "miffed" if this was enforced on us. Why should members who have smaller units be forced towards smaller pitches to benefit others who happen to have a larger outfit and want a larger pitch ? First come first served .
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We have a motor home and a drive away awning we put it up when the weather looks good and don’t bother if it’s going to rain. We therefore book an awning pitch and would definitely not want to be confined to non awning pitches.
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Kj - if you look at the thread about Tewkesbury reopening, or at the prices for 2019, it appears that there will be a blanket price (I think £30.20 for a standard pitch and 2 adults) throughout the whole of March to the end of May, regardless of whether it's a BH or not. I questioned this via live chat and was told that, yes, that was correct.
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agree with M that we should pay close attention to the price structure following the Tewkesbury thread....
also, as DK has mentioned, if the pricing structure differentiated (slightly) between awning and non-awning pitches then perhaps those that don't need, or indeed prefer a smaller/cheaper pitch (caravanner or MHers) might gravitate naturally towards them at booking time...
leaving the bigger, slightly more expensive ones for those that do...
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We try to book a non-awning pitch but the way the booking system works, it's often these are the first booked up. If I book one, I'd expect to get one although wardens seem keen to give us a larger pitch if one is available - the only downside of non-awning pitches is that they tend to be located in the less attractive part of the site.
I believe introducing more complexity will simply irritate another group of members. I want firm ground to park on, enough room to get in/out and around the van without trailing grass or mud into the van, and the site to be landscaped rather than just having the odd bush amongst the acres of gravel.
Perhaps putting more of the smaller pitches with hard standing in some of the better areas will be enough. Perhaps, the site could encourage wildlife by creating 'meadows' in the saved space.
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A sensible pricing policy offering value for money would differentiate between awning and non awning pitches. That would give customers a choice at the time of booking. The price differential would have to be substantial to encourage the take up of non awning pitches.
K
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The price differential would have to be substantial to encourage the take up of non awning pitches.
Depends on your definition of substantial. Mine would be half the price, and that's not going to happen.🤔
adjective
of ample or considerable amount, quantity, size, etc.:0 -
Exactly. Substantial isn’t a quid a night.
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+1
I agree, but then why would the club do that on a business level? Is offering a difference gong to attract more numbers?
Firsty imagine there are people who are tempted by saving £1 per night and the club has cut the price by £1. Then the club is now £1 x number of pitches down on income across the whole network in one night? over a week? over a year how much less income is that?
Why give people a choice when it will cost the club money and perhaps drive up fees next year to compensate? I suppose it could put up the price for an awning pitch but when we are again paying more for what most people like - bigger pitches?
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Another point is that the majority of sites seem to only have a handful of non-awning pitches which makes the whole proposal not worth the bother in my view.
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Why give people a choice when it will cost the club money and perhaps drive up fees next year to compensate? I suppose it could put up the price for an awning pitch but when we are again paying more for what most people like - bigger pitches?
The Club could be more imaginative in the way it prices pitches and they have also already established an incremental pricing structure by charging a different price for a serviced pitch. All that needs to happen now is that full awning pitches are increased by £1 and non awning pitches reduced by £1, giving a £2 difference between the two and it would concentrate the mind on deciding what pitch to book. Whilst prices are the same, members will always be inclined to book those pitches which are more plentiful and possibly feel they will have more room whether they need it or not. I suppose at the end of the day the Club won't take action unless there is evidence that non awning pitches suffer from low occupancy?
David
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A bit OTT, there! The OP made a suggestion which, as far as I can see, has pretty much universally been rejected. So I'll add that I, too, have no desire to see any units, large or small, MH or vansomething, being restricted in any way to certain pitches. A touch over sensitive there, F - not like you at all!
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Given the way fees are going, I'm not sure a couple of quid a night will be sufficient, David. And as TW has pointed out, given the relatively small number of non awning pitches at most sites I doubt it's a viable change in all honesty.
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Quite right, M. A couple of quid less to be stuck in a dark corner of a site wouldn’t swing it for me.
In fact, if the dark corner was the only option, no price differential would persuade me. I’d go elsewhere where I wasn’t treated as a second class member which is what I would be if I was prevented from having the same choice as others.
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We do like Chatsworth - yes, it's always been expensive but its proximity to the house and grounds has always been a major attractions for us. Also convenient for an annual charity event we attend. But we've already sussed out a nearby CL for next year so this will in all likelihood have been the last year we use the site.
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If as somebody up thread said, the CMC would never agree to a differential between Awning and Non Awning pitches because of a possible drop in income.----------- If income is the CMC's main agenda, the shortfall could easily be made up by charging for dogs on a per night basis. Caring owners would not hesitate to pay a few pounds per night to bring their canine friend on holiday with them. As a dog owner myself, I consider my dog worth a few pounds per night to be with us.
K
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Well done, K, you got dogs into it. How about children on bikes?
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