Opinions please - gas not available on site
Hi Guys,
I'd like your unbiased opinions on a matter. I think I'm right but its always good to get an independent POV.
This week we've been staying at Lady Margreats Club site in Chirk (the site was full all week).
Yesterday our Gas bottle ran out (school boy error I know). I went to reception to buy a replacement but they said they had none. We then phoned around the area & no one had any. Because our cooker is gas we had no means of cooking so we very reluctantly decided we'd have to leave & return home . I asked for a refund for our last night. I know the club has a 3 day rule but this to me was an exceptional case, it wasn't just a case of wanting to go home early we had no means of feeding ourselves & if the site had Gas then this would have resolved the issue.
I did contact the club head office and they were very unsympathetic & basically couldn't a damn. They told me that they wouldn't refund and even if I appealed that decision then my appeal would be refused.
So what do you all think, it was my error to run out of gas, but if the site had gas or let us know at the time of booking (we booked direct to the site by phone) they had no gas, then again I could have made different arrangements. Just for info we were in our Motorhome which is nearly 8 metres long & we didn't have our car with us.
Comments
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FB - I think it was unfortunate but just one of those things you have to put down to experience. Do you not carry a second gas cylinder? I certainly don't think you could expect the club to refund you on those grounds. Could you not have walked down to the village and eaten there?
We also ran out of gas when we were staying there a couple of years back and they had no replacements but we were able to get one at the marina just down the road - easier to get there in a car than a MH obviously.
Lesson learnt for your next trip though.
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Sorry you had a cut short holiday FB. Not sure what gas system you are using, but we have always carried two canisters, and as soon as one empties, we get a refilled one ASAP. So we usually have one in use, and a full swop over. Our older tourers (van and MH) don’t have a microwave or a hotplate, so our cooking is all gas. It used to be standard practice to run a van like this, with two cylinders, “just in case”.
Sorry, but personally I think you might have to chalk this one up to experience. We have only recently become aware that the Club Sites aren’t carrying replacements this year, but then we don’t always get our canisters from Sites. Morrison’s supermarkets usually sell gas if they have a garage.
I am guessing that you pitch up on Site and then your MH doesn’t move?
I doubt you will get any joy from Club. To be honest, in your situation we wouldn’t have expected Club to give a refund. We would either have gone for a gas bottle somewhere, or eaten out. Nothing short of a medical emergency means we go home early.
Perhaps not the answer you wanted, but sorry you had your break spoiled.🙂
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We used to keep a small electric tiered steamer in our van. It was a cheap way of cooking an entire meal if on a hook up😁 If not on hook up, you merely searched for a plug. Once cooked in laundry at Hexham Racecourse, mind you that was camping in a tent.........in the rain😂
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I'm with the rest of you. It's unfortunate but the whole situation was down to the OP.
The club does not sell gas so cannot be held responsible. The wardens sell gas and fund the supply from their own pockets so it's their choice. I think I read somewhere that all gas sales on site have been suspended due to covid.
Sorry, FB, you need to bite the bullet on this one and be better prepared in future.
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Having had a look on the Calor website, there are 6 calor dealers within 4 miles of Chirk. If none of these had a bottle, would you ask them for compensation, as they are just as responsible as the warden /club for your lack of gas ? I certainly wouldn't.
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Sorry but as with all the above. The club procedures on refunds when leaving early are very generous, if you were on a non club site then you would have lost everything, assuming you had more than one night left.
I also disagree with you say you had no means of feeding yourselves as above. I think that you could have fed yourselves, cold meat salad, eating out, even toast?
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Personally I would not expect a refund, we have left a day early for other equally good / unexpected reasons and it has never crossed my mind to ask for a refund.
However, what is more surprising is the OP says there was none available locally. I assume they would have been prepared to drive 10 miles or so. I have heard of problems with the very small Calor, is there an issue with the standard 6kg propane? Or was the OP after a Calor light.
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Sorry, but like others, it’s your fault and I don’t see why the club should carry any liability whatsoever. Notwithstanding the fact that our cooker also has an electric hob, I also have an electric griddle on which I cook quite a lot of our meals. They are readily available and there was nothing to stop you buying one rather than cut short your holiday.
I might be alone, but part of the ‘fun’ of camping/ caravanning is working round problems that sometimes occur and making the best of it.
If I’d been there when it happened, I would happily have lent you our griddle so see you through.
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Moral of the story.....carry a spare gas cylinder, afterall it is not as though you are short of space in an 8m motor home, even if you have to store it outside whilst parked up, we carry 2 cylinders and a small camping gaz stove, sorry no sympathy and agree with the club
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I would have gone to the fish and chip place, off to the right of the main road as you head north out of town......assuming it is still there........but this would not have happened to us as we always have 2 6kg gas bottles.
( Plus we do have an electric hotplate, a microwave, a small electric pot, and a lightweight electric BBQ )Otherwise we would have eaten a sandwich or two and resolved to always carry a back up cooking method in future. Would have been too far for us to go home.
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Thanks for the honesty in your reply guys. I should have added that Mrs FB has been shielding and although she is going out now for dog walks she hasn't entered a public building of any type since March so eating out is not possible for us.
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Cruel as it might be you have learnt a lesson regarding gas. You could have been on a CL that even in normal circumstances didn't sell gas. Is there a reason why you don't carry a spare? The rules on refunds are pretty clear. Last year I had to leave a site early because I was unwell so also lost out on one nights site fees it didn't cross my mind to try and insist on a refund, I was just happy to get home so I could get to my doctors!
David
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We are all on a bit of a learning curve at the moment FB. We haven’t been away yet, like you OH is wrapped in cotton wool, so we are trying to forward think “what if” scenarios. Our intention is to be as self sufficient as possible for a week or so, on very small sites. We aren’t going to book anything until day before off, mainly because we are looking to avoid hassle of deposits, having to cancel, etc.... It’s our default mode really, but complications might be if there are lots of folks out there. But our fall back is very basic Sites, all we need for a week is a tap, a cep, and a rubbish bin!
Wishing you all the best, another one of those “oh heck” experiences to chalk down in the memory drawer😁
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For many years I only carried one 3.9kg gas bottler on most trips. I knew that was enough to last the 8 or 10 weeks before I retired. If away in December or November I would load the spare in case of winter power cuts. After our last trip of the year in November or December I would get a refill whether bottle had gas or not.
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And yet here’s the thing. Maybe 20 years ago we stayed on a club site up in The Lakes, might have been Park Coppice. We decided to leave a couple of days early due to the weather. I popped into the reception just to let them know we were leaving and was very surprised when I received a refund (not asked for) for the unused nights. We were at the St David’s site a couple of weeks ago and overheard another member receiving a similar refund. I don’t really have an opinion either way, just sayin’.
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Freddy
It changed when the 72 hour rule came into force. Don't exactly remember when but it was within the lifetime of the forum. You could argue it penalises those who have already paid compared to those that don't ever actually turn up on site because of a late cancellation. The exception to the rule seems to be when you move sites when it could be argued the Club does not lose out.
David
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The occasions that I recall using the facility for a refund were:
1. We were booked on Hawes site for 5 nights followed by 5 at Coniston. In the event we went to Hawes 2 days early as I had finished some tasks at home and the sun was shining and so we arrived at Hawes 2 days early. I had not been to Coniston for many years and Fliss never. and so we rearranged after 5 nights at Hawes to have a full week at Coniston.
We were staying 5 nights at The Firs, Belper at the end of a holiday and didn't want to go home and at the last minute left after 4 nights to go on to Lady Margret's Park, where we had probably not been for 17 or 18 years, for 5 nights before returning home for a hospital appointment.
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Didn't the club make it clear that the usual service we get from all club reception shops wouldn't be the same as normal.
Perhaps some members are expecting too much.
We jumped ship the other week & stayed on the Ashbourne C&CC site because Carsington didn't have the availability we wanted.
Their receptions aren't open at all for nowt, zero, zilch.
But that was plastered all over their website so everyone knew.
Sometimes it isn't the club's fault when members cause their own short comings.
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