New Site Booking System
Comments
-
...in fact, when arriving here at Black Knowl we knew it was pretty full...the warden just highlighted the available pitches (about 8) and we picked one fairly pronto, no driving round and round..
as David says, pretty easy...
our winter site has pitch types and we know which area of the site these are, reception does the same as the BK warden, marks the plan with a highlighter, we leave the van at reception, stroll up and choose a pitch without putting an extra vehicle on site..confirm with reception, drive directly to pitch.
not pitch allocation but reduces traffic on the site without causing congestion.
of course...the bulk of the day's intake doesn't arrive all at the same time😉
0 -
Is there anything to explain?....
a grass pitch gets dug up, chippings are put down in the same place to create a hardstanding ...job done?
0 -
I don’t think it would work everywhere, not if you want a grass divide. One that springs to mind is Tewkesbury. Pitches 63 / 70 if converted to HS would definitely need reducing in number, if they were all to be awning. We have had a service pitch opposite on a few occasions and the separation distances are barely maintained, so many pitches have been crammed in.
0 -
I have personal experience of the pitch type booking trial, we were booked in at Hunter's Moon for 2 weeks booked on grass for 2 weeks due to my daughter camping at the site for the first week, almost through the first week the grass pitch area became very crowded and thd weather turned to rain, we requested to change to a hard stand for the following week as there were empty hs pitches, we were told that it wouldn't be possible as they were all booked 2 of them only for one night the warden could not put us there for a week, one pitch was empty for the week other than the night if was booked, the wardens were absolutely fed up with the system.
1 -
Agreed, Steve and let's not take the thread away from the booking issue, but no doubt, the 'grass strip' is a feature in every CC plan (why? Aren't they nomansland?)
0 -
I think the problem with the experiment was that it wasn't network wide. So it was possible to have pitches booked at two sites, one in the experiment and one not. So on one site you have a free choice and the other you were directed to a particular pitch surface. This caused a lot of hassle for wardens apparently. The new system will be better as it will apply to all sites. The only problem now is that members must be sure of what sort of pitch they want as it may not be possible to change once on site depending on how busy it is. For me that is simple as I always want a hardstanding. However for those that like the idea of grass they may have to put up with that surface regardless of the weather? It seems to work quite well with the C&CC so I can see why it won't work in the CMC providing members understand that changing once on site might not be as easy as before depending on the level of bookings for a particular pitch type. I imagine at some point the Club will have to have a cut off point for the old system or perhaps allow those already booked the option to decide pitch type?
David
0 -
David
If there were enough hardstandings to give everyone a choice then there isn't a problem but there isn't, the vast majority will book a hardstanding just in case the weather's wet even for 1 or 2 nights if I'm going to book a fortnight and a hardstanding isn't available and knowing there will be no chance to change I will be looking for an alternative site, it will be interesting to see how it pans out next year
0 -
It was the same at Sutton on sea site
I cannot see there not being a problem until the new booking system is running on its own when it seems that pitch type will be what you book , and it will be your choice so even if any type grass pitch is booked up to twelve months in advance ,if it is not available at that time unless? there is another type of pitch available. then your booking will be cancelled
0 -
Morning
You keep saying about the vast majority would book a hardstanding. They wouldn't. Fact.
JK
0 -
The Club has quite a few Sites that have only the one option, all grass or (nearly) all HS. We were amazed in September at how popular all grass Marazion was, and with some of the largest types of MHs we have seen. All doing fine at the time we were there as well, and yes, it did rain.
For some who tour, it’s about the location as well as other factors. Mind, for some, it might have been all that was left😂 I think Godrevy is all grass as well isn’t it JK? Not sure of the other SW Club Sites. But if pitch type choice keeps a few more out of SW, I’d vote for that👍0 -
I think JK has run quite a few “grass only” Sites K, and others that are 50/50 like Exeter. We always go on grass if given choice at Exeter, location of pitches is much nicer.
1 -
Godrevy is all grass and it drains well but even so by the end of the season it is an eyesore. Awning mats do a lot of damage and when they move the pegs you end up with a muddy patch either side of you. I vowed I would not use it again after the visit this year. A good thing is the increase in non awning pitches since they were first introduced, they might tempt me. They should make even more non awning.
lfracombe is also all grass. I suspect the Club would not get planning permission at either of these sites for hard standings.
peedee
0 -
Yes, downside of cramming pitches in, and having every outfit parked in same spot is sour patches. Not good☹️
0 -
DavidKlyne -Thank you for the explanation re booking trial. Do you think that maybe the handing out of site layout to members on arrival with available pitches marked will continue to be used when running the 2 booking systems next year ? It would be nice to know for certain as change is happening in 3 to 4 months’ time (I think). Perhaps JK could confirm this ?
0 -
With the many years we have used club sites the maps and vacant? pitches is only valid if the previous arrivals have advised the site office of where they have landed
It is not unusual for members to not bother and either the site staff have to find them? or they ring the bell to contact staff when office is closed when they cannot leave or enter the site because they do not have the barrier card/key which they would have if they listened when booking in
0 -
Just from onsite experience k. I've worked sites with 50/50 grass gravel and a lot of times the grass is full when gravel stands empty, even in times of poor weather. I've also run all grass sites which are high occupancy in all weathers.
I understand everyone has a preference of pitch surface but the amount of nights people spend on sites and "observe" what type of pitch gets used or express their preference as the majority is not at all accurate.
JK
0 -
Hi
Your guess is as good as mine at present n. We have a lot to learn before the new system is live, but the training so far is good. I've got the easy life as my site is all grass but I'll be spending time at our sister site down the road to help out and learn as they have 50/50 surface types. I'll share what I'm allowed to when I can in the meantime.
JK
1 -
We dropped on our favoured pitch at Marazion by such luck. A German visitor had departed a day early, without letting Reception know, so it wasn’t marked on map as empty. No obvious signs of habitation, so we duly claimed it and let Staff know. Previous occupant didn’t return in his camper van so we had it all week😁 one of only three empty at the time. The others were badly sloping, full of tree roots and too close to other outfits for us. Brilliant for a weeks stay........I don’t think🤨 We would have moved like a shot next day.
0 -
I wonder how long it will be until those who have been complaining that they cannot get a pitch at a moment's notice because of others making multiple bookings for sites, start complaining about others booking hard and soft pitches at the same site for the same dates.
0 -
David
Can you explain the prepayment system that allows you to bypass checking in and get straight on with your holiday (not that I've ever had an issue with it) imagine there are a couple of outfits checking in and you turn up having prepaid, do you just drive through without a word to the warden or if there's a barrier just waiting for the warden to finish booking in the others before you can be identified? How is it going to benifit anyone.
1
