Booking ahead is unfair at some sites
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Don't be too hasty with the "grass pitches out of use" jv.
JK
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That will also, if the site has more pitches ,mean add staff for the site capacity. As you know winter site staff manning is reduced when grass pitches ,reduce the site availability ,
And also you will know that Xmas and New year are classed as "peak periods"
The staff shortages that have been a problem all this year and has resulted in several, sites having to close will have to be addressed
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I have been a member for more years than I care to state.
My wife and I are fortunate to be able to have several holidays a year, with a prefered stay of ten nights. This is proving very difficult, if not impossible, over recent years on club sites.
We tried for five years to get a stay on the Bristol site for instance.
The Club needs to bring in a deposit system and also a prefered pitch number option.
We can stay at one of our favourite sites in Shropshire, a long tug from the New Forest, but can always get a ten night stay on a favourite pitch number.
The larger Club sites should keep a few slots available for members wanting a stay of seven nights plus, with deposit forfeited if cancelled within four weeks of arrival.
I am not having a go at Motorhome members, but finding sites with all weekends booked is now becoming the norm.
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Re your last sentence - what has that got to do with motorhome members? I'm a caravanner just in case you're interested.
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"The Club needs to bring in a deposit system and also a prefered pitch number option."
And someone's not read all the available info.
Too late, Koongara, it’s on the way but not quite as you believe it should be done.
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If a family can only get weekends off work, it matters not whether they own a MH or a Caravan....they will just book for when they can.
if they paid a deposit for those weekends, that would t help you either.
the mantra (just like Fred Pontin used to say) is 'book early'.
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the mantra (just like Fred Pontin used to say) is 'book early'.
Indeed. I’m not sure how deposits, or even booking a specific pitch number are going to make it any easier to book sites as popular as Baltic Wharf, Chatsworth etc for a 10 day period. Unless you plan ahead. We once managed to book Baltic Wharf for a full week during the Balloon festival, but did have to do it 12 months before.😀
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Do you think the new booking system could make things worse I note that some members prefer grass pitches but with the present system they appear to be the last pitches to be taken up, so with our future bookings we will try and book a hardstanding if not available I may well give that site a miss rather than book and hope one is available as with the present system thus perhaps resulting in unused pitches ?? At present we do book well ahead at the moment using service pitches for long stays
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I think the 'choose a pitch type' change will favour those who plan ahead and, perhaps as above, have longer stays.
with those who tour more spontaneously, perhaps not knowing if they will have (say) two, three or four nights prior to finding the next site, they might be at a disadvantage in poor conditions as most of the HS pitches will be booked.
we do tour in the UK but don't particularly like the idea of a commitment to a specific number of days in a particular place irrespective of the interest it may (or may not) hold...
having said that, if you want to be guaranteed a 'joined up' long tour in the uk at anytime other than mid winter, you need to commit, but several days booked in a (new) place that turns out to be a damp squib would frustrate, knowing that in other places, you just shrug the shoulders and move on.
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The deposit scheme will help those who can commit early, want a longer stay, and use primarily Club Sites. A win, win, win for the Club, which is ultimately what all this is about.
Those who love the Club Sites will be a lot happier, those like us who see Club Sites only as a small part of touring, will just continue to do what we usually do, maybe not committing as early to any Club Sites. 😉1 -
Alas all the whinging & whining by a limited number of our unsatisfied membership that constantly begged, prayed for & yes even demanded the club set up a new booking system that includes the reintroduction of deposits for all future bookings.
It seems to have backfired on their ideas that it would /should make for more abundant availability in those areas that they couldn't get before.
Having deposits won't solve any member's lack of not being able to book a certain site/pitch & time of the year, clearly that was the expectation thought by many, when the answer is so much simpler..... book early to avoid disappointment.
Being able to book pay a deposit & cancel /make date amendments with deposits refunded or reusable on future bookings, changes nothing.
The silver bullet of taking a deposit & making more availability is the new club myth.
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Is it a case of be careful what you wish for?
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I agree with your post and especially the last two paragraphs. Also of course any booking(s) made before April (is it then?) for all of 2022 and up to April 2023 won't be subject to any deposits.
It's always been book early and will continue to be so as long as club sites remain as popular as they are now.
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I so agree with your post ,but then it seems it is the vocal minority who as this time have not really. thought their comments through have it seems yet again shot themselves in the foot, at the expense of what the majority were quite satisfied,
It will be very interesting if this clubs USP that has been now done away with will have an effect.on the clubs finances in the future ,as many will now think why Pay £56 to book this company when there is no need for other site suppliers
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It will be interesting to see how the ability to book a pitch surface pans out. I wonder if the Club has conducted any research via friendly commercial sites to establish how it works out for them? I suppose if the Club find grass pitches under subscribed it will spur them on to provide more hardstandings where that is possible. The problem in trying to work out what will happen is that we have two major changes at the same time, deposits and pitch surface booking. What we don't know is whether members will still be so committed to book so far in advance knowing they have to pay a deposit? I wonder if the Club are working on the basis that whilst some will do that for their main holiday/s they might be less inclined to book lots of weekends or other holidays if they are uncertain they will take them up. Looking at what we might do this year I am certainly looking at more non Club options if they happen to be more convenient for where we want to be.
David
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Out of interest are there any holiday sites that take bookings without deposits, I assumed the club was unique in this respect?
If deposits are now to become universal the club will be up against competion on a different scale eg better value overall, better provisions etc.
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It cannot be any worse than the current system. As for the impact of deposits, it remains to be seen. One thing I feel certain about is sites are not going to get booked up so far in advance as they currently do which should give those wanting to make a positive committment a better chance of obtaining pitches and hopefully if grass turns out to be unpopular, it will be available for those last minute bookings or those who just turn up.
peedee
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Those as is the vast majority it seems will still book a long way in advance just to make sure it seems they will get the pitch type of their choice
It may well be the case that many more hardstands will be needed, which if possible will then reduce the pitches available on sites
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JVB I interpreted "why pay £56 to book this company when there is no need for other site suppliers" as meaning some other places didn't require deposits.
However being able to cancel so easily has also been a USP and has not been good for the business model.
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I know of at least one small commercial site (25 pitches) who does not take deposits. Moving more in line with the competiton should help keep prices down or look at it another way you were/are paying a premium for the privilege of no deposit.
peedee
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you mean they are plenty high enough already for you? I think they are fine and I assume all those who have booked?
btw by next Easter do you mean this Easter
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I don’t think anyone would ever say the site fees aren’t high enough as it’s second nature for most folk to want to pay as little as they can.
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I find that a contradiction, I personally never buy anything I think is too high or when I get get a similar product at a better price but your choice as it should be.
My point is that surly it's up to everyone to work out what is a suitable price for them? PD made it sound as if his was the definitive truth applicable to all. There are far higher prices sites than the club's, and cheaper ones too of course. Pay what you think is right. One's person's price... and all that.
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I find that a contradiction, I personally never buy anything I think is too high or when I get get a similar product at a better price but your choice as it should be.
Well I think I pay over the odds for council tax, to name but one that I don’t really have any control over. However, my point was that I think it is totally possible to think the price of something is too high, but be prepared to pay it. The two things are not mutually exclusive.
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