Site Shops
Comments
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That's your criteria maybe, not mine.
Back to the topic, eh?
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Birdseye and Walls for example, who will often provide equipment FoC if their products are being stocked.
One problem with that:-On one site we stopped on a few years ago, the Walls fridge was devoid of ice cream in mid September. On talking to the warden it was because Walls would only supply in large quantities and as the site was closing in November they couldn’t risk getting stuck with a load. As it was a Walls fridge they couldn’t just nip to the cash and carry and buy small quantities, it had to come from Walls or they were in breach of their agreement for the provision of the fridge.
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Getting into bed with a supplier on C&MC sites would need to go thru official Channels I’m thinking rather that than going full Del Boy👍🏻
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KS, yes RA’s really do work👍🏻. They are used as a learning & safety tool. I used them in a previous life, when an accident occurs they are used to learn what to do & what not to do going forward they focus the mind knowing if you get it wrong you are the one responsible. Personally it gave me peace of mind.
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Agree Steve. You might also need a back up storage freezer as well as the POS freezer. We had an ice cream vendor at one of our Pools, that blasted thing caused more wastage due to breakdowns than all the other vending machines at our other 15 facilities put together. You can’t take risks with defrosted food. As JK has pointed out, behind the scenes, what looks a fairly innocuous service does have a lot of hoops and hurdles to think about for staff.
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It depends if a person is a dodgy employee with no self respect of care for colleagues, true professionals accept this is the 21st century not British Leyland. The Friday night specials mind set has no place in modern industry🙁
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Out of interest another review today said the Brecon shop had gone, it was a good sized shop so I presume the same might happen at Hillhead (which had been moved from it's original separate premises into the site office.) Sad to see these facilities go especially if there's no shop within walking distance. I've noticed all the site details have now been changed regarding on site shops but there's been no response to my request for further details. No information in the latest magazine either.
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It's disgraceful Brue how a company involved in the leisure industry can't be bothered to keep their core customers informed of decisions taken by the Executive of said club, decisions which may directly affect those very same customers they rely on.
It's not just the subject of this post but their overall Communication skills wouldn't rate 1* on TrustPilot
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You’ve most probably answered the conundrum right there-‘affect those very same customers they rely on’. They probably don’t rely on a few disaffected customers on a lightly used forum. I’m thinking CT doesn’t really figure in the big scheme moving forward. The 21st century leisure industry is bogged down by 20th century users harking back to Billy Butlins & Fred Pontin days of smiles, hand shakes & personal service. Some industry leaders left the 20th century whilst still in it, CAMC are late to the party. I read this recently & it makes a lot of sense however harsh it seems.
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Pretty much nail on the head there Rocky
JK
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Just to point out Rocky that my post and Wherenext's post were based on CAMC customer reviews not "disaffected" forum comments. If customers are disappointed to find that changes have been made to services without prior warning or knowledge and information is withheld it reflects on CAMC attitudes towards it's customers. With prices going up and services going down people on the forum can at least exchange information on the subject.
On a recent site visit we found the services of a shop was still being provided and also on a private site there was provision. The picture is varied and many appreciate these offerings. If CAMC has discouraged these activities then I think it should be formally announced to the membership.
I note the IT effort put into the April 1st joke! How about some effort in considering the membership generally?!
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My post was freestanding alluding to no one👍🏻. It is a drum I’ve been beating since forever. I use every option available for the different options I enjoy-from on wheels to modern canvas. I’m off grid thanks to my use of solar generators rather than hook up so my options are many. The ones I’ve got the most from are 21st century forward looking companies(options)😊
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Brue, where has it been stated anywhere that the club has discouraged staff to have their own shop? You've just mentioned in the same post that there was a shop at the club site you visited. Not sure what bearing a private site with a shop has.
Just my opinion but out of 388,000 families currently in the club and membership retention close to 90% how many of those have the same opinion regarding your last sentence. A few hundred in the scheme of things.
Just back on shops, there's a small group of 30 colleagues who for this year have decided (their choice remember, not the clubs) to not have a shop. They are all asking people for feedback regarding said shop. So far after 2 weeks over 30 sites only 4 people have had a negative comment. That will obviously change during the year but it will be useful feedback.
JK
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Most folk like rules as they are seen as a level playing field that engender fairness. Louche attitudes to rules are the enablers of the-‘1300hrs arrivals only’ rule, then some folk rock up at 1200hrs to gain an advantage. A perfect world would be so rules are never needed. The world is full of folk who are not perfect-that is most of us🤷🏻♂️
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As ever it comes back to the old saying of "if you don’t like the rules, don’t join the club". Literally, in this case. Equally, if someone joins CAMC, they should abide by the rules they've agreed to which are there for the benefit of all. Every site and every club has rules so, if someone is unhappy with one particular business, move on. Life really is too short to dwell on things we're not happy with when there are plenty of other choices.
On the subject of shops, I don’t blame the site staff at all for opting out. It could be said that CAMC as a business should operate the shops but they don’t so that’s all there is to it. Instead, we have the chance to help local businesses by boosting their trade.
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I’m still a member of CT's happy band of posters, Husky, here for the friendly chat 👍🏻
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😂😂😂😂
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This health and safety issue is nothing new. Several decades ago schools across the UK banned homemade cakes being brought in by children to share on birthdays. This followed instances of anaphylactic shocks, may be curry houses and others are too late to the consequences. I only mention curry houses as there have been one or two notable instances recently near us with fatal consequences but other food providers have also been guilty of negligence. I’m not sure but I guess Natasha’s Law was a result of one of these.
The time issue for wardens I’m sure is also a valid one, up until very recently they didn’t even have time to answer phone bookings. Running shops have hidden costs and constraints that many of us don’t appreciate or even, it seems, wish to acknowledge.0 -
The club has updated it's info on the site information sheets found on each site details page via pdf. I can't replicate the exact details but it explains that staff are responsible for the decision to sell provisions or not but they will still be selling toilet chemicals etc. I think it has been mentioned by JK that the club provides these to sell.
I think I get the gist of this, it's probably not working in favour of customers on site and it's a decision taken elsewhere.
There will be some sites with extra provisions and some without but the articles the club provides will be available and sold by site managers.
I agree DK it reduces the general attraction of sites although managers should not be expected to provide a shop service if it's not in their contract. I hope there was never any pressure to do so and I'm glad to see some are continuing.
All the details about sites selling milk, eggs, bread etc have now been removed. So it will be pot luck for customers and it is a reduction to services v fees.
We've just been on a CL selling home made cakes, coffees and lunches. There are other possibilities out there.
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I can’t recall any of the Club Sites we have visited (not including AS sites) that have what I would consider a dedicated shop. That’s in 30 plus years of using them, admittedly not all. Some had a couple of shelves of goodies ranging from a bit of bread, milk, cheese, tinned goods, some sweets and usually ice creams. But we never considered them a proper shop, nor expected it. Clumber had a well stocked reception last year, because I commented on it.
We have used some nice non Club Sites that do have a good shop, Thorpe Hall near Bridlington comes to mind. Great for emergencies (washing up liquid 🤣) There are lots of CLs that offer some excellent extras as well, often just honesty based goods. We are off to a great CL in May, has its own cafe on site, complete with book reading area and book exchange. It’s a village resource as well, lots of locals use it.👍
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No on site shops, no much grass cutting as sites go all gravel, no onsite bins to empty as they are replaced by commercial ones at the gate, no face to face check in as pay in advance takes over, no need for coded barrier cards as number plate recognition takes care of that.
It’s all leading the same way - reduced hours of on site site staff - and perhaps the model is something on the lines of the impersonal Camping Car Parks scheme which is spreading across Europe. Cut costs by cutting staff.3 -
It’s all leading the same way - reduced hours of on site site staff - and perhaps the model is something on the lines of the impersonal Camping Car Parks scheme which is spreading across Europe. Cut costs by cutting staff.
They were very personal when we had a problem getting through the barrier on one. Phone answered within a few seconds and problem solved. I don’t have a issue with a paired down service, but it would have to be accompanied by reduced costs.
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I don't think that we have ever bought anything from a camc site shop. Not even a newspaper or ice cream. It's not something I look for on a site. I do my shopping before arriving or once we are set up.
The site shops I've come across elsewhere are more like mini supermarkets but even then it would be a rare occasion for me to need to buy something.
I would much rather have a take away facility on site or even a small cafe/restaurant.
As to sites becoming less personal I don't have a problem with that, as long as its reflected in the price and a phone that is answered quickly should you have an issue.
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