Are we being unreasonable??
Dependent upon the reaction I get, I may consider complaining to the Club so this isn't just a whinge on CT which will achieve nothing, I know. As I have posted elsewhere, we are currently on the Bridlington site and had booked a serviced pitch. We were there last year at the same time and had a really nice time - despite the weather!!
For those that don't know the site - it's in two halves - the 'original' bit with 83 pitches and the 'new' bit with 65. The new bit is usually closed during the quieter winter months - as it is this year.
We knew that work was due to be carried out during our stay due to having received notification in "before you travel" but weren't that bothered about a bit of noise and disruption - especially as daylight hours are relatively short at the moment. However, when we arrived, we were told that the work was to take place on the serviced pitches in the open (old) part of the site and therefore we were being moved to the 'closed' part of the site.
The photographs show what we had to look at!
Whilst I accept that in the past I have been critical of some club sites being crowded with everyone packed in like sardines - but this is the other extreme
I also appreciate that some might say that it doesn't matter - it's just somewhere to sleep - but since we are both now less mobile than we once were, we do stay on site perhaps more than some and it's nice to be able to have a chat and socialise with other members. Not a lot of chance of that here!
Two things stand out - one is that since the work was clearly planned in advance and it was known to affect serviced pitches - why couldn't we have been told beforehand exactly what the situation was going to be. We probably wouldn't have gone!
Secondly - and I'm genuinely not bothered about the money - an apology when we arrived and a small gesture (free night for example) would have gone some way towards maintaining good customer relations. As Ros says, if we had booked a hotel room with a sea view and been told that those rooms were being redecorated and offered one with a view of the car park wall, we may well have walked out.
It's just left a bit of a sour taste in our mouths. I think we - and the others affected agree with me - have all been treated appallingly - but what do you think? Is it just us
Comments
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To be honest It looks like a normal club site to me, large parking bays in the middle of a field, just empty, which is what I'd expect of mid to late November.
Colin
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It’s empty because it’s ‘closed’ to everyone else. The other side of the site is quite busy.
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You don't say if you still had a serviced pitch but assuming you did, with no noisy vanners and loads of space, I see it as a bonus.
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My view would depend on whether the toilet block on that section of the site is open. That’s a fair way from the service pitches you are on but the one on the old part of the site is even further. Even if only used for some washing up it’s a fair old hike. The service pitches you were expecting to be on are fairly close to the toilet block and it’s entirely possible someone might have picked one with that in mind. Personally I wouldn’t have any problem with the view, but it’s very open if there is any wind and would have preferred to be on the old part. If that is the norm at this time of year I would have expected to be informed and at the minimum given the option of changing pitch type with no financial losses.
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I'm sorry I don't see what the issue is? It appears that the only thing you're missing out on is:
have a chat and socialise with other members. Not a lot of chance of that here!
Well why not? There are caravans near to you and I assume in the other parts of the site.
And the views? I've been to Bridlington and I can't remember any (sea) views from the site other than the site itself and the sea is a mile away?
I don't think the club has done anything remotely incorrect, it has never promised full sites and people to chat to and have given you exactly want you booked, assuming you got a service pitch.
Personally I'd be very happy to have all that space to myself.
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Cayton Village looked like that last week for us, and that was in the open part! Most outfits were clustered round the loo block, while we were on outer fringes. Other than one person out walking a dog up to dog walk, we didn’t actually speak to anyone else. Folks were either out or huddled inside watching TV.
I think it’s your decision really. Which is most important to you, a service pitch, or a bit of a chat. We only sleep on the sites to be honest, so we would count such splendid isolation as a bonus, I’d happily have gone on the empty upper site at CV last week, but we were there to see our friends in a Glamper.
Not much help I’m sorry.
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The part of the site will look better when Monty Don and a landscaping team arrive to deliver beauty treatment - a few thousand bulbs randomly spread, clumps of flowering shrubs and rose bushes and so on.. perhaps even a tree or two. Can the wardens give any guidance when that might start?
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Is this one of those occasions when some folk just object to grass mowing, development work or any maintenance taking place during the time they are hoping to occupy a pitch? These actions have to happen and if you are wishing to book an all year site then we can expect the likes at some time. I’m sure all arrivals are given the opportunity to choose from any vacant and available pitch, in some instances that’s the best we can rightly and understandable expect. I’d say a complaint is unjustified but a slight disappointment is understandable.
I don’t understand the ‘being moved to’ bit, surely you were directed to choose from all and any available pitches!
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I understand what R&R are saying. They booked a service pitch. Work was being carried out on the service pitches down on the only opened up bit of this site (The other area being closed down for Winter) Club compromised on allowing R&R to go to the serviced pitches up in the closed area, which is why they are practically up there alone. It doesn’t sound like they were informed of what would be happening until they arrived.
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I think it can be difficult to put yourself in the shoes of someone else and be in a position to judge the disappointment that might be felt by Richard. Those not involved tend to apply a detached logic to the situation and as such won't see that there is anything particularly wrong with what is being described. For my part I don't stay at Club sites for the camaraderie of my fellow guests so being in a more remote area wouldn't bother me but if that is important to you I can see the disappointment. I suppose what would bother me would be being remote from other services that I need like a toilet block or chemical emptying point. When I last stayed at Bridlington they were in the process of building the extension but we haven't been back since, mainly because we now prefer the Cayton Village site. Does Richard have a case against the Club, I suspect not. The Club have provided a serviced pitch which was the type of pitch booked. My suggestion would be that all this information is put in a review at the end of the stay. It won't change anything.
David
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Read my post again mickysf - I already said we weren't bothered about a bit of disruption. And you're also wrong that we were given a choice of pitch - indeed, we weren't even told about the 'change of plan' until I had paid. A Warden did come and see us after we had been there an hour or two and offered us a non-serviced pitch in the old part - but since I had just struggled to get the awning up, I wasn't inclined to start all over again.
OK - I accept some of the other comments but I think a lot of people have missed my point - which is primarily about customer service which I think on this occasion was non-existent.
A couple of years ago, or so, - we were at Sandringham. The automatic ordering system on the gas tanks failed and consequently, the site ran out of gas, so the shower blocks were out of action. The warden visited every unit on site, apologised profusely, explained what had happened and gave everyone a free nights stay as a gesture of goodwill. In actual fact, there was a gas delivery within a couple of hours and there was little inconvenience but it was the gesture and how we had been treated that mattered.
There was none of that gesture evident here. We could have been contacted before we travelled (albeit not far!) since the numbers affected would have been small and these were clearly pre-planned works. Things could have been explained before I paid and a gesture, however small, would have been appreciated.
I would like to think that if I were running a site, that's how I would treat my paying customers but I think the Club has missed an opportunity on this occasion.
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I read your original post exactly as you have posted here.
I hadn't realised you'd paid before you were informed.
I think this club and customer service are an oxymoron. No longer a member but good customer service was down to site wardens if we ever had, and we only had one, an issue. I gathered much from watching and chatting to others on sites.
I would be disappointed with the pitch location, you've not said about black waste disposal location?? Which could be very detrimental. But after the effort if getting ready and arriving are you likely to want to go home again? Or find anywhere else at the last minute?
Part of the ploy of letting pitches? If you'd been informed in advance you could have contemplated and cancelled! I'm certainly not impressed with the several opportunities of non communication.
It wouldn't have spoilt my trip, but it would leave a nasty taste. As for the warden asking after an hour, possibly first opportunity there was?, to give the benefit of the doubt 😉, when you'd erected an awning. It just means that if questioned, after it was brought to the club's attention, it can be stated that an alternative was offered.
Personally I think I would raise the matter with the club, so it can fall on deaf ears. Oh I forgot "you said we listened"
. Maybe it might give someone pause for thought. If you do raise it it would be interesting to read their response, if any, on here.5 -
I’ve reread it r&r and I think I do acknowledge your concerns and the fact you say you’re not bothered, clearly you are with regard to some points though. It appears from re-reading that you were able to chose an available serviced pitch, the type you pre booked , it just wasn’t in the area you preferred. Okay, I get that choice was limited for you and for the reasons you describe and that you weren’t offered an alternative pitch type on arrival. Incidentally, I’ve often advocated that during very quiet times, staff could, under specific circumstances, offer alternative pitch types which could free up and increase and improve choice for all later comers. But yes, the club could notify us when choice would be severely compromised by maintenance issues but I’m sure that does happen in the majority of cases. Was, the toilet block on the new side open, if so it’s pretty much just business as normal at Brid, lots of members prefer the old area, currently we have first come first choose, once pitches are gone for what ever reason, they’re gone comes to mind. Were any of the serviced pitches on the old side occupied or were they all closed? You did suggest that using our replies as a gauge you would decide if a complaint was to go in, I just offered mine.
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Being blunt, I see this as making a mountain out of a molehill. You got what you booked and paid for, R&R, with the bonus of plenty of space and probably the warden saw no reason to make any gesture. I’d let it be.
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I would disagree, if that toilet block in the OP’s photo is closed, which is likely. Just because you book a service pitch does not mean you don’t want to use the facilities. It’s a decent trek to the one on the old part of the site, along a path with gates at each end. I would expect a reasonable level of customer service, like being informed up front.
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We are all different; I think I've written that a few times in this place. We have to respect that everyone has different likes and dislikes and also different outlooks and ways of looking at things. It's a funny thing, but I loved Bridlington when I went there a few years ago and stayed on the new part. But in the last few years most of my travelling has been out of season and I avoided Bridlington knowing that I would likely as not be in the old part. I thought this cramped and not at all to my taste; the new part is bright and open with big pitches - much more to my liking. I wrote as such in my review which I have just checked.
Accordingly, I would have been absolutely ecstatic if presented with the scenario the OP writes about.
But I get that some people would feel isolated and even slightly bleak being in an essentially empty field.
Is it a big deal? You know what, if the scenario were reversed and I had been expecting a nice open airy pitch on the new part, and I had been put in the old part, I would have been pretty miffed. These kind of small things can make a big difference to your enjoyment of the stay. I think I get it even though my own preference is the polar opposite.
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Case against the club , no BUT need to complain to the club, yes. Customer service is what all about. There should be full information if the pitch you had booked was out of commission. Plans of the site are available on line, so booking a service pitch, knowing part of site closed, gave a location and therefor accessibility to services etc. Not to be aware until arrival is simply unacceptable. Knowing beforehand would give the OP choice to attend or not. If the toilet block wasn’t open on that part of the site then that is another reason for informing people before they leave home. It has been shown time and time again, not just CAMC, that communication is key. Tell people what the situation is and why and they will be far more willing to accept the situation or feel positive to the organisation etc. For the OP their holiday was less than satisfactory so a letter to the club should be written.
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I think it’s worth remembering that bookings with camc are for pitch type and not for specific pitches or areas.
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r&r did get what they booked, a service pitch. You can’t book a specific pitch, just a type, you can’t pre book an area either. We are told that the club had also pre-warned folk about the work sometimes prior to arriving but I guess a work programme can change by the hour dependant of the nature of the work.
However, there are two crucial parts to the saga we have not been enlightened about. We don’t know if the new part was officially closed or open and with it the toilet block, maybe it been reopened due to the work, we don’t know. We also don’t know if any of the service pitches were occupied on the old side.
One thing I would say about the serviced pitches on the new side though is that they are as far as possible from the facilities as possible. Maybe they should have been situated adjacent to the block but that’s a different issue, one to do with site design and planning.
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Let me answer a few questions raised above. As far as I am aware, the new bit is closed to everyone - as it was last year, over the winter period. The only people being allowed on here are those using serviced pitches of which there are currently 4 units. We booked a serviced pitch and since we were already aware that the new bit is closed for winter, naturally assumed that we would be on the 'old' bit.
I cannot say for certain what the situation is regarding the toilet block - we don't use it - either on this or any other site. We have no need to. What I can say is that an occupant of a motorhome (since left) told us the block was closed when they first arrived and was opened the day before we arrived. That said (and again, this is just their word), only one toilet is available for use. I haven't bothered to check because it's of no interest to me.
They were also told by the wardens that the works being carried out were of an emergency nature which is at odds with the fact that we were aware through the 'before you travel' notification available with our booking details on the website / email.
I never assumed, nor have I suggested that we thought we could book a specific area or pitch. We knew that the new bit is closed for winter - so that wasn't an issue.
I haven't a clue whether serviced pitches were occupied in the old part prior to the work being carried out and I don't really understand why this is a 'crucial' part of the saga. I assume the wardens managed things so that the required space was available for the work to be carried out before it was started.
I didn't intend to create a 'mountain out of a molehill" - and was simply asking a question as to whether other members thought I was being unreasonable in expecting a somewhat better level of customer service. Obviously the majority think I am - ok - point taken - but I think that's a bit of a sad reflection on the Club. The approach taken by the Sandringham wardens (mentioned above) would have left me feeling valued as a customer, whereas at the moment we both feel a bit 'used'. That's all
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Richard, in your 3rd paragraph you mention that you were told that works were of an emergency nature. If that's correct how could you be informed beforehand? It looks to me as though the staff have opened the closed part to ensure you still had a serviced pitch. I guess you would have had the option to have a standard pitch and a refund of the serviced part?
Did you discuss your displeasure with the staff at the time?
Might be just me but the mention of something for free grates on me a bit, those days of throwing site night vouchers around have long gone.
JK
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Read it again JK! I said that the motorhomers were told that - and that was in direct contradiction of what we understood via ‘before you travel’. Thus, the ‘story’ isn’t consistent.
As for ‘freebies’ - that wasn’t what I was looking for, necessarily. The money is neither here nor there - it’s the ‘gesture’ that’s important- in my view. How that could have been achieved is down to the ingenuity of either the wardens or the club. Left as a happy Womble, I would have happily continued to spend hundreds of pounds with the club - now, I shall be a bit more discerning. Bit short sighted on the part of the club, might I suggest?
Yes, I did discuss it with one of the Wardens - that was when he suggested we could move to a non SP if we wanted - just as I was putting the finishing touches to the awning!
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I think everyone answering your query on CT would simply ask "What would I have done?".
Personally, I would have been delighted. We have often found ourselves on CLs without company and it didn't impinge on our stay in the slightest. In fact neighbouring noise was discounted as an issue, a bonus. We have often visited club sites in winter, our last one was Meathop Fell and we were happy to choose a pitch which just happened to be somewhat isolated but was the pitch that suited us best. Didn't bother us. We're quite gregarious and will stop and have a chat with anyone but it's not the B all and end all of our stay.
What I would say is that, once again, the Communication with members aspect of this club is appalling for a company involved in the leisure industry. I agree that you should have been told of everything before your arrival. It's hardly as if the site is busy.
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WN - we have often stayed on CLs /CS's when we have been the only ones there - indeed. more than likely we will be off to one near Thornton Le Dale in January when I know we will be the only ones there, daft enough to be out at that time of the year
As you say - it's about communication - and managing expectations. We're having a nice break but it has made me a bit more cautious about future club bookings and perhaps if nothing else, has reinforced the mantra of 'assume nothing'!
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