Caravan Club Reviews - a waste of time?

[Timbo1]

I thought I'd share...

I recently posted a Review via the Caravan Club website about problems we incurred at Houghton Mill, stating fact and not putting anything untoward. Blow me down its been removed!!!! Only the "wonderful" reviews are left. It doesn't seem we can rely on the Reviews on the Caravan Club website to be honest and open. Seems like Wardens can talk to you as if you are dirt, they don't have to know how many campers are on site and being paid for as the site is impossible to police, campers can pitch whatever they want wherever they want including pup tents, gazebos etc and can move the pitch markers willy nilly, sanitary bins can be stinking, grass cuttings can be dumped nearby your van resulting in a rotting smell wafting in, ball games can be played near the vans and you mustn't tell anyone... Makes you wonder how many other "wonderful" CC sites are money for old rope, and a lot of money at that.

 

[Parksy]

It's an unfortunate fact of internet life that less than complmentary reviews of sites, products and service providers are routinely removed from websites including this one Timbo.
As I'm sure you will understand, websites not connected with the product / site / service have no method of checking the reports so they have to guard against defamation but it's a pity that the CC haven't contacted you to find out why your review may have been less than complimentary even though it was removed.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Timbo,
Parksy's right it is unfortunate because the reader who is looking for a site and reads the reviews never gets the full picture,
it' fine to say "this site" has this or that how wonderful the scenery is ect, but you can't mention the fact that the caravans were packed in like sardines, or they only cut the grass once a year,
as for critical remarks about the wardens, forget it!!!

 

[Parksy]

Practical Caravan stablemate Caravan Sitefinder accepts site reviews , some of which contain less than fullsome praise

but of course the review has to be compiled using fair comment overall even though it's possible to highlight a few points where there may be room for improvement from the reveiwers point of view.
It's perfectly understandable and natural for someone who's caravan holiday was less than perfect to become angry and frustrated, but the secret is to remain calm, measured and dispassionate when including the details for review purposes and it always helps if the review can seem reasonable and generally positive overall rather than appear as some sort of vindictive hostile rant which would never get past the 'censors'

( not referring to your CC website review btw Timbo, you are unfailingly polite and reasonable)
If units were packed in like sardines and the warden made Adolf Hitler seem matey, and we all know that it happens, it's always better to write that 'space was at a premium on the crowded site which seemed enourmously popular with active young footballing families and teenage motorcycle enthusiasts, and the staff were always busy with their enforcement of the myriad rules', anyone with any nous would immediately pick up on the true meaning which of course is 'avoid this overcrowed chav ridden claustohobic dump and it's nutcase prison warders like the plague'

For the record, as they say at the movies, my comment refers to a hypothetical site, no actual similarity to any site or person living or dead is intended and any such similarity is purely co-incidental

 

[RayS]

It's a while since I stayed at Houghton Mill and things may have changed, but the security was non-existant and I believe a public footpath passed through the pitching area. Knowing how difficult it is to get such things changed I am not too surprised at Timbo's comments. I don't expect to visit this site again.
It could be CC were so keen to get a site in this area that they initially turned a blind eye to some of the disadvantages - or perhaps these were not obvious at the time. presumably they have a fairly long lease from NT - another organistaion I am not too happy with.

 

[TonyG]

I have never posted a review for a CC site, as the facility has only recently started. however i did post a slating review for a C&CC site. questioning not only the state of the facilities but also the jobs worth attitude of the warden. in my opinion the review was fair and just.
As with all subjective C&CC reviews it does not appear imediateley but goes off to a customer care department for scrutinising. well low and behold i had a telephone call from teh said customer care department, telling me that they had investigated my view and it was published uncensored.. well done C&CC

 

[Cardiffian]

Timbo, did you email the club with your comments? While a staff member removes your comments from the site review, an email to another department might get a reply and answers to your questions. Also the club has it's own forum and there has been negative comments about wardens, sites, pitches etc which haven't been removed. From what I have read about the various CC sites, most seem to be of a high standard or the club would be losing a lot of members by now.

 

[xtrailman]

I don't see why any review should be removed?
If i look at a product on Amazon for example, i always look at the worst reviews, i never bother with the good ones.
How else are you going to be prepared for the worst?

 

[Timbo1]

I've just checked again and it has definitely been removed...
When the warden was so rude towards me I mentioned to her that I would be writing to Head Office about this. She demanded to know my pitch number and then told me she would be writing herself!!! Perhaps she got in first... No I haven't bothered to write, I did write many moons ago about a different matter and never even received the courtesy of a reply, its just not worth the ink.
It seems there is a new routine whereby on return from a site one is emailed by the CC asking for a review of the stay. I emailed back saying that I'd already left a review detailing my disappointment - maybe that alerted them to a negative review and thus it was removed.
The longer I'm with the CC the more disollusioned I am becoming.

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Timbo,
if you are really fed up with the CC, just look at it this way, keep the membership, and join mayday rescue, use the club insurance,
and obtain all the club discounts like ferry tickets,

and then

kick all the club sites into touch !!!!! and you will still save a small fortune,

 

[trucker]

Yo can e mail the club with a complaint. I had cause to complain a couple of years ago and hunted down the email address of the sites director. That did the trick, had the are manager contact me within 2 days to run through the complaint, he then investigated it and sent me a very nice e mail saying how sorry he was we had a problem and i got 2 vouchers for my trouble. Get hold of someone high up people tend to act on your complaint then.

Kev

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

It's a complete waste of time when people review a site, and the best they can do is complain about pigeons!

 

[Timbo1]

Pigeons?? Pray tell Wendy....
Personally I don't have experience re pigeons on site, but my guess is that if they emptied their bowels over my van and awning consistently, or swooped down at me every time I stepped out I might be somewhat miffed and thus mention it in a review?

Timbo.

 

[scooby301]

Hi Timbo,
Absolutely agree, while we were staying on an Isle of Wight CC site, a fellow caravanner decided to leave a just and true review of the site in the guest review book. On going back the following day the page had been ripped out of the review book!!

I personally believe that the standard of Wardens and certain club members on CC sites are slipping.

Scooby301

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

How can the club be responsible for a few pigeons, and why do people have to moan when they are woke up at an early hour by a bit of cooing? Agreed, they do make a mess, but certainly not enough to upsticks and move off site - ridiculous!
(Review of Southlands IoW)

 

[Timbo1]

Morning Peeps,

Just a quick update - I received this morning a letter from the Regional Officer for Houghton Mill. Apparently she is in receipt of a copy of my email (I take this to be the review I posted). I understand she has forwarded a copy to the Regional Manager asking him to investigate. It does not say anything about removing the review which in my opinion should have stayed. The fact they are investigating is good, but nevertheless what is the point of requesting reviews for other campers to rely on when they delete anything that is not postively glowing.

Timbo

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Timbo

Having read about your removed post from the CC web I now remind myself why I prefer UK Campsites reviews.

 

[weejock]

I always think it is deplorable if reveiws are manipulated. All the cc really have to do is make negative posts appear last as most of us probably never read past the first 5 anyway. It is also a bit insulting to think that we are not deemed to be intelligent enough to balance up the reviews posted. Unlike others that have posted on this thread if a site had a large pigeon population I for one would stay well clear of the site and be very grateful to the poster for making me aware of the fact. However it would be wrong to assume this would be a negative reveiw as I am sure there would be others around who may relish the chance to watch some pigeons at play. The one point I do find unfair on some reviews is when people complain about the others on the site. To give a site a bad rep over something the owners have little control over is pointless as the next week it maybe different.

 

[FrintonMike]

Can I give some positive feedback re wardens as we never seem to hear any.
We arrived at the Horsley site of the C&CC last Thursday and were greeted by friendly wardens who offered us a choice of pitch.
Friday morning before office hours the electricity tripped out. I went to the night warden who reset the box within ten minutes and because we could not see why it had tripped he left the box unlocked so that I could set it my self if it tripped again
Saturday night was fully booked but I went to the office Saturday morning to see if any one had cancelled to be told no and they were fully booked. I went back to the caravan and about 30 minutes later one of the wardens came to say they just had a call to cancel a booking and we could sat the extra night
So well done the wardens at Horsley

 

[waffler]

The idea of censorship is worrying. I have written reviews for C and CC sites which have all been published uncensored. Haven't used the CC review system yet but did write a letter of complaint about 6 pitches at one site. I had a letter of acknowledgment with a warning that there might be a delay as the regional manager is on the road. Still waiting for a proper reply a month later. Interesting the holiday coming up next week is at C and CC sites and CS. I wonder why?

 

[Raywood]

We have just returned from just over two weeks away using 5 CC sites and have not had the slightest problem with the wardens or any complaints about the sites. They were all run to a very high standard and apart from a couple of idiots speeding everything went well and indeed the wardens were very helpful when we had a problem with the van.
We did use a couple for the first time and checked the reviews beforehand, there were certainly some critical of Chapel Lane and I have seen others on the club web site but when we were there all was well. I am not sure why the one involved here was removed but suspect there was something that made the club feel it had to be removed rather than a simple criticism.
I have made some critical remarks on reviews but no action was taken. Given the consistantly high standards they maintain I cannot see us using other sites where CC sites are available.
I accept that all is not perfect at the club as we did get a free night on one site to try and buy us off from what would have been a serious and I suspect one of several serious complaints against an assistant warden whose rudeness defied belief.