Our experience of using a rated C & CC site

Aug 4, 2004
4,343
1
0
As per another post, unfortunately our home was flooded and we had to move into our caravan. We looked around for a suitable site and decided on the C & CC site at Blackmore. It was our intention to stay for up to 28 days. Initially we booked two days and on arrival advised the receptionist at the club site that we would staying for up to 28 days. No problem or so we thought.
Anyway we set up the caravan and two days later we had friends pop into see us. Our friends phoned us from the gate and told us that the warden had said they could follow us into the site. I thought it strange, but didn't query it as our friends are C & CC members and he is disabled. Anyway they came on site and parked behind my vehicle soa s not to cause any obstruction.
Approximately an hour later, a warden who was directing a caravan onto the site next to us started shouting at me for having two cars on the pitch. My friend then told the warden that the warden himself had said to them that it was okay to follow me onto the site which the warden then totally denied. Even my friend's wife said that is what they understood the warden to say to them. Yes we may have been in the wrong, but there was no need to shout at us in front of other people as if we were naughty school children.
Anyway we took the other car up to the car park by the gate and I popped in to pay our fee for our remaining stay. The receptionist told me to call back later as we were not on the system. We hadn't bother to book and pay a deposit as we were already on site and had already informed the same receptionist that we would be staying longer than the two days. Apparently unknown to us the C & CC booking system cannot handle this sort of request. I then went back to our pitch.
We had hardly settled back down again when another warden arrived and told us to move as all the hard standing had now been taken. I tried to advise him that we had just come back from the office after speaking to the receptionist, but he was not interested and had an argumentative and agressive attitude. I then lost it and told him that we were not going to take everything down and move the caravan onto a grass standing which were not supposed to be available. I also advised that if we had to move we would be packing up and also cancelling our membership. He disappeared for about 10 minutes and then came back all friendly and stated that someone coming on preferred a grass pitch to a hard standing and that we could stay where we pitched. In a way our fault for not understanding the booking system properly, but no need for him to shout and be rude to us. Our friends who were due to come onto the same site for 5 days were horrified at the wardens attitude and decided not to book in and were cancelling their membership.
Finally Monday just gone by the head warden came to us and told us we have to take down our windbreak as it was a foot on the grass therefore we were breaking the 6 metre rule and that he had to cut the grass the next day. I queried why cafs were allowed to be pitch in between which he ignored. I asked him if he couldn't cut the grass on the Wednesday when we were leaving and he was adamanat that we had to take down the windbreaks so he could cut the grass and of course another argument developed as I was already stressed out with our home being flooded and other associated issues etc. Eventually I agreed to move the windbreaks onto the hard standing. Guess what? By the time we left on Wednesday he had not touched the grass around our pitch or any pitch nearby.
In 2005 we were members of tjhe C & CC and gave up because of the petty mindness of the wardens. Last year we decided to give the C & CC another chance, but it seems that nothing has changed. As for the site, the facilities were clean and immaculate, but the road onto the site itself was full of pot holes and desperately in need of repair. The female wardens were very helpful and pleasant to deal with, but the male wardens desperately need a few lessons in customer relations even if the customer has made a mistake without knowing! The C & CC have now lost two members and their families plus the potential income.
 
Apr 20, 2009
5,611
1,015
25,935
Hi Surfer, sorry to hear of your woes on top of the difficult times you are experiencing, we have been members for 2 years now and can only speak as we find, although in the two years we have only been to two of there sites both have been excellent, with the wardens being really helpful and cheerful, stopping for a chat and generally making sure you are comfortable on site and know where every thing is.
Know what you mean about the booking system though, booked last weeks site over the phone and informed them that daughter and grandson would join us for the second and third night with just me and OH on the first and fourth, so they took deposit for me and OH and was told to sort the rest on site when we arrived. so think the booking system in general needs some attention.
Hope you get the house sorted soon.
 
Oct 30, 2009
1,542
0
19,680
hi Sufer, you have our sympathy the last thing you need at difficult times is a further pain in the arse on site, and while it must be said many members of this forum are very happy with the club, we were not and cancelled our membership years ago because of the attitude of a small minority of site wardens. for many years we only used commercial sites, and while the facilities were variable at least when you went to the office you spoke to the site owner instead of someone who thought they were the site owner.

I had a few run ins with a couple of them and finally gave up all together.the final straw was travelling nigh on 400 miles in one go to reach a prebooked site on the banks of loch lomand only to be turned away because the motorhome was a hardtop and it was a tent only site the fact that I had explained what we had on booking it made no difference, we spent an uncomfortable weekend at "bug city" on the forestry site at Argantan before moving on.
this type of warden does nothing to aid the reputation of the club and is a great pity that you have unfortunatly come across some in difficult times when you need it the least,
keep your chin up and dont let them get you down the house will be done soon I am sure and then the next time your in the van it will be in better circumstances and at a more pleasent site,
all the best colin.
 
Aug 4, 2004
4,343
1
0
Thanks we are on a lovely new site not far from our home so can pop home to do a few things once the asbestos issue has been cleared. The iste owner is very pleasant and helpful and gave us a few fresh eggs free on our first morning!
 
Mar 21, 2007
443
18
18,685
If this is the "Friendly Club" I would not like to see an unfriendly one. I have had minor difficulties with the Caravan club and at one point thought of changing but thier literature seemed to focus too much on rallies and organised foreign tours and thier site booking seemed too burocratic for our liking. At least none has shouted at us on a CC site.
David
 
Apr 20, 2009
5,611
1,015
25,935
another David said:
If this is the "Friendly Club" I would not like to see an unfriendly one.
David
Hmmmm-----Based on two unhappy customers (and rightly so)
I cant comment on the CC ---------I havent been a member!!!!
 
Jan 19, 2008
9,103
0
0
We left the C&CC after unpleasant warden experiences, especially the Adolf and Eva at Rhandirmyn, but two years ago decided to give it another chance. Last year we booked one main site, where the wardens weren't too bad and a C.S.
I know what Surfer means because Eva made us feel like naughty kids when booking in, the reason being because I'd forgotten my membership card, but that was nothing to the ranting and finger wagging some other poor souls went through and you could tell by the body language that they weren't arguing back with the wardens
smiley-undecided.gif
Sorry but with my short fuse I'd have ended up lamping him one.
This year we haven't booked any so I can't see the point in continuing our membership despite the fact they do age concession. Each to their own though so in general I'm pleased some, if there are any, haven't had bad experiences of the C&CC wardens.
We will stick with the CC although we find we are using their sites less than before due to cost. Only three sites booked this year so far plus a CL. The others are private with deals. Our favourite Cornwall site for 2 weeks in May with H/S, EHU and heated indoor pool costs £130 total. Two weeks in September is £135. Far cheaper than any of the club sites, it's more like £130 for one week with them
smiley-yell.gif
 
Jan 5, 2011
276
0
0
Hi Surfer
we had the same problem at clent hills site this was my review posted one the friendly site. we are members of both clubs and i also will not be renewing my membership of this one
Just spent 4 days at this site, really impressed with the site and the general quietness. Unfortunately the only thing that spoilt the weekend was an over egotistical warden. My daughter visited us on the Sunday, was told be the warden that as there were no parking spaces left in the car park, to park her car by our van (there was plenty of room, the site was not even half full), I set the Bar B Que up and started to cook lunch the very same warden then came up and told my daughter a space was now available in the car and please move her car. No problem she got into her car and the warden came running to tell her to leave it where it was this she did. We sat down for dinner half way through the same warden came back and told her to move her car, no wây he would not listen to reason or allow her to finish her lunch... a very pleasant weekend spoilt by a indecisive jobs-worth
 
Oct 30, 2009
1,542
0
19,680
hi all, it seems parking is one of the biggest problems with jobsworth type wardens on C&CC sites and indicative of the mind set of some rule book junkies.

after just completing a 8 month rebuild of our motorhome. we decided to christen it with a trip to the broads taking with us the kids who had just purchased there first home and were a bit strapped for cash. we hired a trailer tent for them to sleep in and set off for a two weeks break, on arriving at the club site near cromer we were shown our pitch, a big plot in the corner of the field.
and set about setting up the trailer tent about 20 mins into this a burley warden approached and told us we would have to move the m/home to another pitch and pay a extra fee for the pleasure, the reason was stated that it contraviend the fire regs, why should we I said we have paid for the pitch and 4 adults thats all we have,
ah but its 2 units and they have to be 10yards apart the next pitch is taken so you will have to go to the one near the playground
some 50 yards from the tent.
no way I said thats "silly" if we had come with a trailer tent and 4 adults in a car were would we park the car, answer at the side of the tent fine, so what about a camper with a detchable awning " same answer" and what about the motor home over there with the pup tent for the kids. yes he said "but thats just for the "kids" well these are our kids and their pup tent has got wheels on "so bog off" and send the manager down, "I'm busy".
he never did? we had nice two weeks despite the inital hassle, and every time I went near the office he dissapeared,
funny thing was our supposed neibours never turned up for the whole two weeks.
 
Oct 4, 2011
418
0
18,680
Hi Surfer, sorry to hear about your woes and I hope that you are back in your home soon. Oh dear, we are booked to go to Blackmore with the CandCC from this Sat for six days! It will only be our 2nd ever time in our caravan so I hope that we don't experience any unpleasantries from the Wardens!!!! Will report back after our holiday.
 
Jun 17, 2011
826
27
18,885
How disappointing for you. We are members of both clubs and with one exception found site staff to be pleasant and helpful. Our first time out years ago i was unprepared and the assistant was sterling in helping us. I had a gas leak at Oxford, again the warden was brilliant in helping. This weekend we were at Delamere Forest and made very welcome by staff but they were really pushed. Very busy and the booking system was playing up- it took my money twice!!!. They were full of apologies and yet i would have been stressed had i been the staff with such hastle. Still you guys leaving means more room for us.
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts