With 50,000 more memberships to the CC over last Xmas alone, and the surge in cancellations to holidays abroad this year due to the economic downturn, the club sites around the UK are being swamped with bookings, is it therefore any sense to join the CC when there isn't a real possibility of getting a pitch booked through July and August. What do you think folks.
Overcrowded ?
- Thread starter Barkas
- Start date
I dont care, they can keep there over booked/prised sites in the summer...loads of gems to uncover, Cornwall pitch..elec..not rammed in.. out door pool..bar..13 queens a night
A search of the Caravan Clubs "search and book" comes up with more than 200 sites with availability for July and August. How does that indicate that "there isn't a real possibility of getting a pitch booked"? If you wanted to go somewhere in particular, as with any holiday, then you need to decide and book early.
Hi All
I agree with Brian totally, Members Only.
My better half and I talked about this whilst at West Ayton CC site which was packed. This prompted me to have a quick look through the CC sites book. Whilst I did'nt go right through, the proportion of Members Only sites appears to be only 33%.
Why don't the CC make the Non Member price differential much greater so that it might either dissuade the once a year 'vanners or, better still, get them to join the club thereby getting more revenue into the club and be able to keep pitch prices lower for everyone. The current relative difference is not sufficient to make much difference to many, if not most, people.
John M
I agree with Brian totally, Members Only.
My better half and I talked about this whilst at West Ayton CC site which was packed. This prompted me to have a quick look through the CC sites book. Whilst I did'nt go right through, the proportion of Members Only sites appears to be only 33%.
Why don't the CC make the Non Member price differential much greater so that it might either dissuade the once a year 'vanners or, better still, get them to join the club thereby getting more revenue into the club and be able to keep pitch prices lower for everyone. The current relative difference is not sufficient to make much difference to many, if not most, people.
John M
I don't think its as simple as just deciding to make a CC site members only .. it may well be a condition of their lease on a particular site that they let non-members in, just as on some sites (eg Balbirnie Park at Markinch) they MUST as part of the lease allow tents.
I wish that the CC would re-introduce booking fees. I have known in the past of people block booking popular sites in case they want to take grandkids away or the weather turns out nice.
Hi
This seems to be a bit of a sweeping statement. I am looking forward to a week's stay on Tewkesbury Abbey CC site at the end of the month, which I had no trouble booking. I am forced to pay as a non-member as the short-sighted CC won't accept me as a member because my correspondence address is not the same as my residential address (for innocent reasons I add). Membership will not stop people block-booking sites and then not turning up.
regards
Sue
This seems to be a bit of a sweeping statement. I am looking forward to a week's stay on Tewkesbury Abbey CC site at the end of the month, which I had no trouble booking. I am forced to pay as a non-member as the short-sighted CC won't accept me as a member because my correspondence address is not the same as my residential address (for innocent reasons I add). Membership will not stop people block-booking sites and then not turning up.
regards
Sue
The problem seems to be people booking several sites in different areas and then going to the one with the best weather prospect, only cancelling a day or so before departure.
The simple answer (for CC anyway) is to bring back deposits.
A tip: the CC web site tells lies. I wanted to book a site for a week at th end of May to stay in mid June. The web site said it was full that weekend Fri-Sun. When we arrived on site we were told the last pitch for Saturday had just gone but they still had space for Friday and Sunday.
I wanted to book three nights for two week's time yesterday - Sat-Mon. The web site showed the site full Fri and Sat, but when I rang (for the fourth time as the computer system was down nationally) they advised they had plenty of space.
Who's kidding who???
The simple answer (for CC anyway) is to bring back deposits.
A tip: the CC web site tells lies. I wanted to book a site for a week at th end of May to stay in mid June. The web site said it was full that weekend Fri-Sun. When we arrived on site we were told the last pitch for Saturday had just gone but they still had space for Friday and Sunday.
I wanted to book three nights for two week's time yesterday - Sat-Mon. The web site showed the site full Fri and Sat, but when I rang (for the fourth time as the computer system was down nationally) they advised they had plenty of space.
Who's kidding who???
The new booking system with the Caravan Club prevents blanket booking of an assortment of sites for you then to make the final decision 2 days before you are due to head off for your holidays.
Hi,
One of the biggest problems with the Caravan Club are as Woody has said are the people who book up to go to a site and don't turn up .We went to Notgrove Site(Bourton-onthe-Water)last weekend(26/06/09) as we understood we were almost the last people to get on site.What happens 10 units didn't turn up so that meant that people were turned away so to speak because of other members couldn't careless attitude.Perhaps the asking for a deposit would be the answer.Jimbob
One of the biggest problems with the Caravan Club are as Woody has said are the people who book up to go to a site and don't turn up .We went to Notgrove Site(Bourton-onthe-Water)last weekend(26/06/09) as we understood we were almost the last people to get on site.What happens 10 units didn't turn up so that meant that people were turned away so to speak because of other members couldn't careless attitude.Perhaps the asking for a deposit would be the answer.Jimbob
Keep it Members only in peak periods.
Two no shows without warning and you're not allowed to book in advance again for two years.
Thanks to the usual Christmas bun fight on bookings I have only been to one club site this year. No problem. The private sites and CLs have been fantastic! eg two weeks at River Valley in Cornwall, Full facilites and indoor heated pool
Two no shows without warning and you're not allowed to book in advance again for two years.
Thanks to the usual Christmas bun fight on bookings I have only been to one club site this year. No problem. The private sites and CLs have been fantastic! eg two weeks at River Valley in Cornwall, Full facilites and indoor heated pool
I am in support of a "First no show", warning given by CC.Introduce an appeal process as some no shows are for genuine reason.Then, in the event of a Second no show, on line booking facility should be removed for a reasonable period, i.e 3 months.
I often book through late availabilty option. However if the website shows no vacancies I make a point of phoning site just to check.Most of the time I have been able to book in and as many of you have found, when I get to the site there are still spaces. I wonder if they hold a few spaces back for the non members to book over the phone as they would,nt be able to book on line?
I often book through late availabilty option. However if the website shows no vacancies I make a point of phoning site just to check.Most of the time I have been able to book in and as many of you have found, when I get to the site there are still spaces. I wonder if they hold a few spaces back for the non members to book over the phone as they would,nt be able to book on line?
iv been a member of the cc for 6 years and i will not be renewing my subscription for the simple reason they are letting people block book then they dont turn up i will only renew my membership when they bring into force a deposit scheme to stop people block booking so come on caravan club listen to your members and stop the minority spoiling it for the majority
At least you will know that full means just that - not like some commercial sites we must all have experienced, where 'rally fields' etc are brought in to play at peak weekends. Always annoying when you pay a premium to stay at peak times but then have to queue for hours to use overstretched facilities.
We have not long completed a 2 month trip using only CC sites, which included 2 BH weekends. I booked it in February, and had no trouble getting pitches other than at Black Horse Farm over the May/June school holiday. The website showed it full over the weekend, but on phoning the site I had no problem making the booking.
I believe they do keep a percentage of pitches for telephone booking, and also a few spares for emergencies.....such as when our car broke down and we had to spend 20 nights at Lady Margarets Park rather than the 4 we had booked.
I believe they do keep a percentage of pitches for telephone booking, and also a few spares for emergencies.....such as when our car broke down and we had to spend 20 nights at Lady Margarets Park rather than the 4 we had booked.
See my post on Losehill, bide your time keep looking you will always come up with a site somewhere that suits, not sure about the deposit system, the clubs done well without it up to now, what next having to pay in full if you had to vacate early, sorry goes against all the principles of touring.
NigelH
NigelH
Just returned from a weekend at the popular Houghton Mill site which we booked at Xmas. My pitch neighbour phoned 2 days before and got on, also told us they did the same thing at Rowntree Park earlier also a poular site with no vacancies for weekends since Feb. Moral is people are cancelling all the time and pitches are often available. At Houghton there was still a couple of pitches available each night. Dont trust the web site ring direct.
Ref banning non members, many site owners Nat trust for example insist non-member pitches are availble, however considering the site fee price structure I can't believe that anyone would regularly pay these fees in preferance to
Ref banning non members, many site owners Nat trust for example insist non-member pitches are availble, however considering the site fee price structure I can't believe that anyone would regularly pay these fees in preferance to
I think the racecourse sites are often overlooked.
We recently stayed at Wincanton Racecourse, it was lovely! So quiet, birds singing were the loudest noise, it was absolute bliss.
And the facilities were good too.
We recently stayed at Wincanton Racecourse, it was lovely! So quiet, birds singing were the loudest noise, it was absolute bliss.
And the facilities were good too.
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