Pitching changed and never even noticed.

[Thingy]

We had a bit of a funny one arriving at Hawes a few weeks ago. We arrived on Sunday to find ourselves in a long queue, and the warden was sending in vans every two or three minutes with "Go find a pitch, then come to reception and pay. This we did.

Arriving on our pitch the first thing i "noticed" was that our white peg wasnt in the right place, you know the routine, reverse offside corner to the peg, car parked offside, awning of course nearside. Its been this way for the decades I have been a club member. So judging where the peg ought to be, I reversed in, levelled the caravan and put the awning up. Having finished, I looked around and realised everybody else was setup caravan, awning, car- the awning now being in the middle. So off I tab to the guardhouse to ask what was happening, and was told that they had changed pitching to allow for motorhomes. "WHAT!" It was then explained that many motorgnomes have awnings with a much bigger projection than our standard 8 foot projection, and that when setup in the accepted way, they spilled onto the grass and killed it. "Okay, fine, but why in hell didnt you tell me that when you came to me in the queue and told me to go straight to a pitch. I then told him that if they want to change the layout that is up to them, but at least tell caravanners what you have done. So you have put it up wrong, says the warden. No I havent, even the club handbook still states the old way. You should have warned us. Well, Im sorry about that says he, but you will have to take it down again.

"Really says I, You want it down pal, you come take it down!"
About 5 minutes after I got back to my the pitch, a lady warden arrived, apologised, said my awning was fine as there was still an acceptable firebreak, and to leave it.

Over-reaction on my part, but look at it this way. I was expected to move because I may have contravened the firebreak, but if the problem had been with motorhome awnings spilling over, then surely every one of them was conravening the same regulation when things were still done the proper way.

So, is this across the board with the club or only Hawes? Certainly its not something I have experienced.

 

[RogerL]

I though I don't use club sites, I have the impression it's now the "Motorhome Club" with caravanners in the distinct minority.

Anyway, I though the official rule was that you can pitch however you like as long as 3m between units and 6m between sleeping accommodation - wardens have always "added" their own rules onto the official set.

 

[Thingy]

The pitch how you like is a relatively recent thing. In what used to be the Cravan Club (for caravans) there was always this white peg thing and with some wardens, it was a personal crusade to make sure it was adhered to. I dont have a problem with it per se, but the last club site I visited, Lakeside, still had the old routine in place. As it has ben this way for 50 or 6 years (i only remember 30 of them) it is reasonable to expect it to be the case across the clubs network. What harm would a notice have caused warning caravanners!

 

[Buckman]

The pitch how you like is a relatively recent thing. In what used to be the Cravan Club (for caravans) there was always this white peg thing and with some wardens, it was a personal crusade to make sure it was adhered to. I dont have a problem with it per se, but the last club site I visited, Lakeside, still had the old routine in place. As it has ben this way for 50 or 6 years (i only remember 30 of them) it is reasonable to expect it to be the case across the clubs network. What harm would a notice have caused warning caravanners!

With the exception of an over night stop last year we have hardly used a CAMC site for quite sometime due to the cost being a lot higher than many commercial sites in the near vicinity to a CAMC site.
We have never had an issue with any CAMC warden and have only come across one CAMC site that was a bit scruffy and that was Moreton in Marsh last year in Sept. I have always assumed it was car, caravan and then awning.
After embarrassing himself on TV to the whole nation, the CAMC Chairman acquired a motorhome which is why nwo the CAMC is becoming more motorhome orientated. This will continue as long as he is Chairman!

 

[otherclive]

I’ve generally worked on car, caravan and awning with CMHC sites. CCC can be more flexible as on their grassier sites the site managers do allow various orientations. For some years the popularity of motorhomes has been growing steadily so I don’t see it as down to the Chairman’s choice of vehicle.

 

[Buckman]

I’ve generally worked on car, caravan and awning with CMHC sites. CCC can be more flexible as on their grassier sites the site managers do allow various orientations. For some years the popularity of motorhomes has been growing steadily so I don’t see it as down to the Chairman’s choice of vehicle.

Must be just a coincidence that the name change happened just after his purchase?

 

[Ern]

We don't often use CAMC sites but stayed at Barnard Castle in June, and it was Car/Caravan/Awing. I reversed our caravan perfectly to the peg and rather than push it over with the corner of the caravan, I hopped out and moved it so that I could get back a wee bit over the grass. Before I could get back in the car, a site manager (that's what they are now) appeared and put the peg back. We had words!

 

[Thingy]

We had words!

Ill bet. Didnt get that at Lakeside or Blackshaw Moor, both this summer. Must be just Hawes then.

 

[otherclive]

Must be just a coincidence that the name change happened just after his purchase?

Could be a coincidence, but as I said MHs were gaining very much in popularity before that and perhaps the name was changed in a spirit of inclusivity. OMG what have I said now, very woke.

 

[Dustydog]

First time in three years we used a CAMC, St Agnes Head. The Wardens were superb, helping me out with IT, printers etc following my mum’s death. Pitching is how it has been for decades. The white marker is sacrosanct. No problem. Not sure I have seen the post move for the MHs ? Why would it? My full awning was bigger than any MH pull,outbjob😎.
Mind you more MHs are tuggers towing their little cars😵‍💫😵‍💫

 

[bertieboy1]

We had a bit of a funny one arriving at Hawes a few weeks ago. We arrived on Sunday to find ourselves in a long queue, and the warden was sending in vans every two or three minutes with "Go find a pitch, then come to reception and pay. This we did.

Arriving on our pitch the first thing i "noticed" was that our white peg wasnt in the right place, you know the routine, reverse offside corner to the peg, car parked offside, awning of course nearside. Its been this way for the decades I have been a club member. So judging where the peg ought to be, I reversed in, levelled the caravan and put the awning up. Having finished, I looked around and realised everybody else was setup caravan, awning, car- the awning now being in the middle. So off I tab to the guardhouse to ask what was happening, and was told that they had changed pitching to allow for motorhomes. "WHAT!" It was then explained that many motorgnomes have awnings with a much bigger projection than our standard 8 foot projection, and that when setup in the accepted way, they spilled onto the grass and killed it. "Okay, fine, but why in hell didnt you tell me that when you came to me in the queue and told me to go straight to a pitch. I then told him that if they want to change the layout that is up to them, but at least tell caravanners what you have done. So you have put it up wrong, says the warden. No I havent, even the club handbook still states the old way. You should have warned us. Well, Im sorry about that says he, but you will have to take it down again.

"Really says I, You want it down pal, you come take it down!"
About 5 minutes after I got back to my the pitch, a lady warden arrived, apologised, said my awning was fine as there was still an acceptable firebreak, and to leave it.

Over-reaction on my part, but look at it this way. I was expected to move because I may have contravened the firebreak, but if the problem had been with motorhome awnings spilling over, then surely every one of them was conravening the same regulation when things were still done the proper way.

So, is this across the board with the club or only Hawes? Certainly its not something I have experienced.

Easy,just pull out the peg and move it to suit your arrangement,(still staying within the "rules")

 

[bertieboy1]

I though I don't use club sites, I have the impression it's now the "Motorhome Club" with caravanners in the distinct minority.

Anyway, I though the official rule was that you can pitch however you like as long as 3m between units and 6m between sleeping accommodation - wardens have always "added" their own rules onto the official set.

Your right",we've noticed that as well

 

[Thingy]

Ditto, long been a fustration to me. Every Fri and Sat booked a year in advance, with site almost empty Sunday to Thursday. I really am beginning to feel as if I no longer want to be a member. The courtesy has gone, the friendliness, the chat and the banter. Damned hard pressed to get a good morning from some of them, if they can be bothered to look in your direction.

 

[RogerL]

Ditto, long been a fustration to me. Every Fri and Sat booked a year in advance, with site almost empty Sunday to Thursday. I really am beginning to feel as if I no longer want to be a member. The courtesy has gone, the friendliness, the chat and the banter. Damned hard pressed to get a good morning from some of them, if they can be bothered to look in your direction.

There has always been a "conflict" between weekenders and holidaymakers and the club has never really tackled this - the mid-week discount on certain sites is minimal in % terms.

Fortunately for me, CLs and commercial sites seem to be able to balance the two groups much better and as holidaymakers, we rarely have trouble booking our chosen sites.

 

[otherclive]

The CMHC long bookings without deposits irked me as it got to the stage where unless you booked a long while ahead a two week holiday became neigh on impossible. We tended to CL/CS , commercial and CCC where the deposit scheme stops people booking too many breaks in advance.

 

[Dustydog]

To this day we have never made itbto CAMC Chatsworth for the reasons Roger says. Actually it did us a favour. We discovered CLs and commercial sites that offer FSP reasonable pricing and guarantee of a chosen pitch. I am certain if non refundable deposits became the norm then pitch hoggers would disappear.

 

[Buckman]

The CMHC long bookings without deposits irked me as it got to the stage where unless you booked a long while ahead a two week holiday became neigh on impossible. We tended to CL/CS , commercial and CCC where the deposit scheme stops people booking too many breaks in advance.

We prefer to book commercial sites for our long holidays as generally we can leave the booking to about 3-6 months before arrival and still be guaranteed a pitch. For shorter stays of a couple of days, generally we will use CLs. In both cases preferring fully serviced pitches.

 

[Ern]

It seems that C&MC have sort of announced there will be a change to the system next year, but have not released any details. No minutes of the AGM have been published, so we are guessing. We understand the deposit issue is to be "addressed". All suitably vague so that no one has any idea what is coming next. The club seems to be run by a dictatorial management which refuses to engage with members (despite pretending to). The pandemic has given the club a lot of additional members, so I expect the management are feeling quite bullish.

 

[RogerL]

The club seems to be run by a dictatorial management which refuses to engage with members (despite pretending to).

It's been that way for decades - yet profits continue to be made and club sites have good occupancy rates (Covid not included).

 

[otherclive]

It seems that C&MC have sort of announced there will be a change to the system next year, but have not released any details. No minutes of the AGM have been published, so we are guessing. We understand the deposit issue is to be "addressed". All suitably vague so that no one has any idea what is coming next. The club seems to be run by a dictatorial management which refuses to engage with members (despite pretending to). The pandemic has given the club a lot of additional members, so I expect the management are feeling quite bullish.

Whenever the topic comes up the club quote figures that show that the percentage of 'No shows" is very low, and persistent offenders do get barred for periods. But that doesn't hide the fact that those who have pre booked many sites can still cancel within a set timescale without penalty. It gets debated quite frequently in the Club Together but there hasn't been any changes. Its the weekenders who tend to cause the problems, as not all retired folks are free to go Monday to Thursday, and many still like a 10-14 day break. Be interested to read what comes up. But Im more in favour of deposits as per commercial and CCC.

 

[Buckman]

It's been that way for decades - yet profits continue to be made and club sites have good occupancy rates (Covid not included).

Full on weekends but plenty of vacancies between Monday & Friday and you can get on a week before you are due to travel if booking during the week.
One of the hassles when we could afford club sites that if you tried to book a stay of longer than 5 days on many sites, there were no vacancies on weekends so you had to look at commercial sites and sunsequently book onto them for your stay of longer than 5 days.

 

[Raywood]

Not heard of any change to pitching arrangements and would have expected an e mail at least if they have changed.
I have heard deposits are coming in next year but not seen any details.

 

[Thingy]

I am all in favour of deposits, but they must address the cancellation period too. At present its either 48 or 72 hours, not sure which, but I say make em pay the deposit and cancellation should be a month unless extenuating circumstances. After all, thats what travel insurance is for.

 

[Buckman]

I am all in favour of deposits, but they must address the cancellation period too. At present its either 48 or 72 hours, not sure which, but I say make em pay the deposit and cancellation should be a month unless extenuating circumstances. After all, thats what travel insurance is for.

I think one or maybe two weeks is adequate and the deposit is carried over for the next booking and only a maximum of three bookings per annum.

 

[RogerL]

I think one or maybe two weeks is adequate and the deposit is carried over for the next booking and only a maximum of three bookings per annum.

One week only leaves time for last minute bookers to take over the pitch, no help for those planning/booking an annual holiday.