The Caravan Club 12 oclock rule

[Pip1]

I would be interested in others views on this rule , We have just had a " Weekend Break " at a Cotswold area CC site ( I will not name names , suffice to say that the so called weekend was in fact 42 hours , including time spent asleep say 16 hours ,so infact 26 hours on site . The reason behind this ,we like our friends who came with us work all week and are not in a position to arrive early on a Friday night , and in order to make the most of our hobby have to choose sites within a resonable towing time from home. We enquired with the wardens on Saturday as to what time we had to vacate our pitch , and were told ,you must come back on Sunday morning and check . Sunday morning dawns bright so off to the office only to find a large sign stating midday departure , upon double checking if there is scope to stay longer are emfaticly told no , thats what the sign says , 70 due in , 80 due out , the wardens tried to say that 70 vans will all arrive at midday , and where will they put them all, and that they have had numerous enquries as to requests for longer stay , This does somewhat hint at the fact that some people do want to make the most of the time and not get up early on sunday to take down the awning , pack everything up and leave , having only had time for breakfast , and no lunch , as you have to be off by 12 , Question , where do you have lunch having left site , pullup in some litter strewn layby , or on a nice site at 12 or thereabouts , i know my choice. we have been members for 5 years now but the club needs to look at changing this too regimented rule , even if it is just for sunday departures extending it to say 2pm . families need longer on site , especially like us who were pulled up back at storage 59 mins after leaving the site , then wondering what to do for the rest of the afternoon ,the site would still get early departures by those who have distance to travel and naturally get away earlier , thus releasing pitches for new arrivals .

This said its bad enough getting to book a pitch as they all seem to be booked up "online ,en masse " without behing restricted with time on site.

 

[sheila_374397204]

Caravan club sites do often let people stay later than 12 noon if they are not booked up for the following day. I would have thought that if they had 70 coming and 80 leaving then the first 10 who asked if they could stay later would have that request granted. But hey, that's me and I'm not a warden.

I am amazed, however, that they would be booked for so many coming on a Sunday lunchtime when it is not even a bank holiday - must be loads of retirees wanting a bit of peace and quiet when the families have left!!!!

 

[MartinJ]

Pip, the stock answer you will get will be if you want to stay later then pay for another night.

I totally agree with you though, a more relaxed rule for Sundays only say till 3pm would be sensible.

 

[Pip1]

Caravan club sites do often let people stay later than 12 noon if they are not booked up for the following day. I would have thought that if they had 70 coming and 80 leaving then the first 10 who asked if they could stay later would have that request granted. But hey, that's me and I'm not a warden.

I am amazed, however, that they would be booked for so many coming on a Sunday lunchtime when it is not even a bank holiday - must be loads of retirees wanting a bit of peace and quiet when the families have left!!!!

Sheila , i tried the first 10 people request with the wardens , but this fell on deaf ears, on the road away from the site outfits were driven by the older generation as you say

 

[Bluebird1]

Pip

Had similar experience at midlands site at end of March. Over half pitches were empty at 10.00 on Sunday morning but told that lots may be coming in that afternoon but didnt know what time they were likely due problems with computer. Even though pitched on one of the grass pitches told that we would have to leave by 12.00.

When we did leave at 12.30!!!! I estimate that 60- 70% of pitches were free.

In contrast had no problem in staying on at Cornish site last weekend. Wardens seem to be much more sensible and pragmatic.

 

[WilliamLX]

I would agree with this thread. The real problem is that caravan sites and hotels charge for the nights stay. I would like it to be changed to a charge per 24hrs. That is if you arrive at 8pm on Friday and pay for 2 days you can stay up to 8pm on the Sunday. As the original poster pointed out, weekends usually really amount to one day, which means you have to ask yourself is it worth the hassle?

Caravan Club Rallies usually allow you to stay on site to 2-4pm on departure day, which is just one of the reasons I recommend this form of caravaning over just booking into a site.

 

[v.meldrew2]

Last Sunday a new CC site in Derbyshire allowed us to stay till 15:00. We actually left at 15:30, no problem. On a previous occasion at a different Derbyshire CC site we paid an extra pitch fee (not the per person charge) (or maybe it was the other way round!) to stay till 19:00. Hotels are often flexible like this too, especially if you are happy to pay a little extra. Be nice to wardens - they might be nice in return!

 

[Chris_374413356]

I agree with every word, there has been times when I'm back home at 2pm on a Sunday. what a great weekend. My A**e

Of course looking at it from a different perspective the wardens want you off the site ASAP, it makes their job easier and if you arrive after 12 then it gives you more choice of pitch.

 

[RogerP]

I see where you are coming from but there has to be a cut off time to depart and to arrive.

Yes you can argue that at 12:00 so many pitches are free so whats the problem?

Well the problem is that as an arrivee you can do so from 12:00. So you turn up at 12:00 expecting to occupy a pitch to be told , sorry you have to wait till 16:00 as we've let everyone stop on an extra few hours.

The wardens have to assume that people arriving will do so at 12:00 , if they dont then thats a bonus. I would think the % that do aren't a problem.

It works both ways.

I'd actually do a depart at 13:00 and arrive after 14:00 rule.

Gives better scope to me and prevents congestion when busy as we witnessed last year at Hillhead. Units were queing 3 deep on the access road and onto the main road at 08:00 in the morning. So much for any rule.

 

[jerry4]

I agree with most of the comments here although I do understand on busy sites that there must be a need to have some sort of cut off time in order to avoid the problem of turning up on site to find no pitch available (something that neither the caravanner or the wardens would want). I think that a degree of flexibility is needed on the part of site wardens to allow early arrivals/late departures outside of busy times. My personal experience is that by and large this is what happens.

On a policy note though, for the 2 main clubs, I think that they should waive the early arrival rule/fee on certain days such as good friday and the fridays and saturdays of bank holiday weekends. People only arrive on sites at these times (they don't usually leave) and by encouraging early arrival they could contribute to alleviating traffic congestion on these days (people not all trying to arrive on site at the same time)

 

[emmerson2]

Who'd be a site warden? You're damned if you do, and damned if you don't!!!

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

I would pay another nights pitch fee and then leave just after 8pm, when all new arrivals should be on site. This way there would be no congestion where there is a restricted access.

 

[SteveW77]

If you want to make the rules, buy your own caravan site.

Steve W

 

[WilliamLX]

A very helpful and constructive post Steve W. I suppose that you feel that every rule/law is perfect and that no case ever exists were such a rule would ever need changed?

 

[emmerson2]

Sorry William, but I think Steve is right!The Caravan Club have been running sites for a while now, and have obviously found that this system works FOR MOST PEOPLE!There will always be exceptions to every rule, and you cannot have one rule for you and a different one for me!

I would say the answer to Pip's problem is very simple - if you don't like the rules, don't join the club.

 

[WilliamLX]

Sorry emmerson, I just can not agree with you. Parliament has been passing laws for a lot longer than the CC has been running caravan sites and yet it often gets laws wrong which later need to be changed. I am a fan of the CC but I do feel that several aspects could be improved, including the 12 noon departure time. This could easily be changed to 14:00 or 16:00 which would make the concept of a weekend stay much more practical and enjoyable without really having a major impact on new arrivals. The other aspect I would change is the booking system. If no one could book more than one or two stays in advance things would be much fairer. The current system favours the retired who can book up every weekend in January safe in the knowledge that work etc won't get in the way.

So in short I love the club but that does not mean it can't be improved.

 

[Royston]

I like alot of other retired people like to arrive as early as possible.12 oclock being the earliest, I would be very very annoyed if i was unable to gain access to the pitches due to other people not being able to vacate their pitch in accordance with the cc rules.

The 70 arrivals how can you guarantee what time you will arrive with all the road works and nasty accidents that happen, you can control the 80 leavings , had that Sunday had only 10 arrivals things would have been different.

Royston

 

[GillW]

William

That may be fine for the weekenders but there are others,ourselves often who begin our break on a Sunday and leave the following Friday so as to leave the weekends for others.

Your suggestion would then mean that those 'vanners couldnt arrive till 4pm and then have to set up which at either end of the year could mean doing so in the dark.

That then penalises those who have left the weekends clear!

One rule will never please all

Gill

 

[Dusty1]

We spent some time at the Chatsworth Caravan Club site a couple of weeks ago. Access to the site is along a fairly narrow road. Having seen how some people with large units cope (or otherwise!) you can imagine the chaos there might be if you had units leaving and arriving at the same time.

 

[caravangirl98]

yes i would have to agree with you because last weekend we we're staying at a caravan club site and the departure was 12 a rule which they say you must obey ,but then around 20 caravans came in as i was packing up to leave the site before 12 .When a caravan club rule is do not arrive no earlier than 2pm.

 

[SteveW77]

I am truly sorry that you do not like my reply William, but exactly why do you think your wants & needs take preference over anybody elses. It would appear that the majority of club members find the present rule to be adequate. If you dont agree, take up the issue with the club, don't just moan on an independent forum that can not influence the position one way or another.

Steve W

 

[Ianofwilts]

Pip,

Unfortunately it requires extra work to put in place staggered arrival and departure times yet no site could cope with us all arriving or leaving at the same time. Imagine the queue trying to book in. Most CC sites are flexible and I personally have not had a problem. But that said even CC will have jobs worths. Vote with your feet. Appreciate you dont wish to lable the site but we have the same constraints with time due to work and plan to use a cotswold CC site. DID YOUR ONE HAVE A LARGE WILDLIFE PARK NEXT TO IT ???

 

[grandadbaza]

I like the caravan club even if I dont agree with every rule they have ,I just go along with them and organise my life accordingly, just like I like living in UK with parliment (ref William) making the rules , I dont agree with every rule parliment makes so yet again I organise my life accordingly,Boring arent I

Baza

 

[Jennifer2]

Sorry emmerson, I just can not agree with you. Parliament has been passing laws for a lot longer than the CC has been running caravan sites and yet it often gets laws wrong which later need to be changed. I am a fan of the CC but I do feel that several aspects could be improved, including the 12 noon departure time. This could easily be changed to 14:00 or 16:00 which would make the concept of a weekend stay much more practical and enjoyable without really having a major impact on new arrivals. The other aspect I would change is the booking system. If no one could book more than one or two stays in advance things would be much fairer. The current system favours the retired who can book up every weekend in January safe in the knowledge that work etc won't get in the way.

So in short I love the club but that does not mean it can't be improved.

Since there is no work to "get in the way" why would we wrinklies bother with weekends?!

We are setting off on Sunday (for an 8 week trip) precisely to avoid the weekend. We will arrive around 2pm, which is just right for a leisurely setting up and preparation of our meal.

We don't book loads of weekends, but we do book up our whole trip a month or 2 ahead, so only 2 bookings allowed is useless.

It's not the retired people who are booking up all the sites on weekends!

 

[emmerson2]

........but you can't please all of the people, all of the time!