Unbelievable!

[NigelHutson]

Like many folk, I went onto the Caravan Club's website yesterday morning to book our chosen three (yes, only three!) weekends throughout next year. I was successful with two of them, but despite getting to the "confirm" stage, was informed that the pitch was not available for the weekend at Chatsworth when it's the Country Fair.
Having lived nearby for all our lives, Kay decided that we will go to the Fair this year (first time for us both), and try to combine things by using the caravan. Obviously, we were disappointed at not being able to take the caravan, but hey ho!
This morning, I thought I'd just give the site a ring and see. Amazingly, the Warden said "we were fully booked last night, but we've had three or four cancellations over night". Bearing in mind that bookings were only allowed from 9 am yesterday, my gast was flabbered! Who are thes morons who make every booking that they can, selfishly stopping others doing so, and have no intention of using the pitch? I know it's better that they cancel now, but why make the booking in the first place?
The subject has been done to death, but it's about time that the Caravan Club took a substantial non-refundable deposit. That way, people would certainly think twice before booking every weekend throughout the year, and leave pitches available for those who might not be able to book so far in advance.
I consider myself very lucky that we've got the bookings that we originally wanted, and generally prefer CL type sites anyway, but the shambles continues.................. York's Rowntree Park had only one weekend available - the couple of days before Christmas - in 2013 when I looked last night. Unbelievable!

 

[Parksy]

Hi Nigel
I'm glad to see that you managed to book the sites that you wanted in the end but the more popular CC sites such as Rowntree Park will always be fully booked, and the internet booking system means that those with super fast broadband will generally be amongst the lucky few which can work against those living in rural areas.
You may have a point as far as deposits are concerned, but highly popular C&CC sites where a deposit is required still become fully booked.
Thankfully caravan forums don't seem to have so many posts from disappointed CC members this time so maybe the club is doing something right, and at least the cancellations were early enough for you to obtain your pitch rather than people selfishly block booking and cancelling much later as was once the case.

 

[NigelHutson]

Oh I quite agree Steve, I've been in the game long enough to know that it's the same rigmarole every year with the bookings. The point of my "rant" was more to do with idiots booking yesterday and then cancelling within a few hours rather than sites getting fully booked. Yes, at least they cancelled, but why book in the first place as there was clearly no intention of ever going?
Like you said, I was happy with the bookings that I made, but I'm sure there'll be many disappointments out there (who may or may not post on forums such as this).
We should be at Rowntree Park now, but got cancelled by the CC last week due to the floods. Never mind, we'll look forward to our trip to Castleton in mid January (booked a while ago, not yesterday!), unless we get snowed off there.

 

[Parksy]

It makes you wonder doesn't it? Obviously no one would begrudge a CC member who cancelled for a genuine reason, didn't I read somewhere that the club were monitoring the number of cancellations by some individuals now that their online system is up and running?
I like winter caravanning but unfortunately my better half isn't so keen so our pride and joy is tucked away in a nice dry barn until February or even March if the weather isn't deemed suitable by Herself

 

[JonnyG]

Given what nigel has stated, it would appear that the booking system has got even worse, its only 3 or 4 years back that we were able to book rowntree as last as febuary for the easter break..I am not renewing my CC next year whats the point i refuse to take a day off work and play silly B*ggers on the internet at the beginning of december to try to get my favoured times, a mere 2 at CC sites.
have decided to take the caravan abroad and leaving it there have found plenty of storage places even in northern Italy and that way i dont have to worry about err fighting to book places! if i want a weekend break in the meantime i will use booking.com and take advantage of cheap rooms available where i want to visit! touring in the UK has simply gotten dearer and dearer and not in line with other countries, frankly its not the value for money i was lead to believe it was a decde ago......

 

[Raywood]

The problem with the caravan club is that the number of pitches available have not kept up with the number of members. We never use Rowntree Park though, Beechwood Grange is a far nicer site and does not flood.