We have never had an issue on any commercial site. However we only use commercial sites once a year unless travelling to France or Spain.
Gave up using CAMC sites as they are being priced out of our range.
Gave up using CAMC sites as they are being priced out of our range.
We nearly always use CAMC sites. They suit us just fine.
We've only used non club sites a few times and found them to be mostly good to just ok with one exception.
It was a well cared for site but with so many rules and regulations that we decided to leave early. Sounds a bit snobbish but we didn't much care for the other campers there. Not overly considerate of others.
We've only used non club sites a few times and found them to be mostly good to just ok with one exception.
It was a well cared for site but with so many rules and regulations that we decided to leave early. Sounds a bit snobbish but we didn't much care for the other campers there. Not overly considerate of others.
Mostly large noisey gatherings. Which considering all the other rules and regulations went unchallenged.
Walking across your pitch, noise well into the night, or during day, kids playing football or throwing frisbee near vans , etc.
There was a private site in Cambridge near to a pub called Dykes end, 15 vans maybe, a great site, play area for kids , but you "had to have your van as per CAMC. " pitch's were well apart, but if you turned your van to catch the evening sunlight, WOW, totally OTT, never went back.
I’ve always find it odd, that while whole rainforests are devoted to arcane rules on parking by a peg and other irrelevances, a simple absolute prohibition on the use of balls abd thrown toys outside designated play areas, is generally beyond caravan sites.
ah! the synchronised formation caravan parking look.
asked at a private site last year re pitching…
’in, out, across, you can park it on your roof if you like. You’re here to enjoy yourself’.
A very refreshing attitude after CAMC parking warders.
As Sam alluded to, i wouldn't choose to stay on a site that also allows camping
I have, many times and in my experience, the issues caused by a few, spoil it for everyone else.
For context, I've not seen punch ups, feral kids / animals, loud music playing into the earlier hours and wanton vandalism on CAMC sites - yet.
Last year, Bridlington CAMC was allowing some limited camping. The driving standards on the site reflected this.
I have, many times and in my experience, the issues caused by a few, spoil it for everyone else.
For context, I've not seen punch ups, feral kids / animals, loud music playing into the earlier hours and wanton vandalism on CAMC sites - yet.
Last year, Bridlington CAMC was allowing some limited camping. The driving standards on the site reflected this.
We have been on numerous CMHC and CCC sites and have noticed that a large number of users have no idea what 5 mph is. Solo vehicles and towing vehicles alike regularly exceed the limit. Why you should earmark tent campers above caravan or motorhomes puzzles me. The limit was brought in after the tragic death of a young child on a cycle. It wasnt the motorist fault but both clubs then introduced the 5 mph limit. In CMHC Malvern in summer 2020 I actually made outfit to stop. He had passed a likely pitch and was so concerned that someone else might take it he drove quickly around the large loop only slowing down for speed restrictions. Yet in August the site was full of families with children on bikes, scooters or just going around. I stopped him before he could enter the area and bent his ear, he decided then to not enter that green pitching area and went elsewhere. .
The 5mpg rule was already in place and the vehicle in question was nearly stationary when the child hit vehicle resulting in the tragic accident. Unfortunately the 5mph does not seem to apply to many cyclists or skateboard rides in camping sites.
On a similar theme - have you ever been put off a site from just first impressions. I know this is probably wrong but just occassionally we've stayed at a site and instantly taken a dislike to it. Hard to say why but just first impressions. Fortunately this doesn't happen often and is usually somewhere where we're not staying long.
I'm talking about one specific example, and in this case because everyone was driving sensibly except for the people on the camping field who appeared incapable of doing so.
Speeding and other matters….
one of the things I do find ‘different’ in the U.K. is that while Staff of the main site ‘clubs’ will obsess over the millimetric precision of your parking to a peg, they by and large seem to show zero interest in behaviour or what goes on on on site beyond handing out a form at the check in point.
The C&MH in particular seems stuck in a time warp as regards customer service and interaction.
I’ve always felt it’s ‘wardens’ job title is not conducive to a progressive policy. The manning models of the ‘clubs’, (they are not clubs, they are businesses) are also unsuitable to a modern customer facing business.
Their manning model relies on older couples who are treated as lttle better than indentured servants. For the eye watering prices they charge, it’s not unreasonable for these ‘clubs’ to employ dedicated cleaning and grounds maintenance staff leaving the ‘wardens’ to a full time customer service role. And ditch that title - it’s extremely confrontational!
I go to a ‘club’ site - an older couple living on site as jacks of all trades, masters of none, no formal customer service training - many clearly stressed and adopting a bunker mentality towards customers.
I go to a similar sized private site - many more professional staff and site managers with proper customer service training or backgrounds who actively engage with customers.
The big two use the fig leaf of being a ‘club’ to stay resolutely in the employment and customer service dark ages. The resurrection of caravanning as a more demographically inclusive pastime Post Brexit and pandemic has found their business models badly wanting - its 2022, shops run as glorified ‘tuck shops’ out of the wardens own pockets, and no on site food or beverages will not cut it no more.
A couple basically checking people in and cleaning the toilets for a very old, middle class demographic is doable, but it’s clear that business model is struggling coping with the clientele that formerly stuck to mass market chains.
one of the things I do find ‘different’ in the U.K. is that while Staff of the main site ‘clubs’ will obsess over the millimetric precision of your parking to a peg, they by and large seem to show zero interest in behaviour or what goes on on on site beyond handing out a form at the check in point.
The C&MH in particular seems stuck in a time warp as regards customer service and interaction.
I’ve always felt it’s ‘wardens’ job title is not conducive to a progressive policy. The manning models of the ‘clubs’, (they are not clubs, they are businesses) are also unsuitable to a modern customer facing business.
Their manning model relies on older couples who are treated as lttle better than indentured servants. For the eye watering prices they charge, it’s not unreasonable for these ‘clubs’ to employ dedicated cleaning and grounds maintenance staff leaving the ‘wardens’ to a full time customer service role. And ditch that title - it’s extremely confrontational!
I go to a ‘club’ site - an older couple living on site as jacks of all trades, masters of none, no formal customer service training - many clearly stressed and adopting a bunker mentality towards customers.
I go to a similar sized private site - many more professional staff and site managers with proper customer service training or backgrounds who actively engage with customers.
The big two use the fig leaf of being a ‘club’ to stay resolutely in the employment and customer service dark ages. The resurrection of caravanning as a more demographically inclusive pastime Post Brexit and pandemic has found their business models badly wanting - its 2022, shops run as glorified ‘tuck shops’ out of the wardens own pockets, and no on site food or beverages will not cut it no more.
A couple basically checking people in and cleaning the toilets for a very old, middle class demographic is doable, but it’s clear that business model is struggling coping with the clientele that formerly stuck to mass market chains.
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Also no fun having someone knocking in tent pegs right alongside your caravan so that the guy ropes prevent you accessing your water barrel or waste master. Luckily these unthinking morons are in a minority, but they spoil it for everyone else.
We have normally found the wardens at both clubs very good provided you follow the rules. They have several hundred each and within that number they are bound to get the odd problem one, but I think they will soon be weeded out as the complaints arrive. The CAMH park to the peg is always a difficult one as there seems to be no guidance on the leeway, but the park between the pegs idea should stop that.
The idea that the wardens are older people is out dated as we now find they are generally far younger although one at Whitewater Park did fit that bill when we were there this year.
The idea that the wardens are older people is out dated as we now find they are generally far younger although one at Whitewater Park did fit that bill when we were there this year.
the sacred peg is like some Monty Python joke.
I can actually fit across the pitch and still meet the arcane ‘6M rule’ - but the mere suggestion causes fits of the vapours and anxious pointing at the daft little model diorama on the counter.
curiously, cross pitch pitching up causes no issues on most commercial sites and no one comes with a tape measure to check the caravans position!
as for them getting younger? They are still employed as little better than indentured servants by a wealthy organisation that invests almost nothing in staffing - it even requires its on site staff to provide their own accommodation.
Its 2022, not 1922. If they don’t adapt to a fast changing market, they will die. The public do not want immaculately manicured car parks, they want a leisure facility with some character.
What many on the ‘club‘ sites call ‘disruption’ and ‘anti social behaviour‘ is nothing more than normal
people enjoying themselves on holiday. See the regular hysterical rants in other places about ‘inconsiderate people talking after 10pm!
Generally people are more easily driven to complain than compliment. And its only fair to point out that in most cases a complaint arises after one bad experience and all the perfectly acceptable experiences are forgotten.
There have been some very polarised views expressed, and I am sure they are genuine, but in almost every walk of life there are "the good the bad and the ugly" and almost certainly applies the either club, and to private sites, so to tar the entire tranche of sites in a sector based one one bad example is a rather short sighted approach.
However, there may be some valid points such as the clubs having some "rules" or processes which should apply to all of their sites, and if you fundamentally disagree with them, then that is a reason to avoid them. And also some club wardens may see adherence to precision pitching to be more important than others. I suspect it's a question of pride on their part. If there is such a problem then the the correct thing to do is to use the clubs complaints procedure.
But the OP question was about which "club is better". Access to club sites is usually only one aspect of club membership, Just becasue your a club member does not limit you to only use club sites, your still a free agent and can use any sites that takes the general public. But being a club member might offer you some more attractive benefits which you might want, A common point is the tailored caravan insurance policies, which may not be the cheapest but they have generally received good reviews, but there are other non club insurances providers who have also received good reviews.
Essentially it all boils down to doing your research, about which features (if any) do you think are going to offer better benefits to you.
There have been some very polarised views expressed, and I am sure they are genuine, but in almost every walk of life there are "the good the bad and the ugly" and almost certainly applies the either club, and to private sites, so to tar the entire tranche of sites in a sector based one one bad example is a rather short sighted approach.
However, there may be some valid points such as the clubs having some "rules" or processes which should apply to all of their sites, and if you fundamentally disagree with them, then that is a reason to avoid them. And also some club wardens may see adherence to precision pitching to be more important than others. I suspect it's a question of pride on their part. If there is such a problem then the the correct thing to do is to use the clubs complaints procedure.
But the OP question was about which "club is better". Access to club sites is usually only one aspect of club membership, Just becasue your a club member does not limit you to only use club sites, your still a free agent and can use any sites that takes the general public. But being a club member might offer you some more attractive benefits which you might want, A common point is the tailored caravan insurance policies, which may not be the cheapest but they have generally received good reviews, but there are other non club insurances providers who have also received good reviews.
Essentially it all boils down to doing your research, about which features (if any) do you think are going to offer better benefits to you.
Parksy
Moderator
The 'arcane 6 M rule' is a regulation imposed by local authorities as a licensing condition for all sites.
It's to prevent the spread of fires.
I'm a member of the C&CC but I only very rarely use main club sites.
Our preference is for certified 5 van sites, or good quality commercially operated holiday parks.
I've no issue with being guided to a choice of a few pitches, this is normal on many commercial sites, and on main C&CC sites tent campers are usually in a separate area to caravans.
My main gripe with main C&CC sites is their continued insistence that there can be no vehicle movements after 11 PM, which effectively means that club members are being told to be in by 11 at night.
The last time that I was told that I had to be in by a certain time was when I was 15 years old.
As an elderly couple we make very little noise, we don't stay out until the devil squeals like we did in our youth and we don't stand around outside our caravan chatting late at night.
Most ordinary pubs close at 11pm, we rarely stay until closing time these days but the choice has to be ours, not a site wardens.
I accept that many who use main club sites enjoy the peace and quiet of the countryside, but there are 5 van sites in the middle of nowhere for peace and quiet.
The same people who give the evil eye to people who dare to close a caravan door at 5 past 11 at night are the ones who have no problem with standing right outside your caravan chatting loudly at 7 am or even earlier.
Yes, it’s imposed by locally authorities who are too lazy to update the primary legislation its derived from, the 1936 Public Health Act - regulations to mainly control itinerant camps and travelers, at a time when the primary construction of temporary habitations was tar paper and bitumen sealed canvas - rather inflammable structures to be sure.
The Legislation was mildly revised in 1960 and recognised that caravans were now starting to made of less flammable materials to a limited extent, but yet again, it doesn’t specifically cover touring caravans, rather grouping them in with statics - lazy legislation.
With a metal caravan, the regulations iirc are 5m between parallel walls and 3.5m between corners.
The clubs rather than mounting a legal challenge to local authorities cutting and pasting regulations for statics onto their sites, have been content to not only go along with it, but have extended the guidance to ever greater distances.
Now, we may be ‘different’ in the UK, but I can’t see as how U.K. caravans are potential fireballs that need keeping at massive distances from each other, yet Germany, a country with extremely robust fire safety regulations - permits much closer pitching.
This is simply madness - if caravans are such a fire risk, why is my local council and fire brigade happy for me to park it at home literally 150mm from my house walls.
Not so sure I’d really want to reduce the distance as on some Continental sites we have visited you can seem much closer to your neighbours and more closed in. Though I’ve never worried about the fire aspects. Whilst modern vans are no doubt more fire resistant than the old 1930s construction that you quote, they do burn very rapidly if fire takes hold.
I would never knowingly book a site with 6m spacing let lone lees than that - one of the reasons we no longer use club sites where the minimum legal spacing is used to maximise the number of pitches on the site.
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