C & Cc -even Dick Turpin Wore A Mask

[The duck]

Hi, having myself and my friend book a unit each into Conkers C&CC site and paying over one nights deposit each of £25. Unfortunately circumstances dictated that we could not attend. A phonecall to the site to cancel the booking but being under 7 days notice was told would have to lose our deposits. Personally I think £50 for a few clicks on a keyboard is a bit OTT . I think if they are able to relet the pitches they should have refunded the deposit or even if they had allowed us to transfer the deposits (less admin charge) to a time later in the year. I thought the C&CC was the 'Friendly' members club. Here's a couple that won't be joining next year. As in the title 'even Dick Turpin wore a mask'.

 

Disgruntled member

 

We broke down at dunkirk last year on our way home phoned them to advise we needed help on our return to UK on the NEXT ferry we were told by the phone operator 'sorry all our recovery drivers are now out of driving hours@ due to being only allowed to work a max of 15 hrs a day so we would have to stay in Dover alnight . ........... Guess who didn't renew their membership either.

 

Moral of the story CC Red Pennant are our knights in shinning Armour or rather nice shiny trucks fantastic we couldn't fault them, but that another story for bed time

Edited August 2, 2009 by The duck

[Steve W77]

Steve

 

So does that mean you have (sorry had) two different membership numbers in differnt names?

 

With regard York I thought similar to you until earlier in the year. We had to attend to some family business in Newcastle upon Tyne and stayed at Old Hartley. Wanting to break the journey on the way back we thought about York but dismissed it thinking we would never get in and so looked at the other York site. But out of curiosity I checked Rowntree Park and low and behold there was space, so we booked. It was mid week, we no longer go away at weekends unless unavoidable.

 

David

 

Excactly, two different names, so two bookings, I don't believe that we are the only couple in this position. We have never taken advantage, because like you we can travel anytime, but we do like to stay in some places for more than 5 days and found it impossible to stay over the weekends because they were fully booked months in advance.

 

 

 

Steve W

[DerbyTopaz]

Both my partner & I can book different sites for the same time & then pick which one to go to dependent upon the weather.

This means that most sites appear to be permanately full

What about the other site - the one that you don't go to because of the weather. By booking two sites at the same time you are preventing others from booking and also the Club looses money when you don't turn up. In circumstances like this then I'm in favour of paying a deposit.

 

Mike

[PNW]

Deposits are fine by me, a booking is a commitment so I'd expect to pay a deposit. Likewise if I cancel then I expect to lose it, the deal is clear when I book. I'm in C&CC but not CC, one of the things putting me off CC is that I'm restricted to w/e and peak hols, and comments on this board and elsewhere suggest that it's tough to get a booking at popular sites yet no-shows are commonplace; frankly if deposits mitigate this problem they should be welcomed. This is not a severe policy if you consider that a tour operator would almost certainly hold the customer liable for the entire cost of a holiday if they cancel at short notice, perhaps with the exception of qualifying extenuating circumstances. In this context the C&CC policy is very reasonable indeed. That said I do accept the point that if the policy is designed to protect income and not to penalise, then, if the pitch is subsequntly filled and no loss is incurred, either a credit or a refund might be in-order - difficult to administer though.

[Brian Dobbie]

Deposits are fine by me, a booking is a commitment so I'd expect to pay a deposit. Likewise if I cancel then I expect to lose it, the deal is clear when I book. I'm in C&CC but not CC, one of the things putting me off CC is that I'm restricted to w/e and peak hols, and comments on this board and elsewhere suggest that it's tough to get a booking at popular sites yet no-shows are commonplace; frankly if deposits mitigate this problem they should be welcomed. This is not a severe policy if you consider that a tour operator would almost certainly hold the customer liable for the entire cost of a holiday if they cancel at short notice, perhaps with the exception of qualifying extenuating circumstances. In this context the C&CC policy is very reasonable indeed. That said I do accept the point that if the policy is designed to protect income and not to penalise, then, if the pitch is subsequntly filled and no loss is incurred, either a credit or a refund might be in-order - difficult to administer though.

 

 

No shows are not common and the Caravan Club has a policy of warnings and ultimately suspension if they continue.

I tried the Caravan and Camping Club for one year and left because of the booking system.

I am away to Grin Low next week and no trouble booking a pitch for one week.

 

Brian

[ian dunning]

Both my partner & I can book different sites for the same time & then pick which one to go to dependent upon the weather.

This means that most sites appear to be permanately full, I tried for 5 years to get on the site at York but never managed it and we are retired and can go any time. This is the reason I left the Caravan club.

 

 

Steve W

 

Hi Steve,

We often book Rowntree Park at the last minute, In fact we managed to get booked on a Saturday night only two weeks ago though it was showing as full on the website,

Regards,

Ian.

[Steve W77]

What about the other site - the one that you don't go to because of the weather. By booking two sites at the same time you are preventing others from booking and also the Club looses money when you don't turn up. In circumstances like this then I'm in favour of paying a deposit.

 

Mike

 

 

That is exactly my point. People are continually saying that two sites cannot be booked at the same time.

I was pointing out that it is indeed possible under certain circumstances, not that I had done so myself. I very rarely book sites, as it seems to defeat the whole point of caravaning to me. Caravaning should be about spontinaity, not booking weeks or even months in advance.

 

 

Steve W

Edited August 3, 2009 by Steve W77

[Steve W77]

Hi Steve,

We often book Rowntree Park at the last minute, In fact we managed to get booked on a Saturday night only two weeks ago though it was showing as full on the website,

Regards,

Ian.

 

Hi Ian.

 

You are obviously luckier than I am, but I do concede to the fact that if a website has a booking facility, then I expect it to work, after all we are talking about a large organisation here, not some tin pot little campsite.

If you are expected to make a phone call to the site, why bothter with the website at all.

Maybe you got on at Roundtree Park because a lot of people like me have left the club.

 

 

Steve W

Edited August 3, 2009 by Steve W77

[jaymac]

No one seems yet to have addressed Pete's point that the deposits he and his friend paid was for more than the cost of one night's stay. I wonder what would happen if you were only booking one night, do they take payment in full or is it still £25? A couple of years ago the deposit was £15 which equated more with the cost of one nights stay and seemed more reasonable.

[terrijane]

Hi

We are members of both clubs but really only use CC club sites as CC&C is generally more expensive and I dont like the deposits thing. CC website is very good and easy to use for booking, the reason we spend £30 a year on both clubs is the CS and CL sites, these we use both for. Also we have just discovered rallying which is better on CC&C as a lot of rallies you dont need to book just turn up but with CC they are mainly bookable. So I think value for money both clubs offer different things.

[TedNewman]

No one seems yet to have addressed Pete's point that the deposits he and his friend paid was for more than the cost of one night's stay. I wonder what would happen if you were only booking one night, do they take payment in full or is it still £25? A couple of years ago the deposit was £15 which equated more with the cost of one nights stay and seemed more reasonable.

 

 

£25. 00 is their minimum deposit - the higher deposit is because it is a percentage of the full fee that is required.

[beejay]

That is exactly my point. People are continually saying that two sites cannot be booked at the same time.

I was pointing out that it is indeed possible under certain circumstances, not that I had done so myself. I very rarely book sites, as it seems to defeat the whole point of caravaning to me. Caravaning should be about spontinaity, not booking weeks or even months in advance.

 

 

Steve W

 

I'm intrigued. Why would a couple pay two fees for separate club membership? If you are caravanning together then only one membership, joint if necessary, is needed.

[ian dunning]

Hi Ian.

If you are expected to make a phone call to the site, why bothter with the website at all.

 

 

 

Steve W

 

Hi Steve,

They've also dropped the special requests section where the disabled could ask for a pitch near to the facilities so now you have to call the site which is a backward step in my opinion,

Regards,

Ian.

[Steve W77]

I'm intrigued. Why would a couple pay two fees for separate club membership? If you are caravanning together then only one membership, joint if necessary, is needed.

 

 

£30 membership is a small price to pay for the people who want abuse the system, if no deposit is taken for each booking. As for myself, when I first joined they were not so enlightened as they are now. Different surname = different membership. All I am trying to point out, is how easy it is to abuse the system

.

Steve W

[PNW]

No shows are not common and the Caravan Club has a policy of warnings and ultimately suspension if they continue.

I tried the Caravan and Camping Club for one year and left because of the booking system.

I am away to Grin Low next week and no trouble booking a pitch for one week.

 

Brian

 

 

Hi Brian. You left C&CC because deposits are required? It's interesting that you say no shows are not commonplace because I got the impression it was an issue getting a peak booking on popular sites unless booked way way in advance. C&CC DA meets are my background, man & boy, so CC is an bit of an anathema but my parents joined when they retired and to be fair the mag is a good read and the wider choice of CL's and Club sites appeals, so maybe I'll give it a go (if I do don't tell anyone though please)

[JanB]

No one seems yet to have addressed Pete's point that the deposits he and his friend paid was for more than the cost of one night's stay. I wonder what would happen if you were only booking one night, do they take payment in full or is it still £25? A couple of years ago the deposit was £15 which equated more with the cost of one nights stay and seemed more reasonable.

 

You cannot book one night with the C&CC, you must book at least a 2 night stay.

[ian dunning]

You cannot book one night with the C&CC, you must book at least a 2 night stay.

 

Hi Jan,

Not even for an overnight stay when travelling long distances to your destination? That doesn't seem very good especially as the site that you may want to use as stopover may have a vacancy,

Regards,

Ian.

[JanB]

Hi Jan,

Not even for an overnight stay when travelling long distances to your destination? That doesn't seem very good especially as the site that you may want to use as stopover may have a vacancy,

Regards,

Ian.

 

No, the C&CC says that it stops other members booking a weekend or longer break - by that logic they should also stop weekends as that stops longer breaks. Agree it seems a strange rule - surely they could limit the number of pitches available for single night bookings that way both sides of the argument are covered. Forestry sites are even more - we had to pay £35 to book Glenmore for Hogmanay.

[Artleknock]

Hi Steve,

We often book Rowntree Park at the last minute, In fact we managed to get booked on a Saturday night only two weeks ago though it was showing as full on the website,

Regards,

Ian.

 

Last February I tried to get in to Rowntree Park in June, fully booked at weekends, so I booked Beechwood Grange. I rang Rowntree at the last minute and was told that pitches were available for week days but not Sat and Sun. I was told to come to the site on the Wed, because they almost always had "No shows", but just in case they didn't I could hold on to the booking at Beechwood. I didn't take up the offer.

[Bill Lord]

As someone says it does stop no shows.

 

The CC management do not agree with you, when they introduced the no deposit system their bookings increased and the number of no shows fell. ( CC magazine January 2008 )

[Bill Lord]

I like the £25 deposit it means you have a better chance of getting on c&cc sites. As it is now impossible to get on any CC at weekends

 

There are 40 CC sites that have vacancies for this weekend, I would hardly call that impossible to get on a CC at weekends.

[Bill Lord]

yet no-shows are commonplace; frankly if deposits mitigate this problem they should be welcomed.

 

No shows are not a common occurence, and as I said in the message above CC have categorically said that taking deposits has exascerbated the problem rather than mitigating it.

[princejim]

Join the Caravan Club. No deposits

 

Yes and everyone books all the campsite they think they will visit each year, wheather they do or not! meaning if you are a few days late you can't book a popular site, then when you drive past you find they have places not taken up for one reason or another!!

 

Jim.

Edited August 22, 2009 by princejim

[ian dunning]

Yes and everyone books all the campsite they think they will visit each year, wheather they do or not! meaning if you are a few days late you can't book a popular site, then when you drive past you find they have places not taken up for one reason or another!!

 

Jim.

 

Hi Jim,

No, 'everyone' doesn't book all the campsites that they think that they will visit each year. I am a CC member and I do not conduct myself in such a manner. Also people who cancel leave places for the late bookers (we have managed three late bookings for a honeypot site. ...Rowntree Park this year ).

I dont include you in this comment Jim, as I don't know which club(s) which you are a member of, but in my experience there are C&CC members who seem to want to advocate the deposit system for the CC. Well some of us are quite happy (though some are not) with the system warts and all and it has been well discussed on this and other forums.

I suppose we all have the option to leave any club if we don't like the rules and I did think about leaving the CC until I looked at the C&CC and their booking conditions, sites and locations simply didn't suit us,

Regards,

Ian.

[Bill Lord]

Yes and everyone books all the campsite they think they will visit each year, wheather they do or not! meaning if you are a few days late you can't book a popular site, then when you drive past you find they have places not taken up for one reason or another!!

 

Jim.

There are usually some pitches somewhere available for the CC sites but the problem they have is that demand far exceeds demand. I was talking to the warden at Garlieston who is apparently the chairman of the wardens association and he was saying that the CC have about 35 members for each pitch. The club fills its sites successfully so changing to a deposit system would do nothing to alter the situation. I was on Cae Mawr site in June and was in the office whilst the two wardens were talking and what was said that we have 78 vans on the site now and officially only 77 pitches so I will have to turn anyone else who arrives away, yet as I walked around the site there were three large hard standing pitches empty ( not motor van using this pitch but empty and stayed empty ), it was just that the site had a capacity and it had already exceeded that capacity, so do not assume that just because you see an empty pitch that it means the site is not full, they have their regulations and conditions to abide by and once they have their quota of caravans they can take no more whether there seems to be room or not.