Not very family friendly club

BJHOW replied on 19/11/2018 15:28

Posted on 19/11/2018 15:28

We have been members for a number of years as is our son and his family. They live in Stockton on Tees and store their van at Whitewater Park which is only a few minutes from their home. As we live in Lincolnshire we often use Whitewater for family get togethers. Whitewater is a beautiful site with friendly and helpful wardens but...... 

When we visit we like to pitch together so that our grandchildren can move freely between their parents unit and our own.  Sadly club rules make this a difficult exercise when the site is busy (as it usually is!) Not being allowed to book or reserve a particular pitch means that we have to try and arrange taking one van out of storage and arriving from Lincolnshire at exactly the same time. Not easy. So please please can the club look at having some arrangement whereby families who want to pitch together can be accommodated?

SteveL replied on 10/12/2018 08:23

Posted on 10/12/2018 08:23

It would seem to make sense. Arrange the vans so the doors face each other and then the family can occupy the area in between,  rather than spilling into others space, as sometimes happens. 

I would have no problem with it being provided as a premium service, for a suppliment, adjacent pitches to be selected and marked by the warden. No need for, tables / chairs or parked cars.

After all it's not so different than myself paying for a service pitch, they are in effect reserved for those who have paid for them.

replied on 10/12/2018 08:38

Posted on 10/12/2018 08:38

After all it's not so different than myself paying for a service pitch, they are in effect reserved for those who have paid for them.

Quite a bit different Steve in that you have not reserved a particular pitch any more than I have when booking a pitch type. All are able to choose a pitch from those of the type that they have booked and long may that be the case.

SteveL replied on 10/12/2018 08:59

Posted on 10/12/2018 08:38 by

After all it's not so different than myself paying for a service pitch, they are in effect reserved for those who have paid for them.

Quite a bit different Steve in that you have not reserved a particular pitch any more than I have when booking a pitch type. All are able to choose a pitch from those of the type that they have booked and long may that be the case.

Posted on 10/12/2018 08:59

True it's not a particular pitch. However, it is often one of a small block. At Hawes for instance, it's a small site in its own right, away from the standard pitches. My point was more that by paying a suppliment I am getting something that others don't. 

DavidKlyne replied on 10/12/2018 10:00

Posted on 10/12/2018 10:00

It might work if it was just two families wanting to be next to each other but on a busy weekend there are likely to be more than just two families that want to do the same. So whilst making an exception for two pitches together it would soon become a bit more chaotic if the were half a dozen double pitches required and of course it would soon impact on other members trying to find a pitch. Surely the simple way to do things is to co-ordinate your arrival by finding somewhere nearby to wait for the other so that you can arrive together. This might be more difficult if coming from different directions of course.

David

eurortraveller replied on 10/12/2018 10:36

Posted on 10/12/2018 10:36

Well, we have done several family get togethers on campsites with grandparents, children and grandchildren meeting up - and site owners and managers were always most obliging in putting us together. This Club will do it for rallies but can't or won't do it for families - but other campsites can - so that's where we went. 

moulesy replied on 10/12/2018 10:45

Posted on 10/12/2018 08:23 by SteveL

It would seem to make sense. Arrange the vans so the doors face each other and then the family can occupy the area in between,  rather than spilling into others space, as sometimes happens. 

I would have no problem with it being provided as a premium service, for a suppliment, adjacent pitches to be selected and marked by the warden. No need for, tables / chairs or parked cars.

After all it's not so different than myself paying for a service pitch, they are in effect reserved for those who have paid for them.

Posted on 10/12/2018 10:45

Yes, I can see that that might work as long as there was no attempt to coerce the wardens into finding adjacent pitches in a particular area. That would bring us back to the argument about prebooking specific pitches. The wardens know which areas of a site are likely to be least used and could I suppose allocate adjacent pitches in those areas.

Cherokee2015 replied on 10/12/2018 10:55

Posted on 19/11/2018 15:46 by Tracy123

Hi Ludensian,

As with all of our sites it is a first come, first serve. If pitches are pre-booked it is unfair on others if they wanted that particular pitch and was on site first. 

If you arrive for 12 noon you shouldn't have a problem getting 2 side by side unless it is extremely busy and only a few have departed that particular day.

Kind Regards

Tracy

Posted on 10/12/2018 10:55

I agree in part with Ludensian, it would be nice to be able to pitch with family if they are visiting the same site in order to catch up and have quality time with their extended family.  However Tracy's post just enhances the view that the CMC are not family friendly.    Her advice is fine if you are retired or not working, but the majority of families with children and who are more likely to be working cannot arrive at 12 noon to ensure that they can secure pitches together.   More likely to be a rushed arrival after 6pm.    

Tinwheeler replied on 10/12/2018 11:32

Posted on 10/12/2018 11:32

Tracy’s post explains how the club treats everyone equally and fairly. 

Let’s take the scenario of a club site completely full with two units booked in on Wednesday who wish to be placed side by side and two units are leaving on Wednesday so there will be pitches available for the incomers. However, the departers will leave from pitches 7 and 29. How is the warden to arrange things? Should he have coned off pitch 8 to keep it vacant for a few days and thus turned away someone just so the incoming pair could be accommodated, or should he have instructed the occupant of pitch 29 to take number 8 on arrival (assuming it was vacant at that time). 

Both instances would have disrupted other people and removed freedom of choice simply to allow 2 units to pitch side by side. It may be a different case when sites are quiet but at busy times it can become complicated.

It’s nothing to do with being family friendly or not but a matter of logistics and causing the least inconvenience to the greatest number of people.

mickysf replied on 10/12/2018 11:39

Posted on 10/12/2018 11:32 by Tinwheeler

Tracy’s post explains how the club treats everyone equally and fairly. 

Let’s take the scenario of a club site completely full with two units booked in on Wednesday who wish to be placed side by side and two units are leaving on Wednesday so there will be pitches available for the incomers. However, the departers will leave from pitches 7 and 29. How is the warden to arrange things? Should he have coned off pitch 8 to keep it vacant for a few days and thus turned away someone just so the incoming pair could be accommodated, or should he have instructed the occupant of pitch 29 to take number 8 on arrival (assuming it was vacant at that time). 

Both instances would have disrupted other people and removed freedom of choice simply to allow 2 units to pitch side by side. It may be a different case when sites are quiet but at busy times it can become complicated.

It’s nothing to do with being family friendly or not but a matter of logistics and causing the least inconvenience to the greatest number of people.

Posted on 10/12/2018 11:39

A party of two units, one wants to be close to toilets, the other a pitch with a satellite 'view' and both want those sunny pitches together. Where do we stop? I know, tip up and pick from those vacant like every other fellow member!

replied on 10/12/2018 11:47

Posted on 10/12/2018 11:32 by Tinwheeler

Tracy’s post explains how the club treats everyone equally and fairly. 

Let’s take the scenario of a club site completely full with two units booked in on Wednesday who wish to be placed side by side and two units are leaving on Wednesday so there will be pitches available for the incomers. However, the departers will leave from pitches 7 and 29. How is the warden to arrange things? Should he have coned off pitch 8 to keep it vacant for a few days and thus turned away someone just so the incoming pair could be accommodated, or should he have instructed the occupant of pitch 29 to take number 8 on arrival (assuming it was vacant at that time). 

Both instances would have disrupted other people and removed freedom of choice simply to allow 2 units to pitch side by side. It may be a different case when sites are quiet but at busy times it can become complicated.

It’s nothing to do with being family friendly or not but a matter of logistics and causing the least inconvenience to the greatest number of people.

Posted on 10/12/2018 11:47

It’s nothing to do with being family friendly or not but a matter of logistics and causing the least inconvenience to the greatest number of people.

I would not wish to inconvenience others simply to convenience myself

Near Malvern Hills Club Campsite by Andrew Cole

Book a late escape

There's still availability at many popular UK Club campsites - find your perfect pitch today for a last minute trip!

Book now
Woman sitting in camping chair by Wastwater in the Lake District with her two dogs and picnic blanket

Follow us on Facebook

Follow the Caravan and Motorhome Club via our official Facebook page for latest news, holiday ideas, events, activities and special offers.

Photo of Wast Water, Lake District by Sue Peace
Visit Facebook