Pitch availability

Forgive me if I am wrong here but, I have spent hours looking at site availability only to find some sites fully booked for months in advance. I mentioned this to another member and was informed that because there is no charge to book a site it is common practice by some club members block book dates and wait for the right weather! In my humble opinion, if you know what dates you want to book you should book and pay there and then online.

From info it seems..things have improved since the 72hr timescale for cancellations was introduced ,even when in the past deposits were taken it was a worse a problem, but then it was normally just no shows,

You cannot possibly know that "things have improved" because the CC refuse to release figures showing how many cancellations there are just outside the 72 hour cut-off.

My own feeling (supported by numerous people admitting on here that they do it) is that many people do exactly as gygafo says......they book numerous weekends, then wait to see what the weather forecast says or whether they can be bothered to take up the booking.

Nothing that the CC has ever produced contradicts this view.

Write your comments here..."From info it seems"

Whereas your empirical() evidence is based on a few folk saying they do it(no wind ups honest your honour) & guesswork. Mmmmm, you've got to be right Ian

Without trawling through all posts, was it not stated from a reprsentative of the cc last year that the situation has improved,but no figures were yet available

I'm sitting here wondering how they can say things have improved if they don't have figures.

I'm sitting here wondering how they can say things have improved if they don't have figures.

...Most of the information is possibly coming from on site staff who being on the front line would be able to note the decline in non arrivals

My experience and observations are that sites are pretty much full wherever I go. I'd reckon that the number cancelling are fewer than some would believe or even would like it to be, for arguments sake or otherwise. No sooner do pitches become available it seems, they are snatched up very quickly.

Such cancellations could be considered beneficial to some as they provide opportunities to book when, like me, work or family circumstances allowed that previously unplanned break. Some may even argue that we need more such cancellations which would provide 'drip feed availability', not that I'm advocating that mind! The possible issue may be those that don't cancel and don't turn up but I'd bet that they are very, very few in number indeed in my opinion.

Micky Boy, I reckon if it ever became a problem there would be a fix put in place. I think the perceived problem is a fallacy one that is periodically aired by folk who have had problems booking. It reflects the health & popularity of the CC's 'product' must be a good thing

I'm sitting here wondering how they can say things have improved if they don't have figures.

...Most of the information is possibly coming from on site staff who being on the front line would be able to note the decline in non arrivals

....but its not non arrivals (no shows) thats being queried....

its the process of being able to book a string of weekends well in advance and then to be able to cancel them (quite legitimately) just 3 days prior, should the weather not be 'up to snuff'

ive not seen any communication on CT from the club regarding this 'measure' only some airy fairy comment that '.....since the waiving of the deposit system, no shows have gone down....'.

while one has to accept (to a degree) what the club says, it seems to defy all logic that folk are more likely to honour a booking that they have no 'financial interest' in than one they havent....

IMHO, whats happened is that those who used to 'no show' now just cancel the booking instead, giving the minimum notice they can get away with....72 hrs. 

BB, is that such a bad thing?

My experience and observations are that sites are pretty much full wherever I go. I'd reckon that the number cancelling are fewer than some would believe or even would like it to be, for arguments sake or otherwise. No sooner do pitches become available it seems, they are snatched up very quickly.

Such cancellations could be considered beneficial to some as they provide opportunities to book when, like me, work or family circumstances allowed that previously unplanned break. Some may even argue that we need more such cancellations which would provide 'drip feed availability', not that I'm advocating that mind! The possible issue may be those that don't cancel and don't turn up but I'd bet that they are very, very few in number indeed in my opinion.

....a drip feed of cancellations aat 72 hrs would be great for you and I, we can go at the drop of a hat and change plans accordingly.

but those who have schedule their work hloidays months in advance couldnt benefit....in fact, it would be like rubbing salt in the wounds of someone who had tried repeatedly (and failed) to get the site of their choice and had booked somewhere else, only to see pitches for their first choice site become available a couple of days prior to their due date....