Would It Work ? – Open for sensible debate.

So, could the Club rewrite their booking system to allow the current way of doing things for a certain percentage of pitches on a site, lets say 80%, with the remaining 20% of pitches unavailable to anyone not booking for more than 3 nights. If all of the 20% pitches are not taken after a cutoff point, for example 14 days, then those pitches revert to being open for all.

Yes, complicated for a software developer, but not impossible.

Just throwing ideas out there for debate, not deliberately looking to upset anyone 

Out of the total number of Club sites - is it 150 - how many have vacancies on 13 August 2017 ?  146.  Setting up ever more elaborate booking schemes seems a bit unnecessary. Just phone and go. 

Booked across that weekend 4 months ago, a commercial AO site for 5 nights.

The site I'm in at is fully booked over that weekend and everyone who has booked it, has paid for it, in full, 6 weeks ago.

I wonder why we can't simply have a rolling system.  Make it possible to book up to 15 months in advance rather than setting one day for bookings to open.

The club must plan any closures for maintenance well in advance so 15 months would be reasonable.

I am easy regarding deposits, if I book with the other club I pay a deposit and can't change the booking on line.  I like the fact that I can change a CMC booking on line, I've just extended my stay in York next month.  If taking a deposit meant less cancellations and more space for me then go for it. 

Looking at it from the site operator's point of view, I can’t see the club being happy to have 50% of pitches with a big question mark hanging over them. Will they let or will they stay empty?

A business needs more certainty as to the likely take up of what's on offer.

Anyway, we're told the system is already being looked at for next year.

Deposits I'm not really bothered about but I feel there is likely a huge myth surrounding bookings and cancellations and Moulesy makes some good points on the subject.

We're in danger of going round in circles again here.

"If taking a deposit meant less cancellations and more space for me then go for it."

As long as you're alright, John, that’s fine. The rest of us can go whistle.

Sometimes it’s really hard to believe that we're fellow members of the same club. 

I was meaning more space for everyone Tinwheeler not just me.  I have heard of people booking several sites and then cancelling most of them at the last minute.  That leaves site booked for months and then empty spaces at the last minute.  

A deposit might reduce the number of last minute cancellations and make it easier for everyone to book. 

At this time of year when people suggest deposits I can only think of 'Turkeys and Christmas'.

Why not just pay for your holiday when you book it. You've got to pay anyway so why not then.  It would certainly curtail the speculative bookers and those who wait to see what the weather's going to be and cancel. 

K 

" I have heard of people booking several sites and then cancelling most of them at the last minute.  That leaves site booked for months and then empty spaces at the last minute.  "

I've read that same claim many times over the years but never seen or heard anyone actually admitting to doing it. It seems to crop up every year around this time!