So what did the Club ever do for Motorcaravanners?

Thank you for all the comments, since my post - I think it was Saturday, but pages back.  I had half considered closing the thread, as suggested by some, but my thought was that, sometimes, an odd comment made by an individual can sometimes spark off an idea that could be developed into something really useful, which could ultimately help to enhance the experience of both motorhomers and caravanners.

My first observation is that, judging by the number of motorhomers I see on Club sites, many seem to be happy using the facilities that are already available, otherwise they wouldn't use the network.  However we should always strive to improve things motorhomers and caravanners.

The things that stick out in my mind from the posts made since Saturday are...

The possibility of the Club setting aside a small number of hardstanding pitches (2/3) for single night use with no EHU:  At present the Club does have a small number of 'Economy' pitches on some sites - which are basically non-EHU pitches.  I don't know if these are just grass pitches, at present - I (or someone else) would have to look at this.  If there are HS pitches, it may first of all be worth the Club looking at the viability of these pitches as they stand.  It would depend on current usage as to whether or not to experiment in turning them into single night usage.....but there is a problem: What happens if a member uses a single night pitch and the decides he might like to stay an extra night?1  Imagine the scenario that other pitches on site are all fully booked and site staff may not know if the single night pitch is going to used until later.  Do the site staff turn away the person who has already stayed one night only to find that the pitch is empty after all - resulting in a disappointed member and the loss of income because this pitch is left empty afterall?  I think I've talked myself out of this being viable!

The idea of having some pitches bookable and others not, in my opinion, would also not work.  I can't think of any site who leave a certain number of pitches available for folk who just turn up.  Pitches available for those who just turn up are the pitches that have not been booked, unless the site 'accepts no prior bookings at all' - off hand I can't think of a site that comes into this category, although I'm sure there may be some.  We have more of a tradition of booking in the UK, but my experience is that is necessary to book many of the popular sites on the continent, especially in high season.

I quite like the idea of being able to switch off the EHU facility for those who do not need it.  This would help the Club reduce its electricity bill, but would require investment in infrastructure (i.e. new EHU bollards) and probably would only be possible when the bollards were due to be relaced.  My guess is that this might be achieved without significantly effecting the site income - the member would just be charged the average that the Club would save by not supplying electricity to the pitch?  It's certainly something I could introduce for discussion.

I know I will have missed many points, it does make it more difficult to read through and follow when posts are punctuated by occasional arguments and personal comments. Please avoid this sort of thing and tends to achieve nothing other than to rub folk up the wrong way.  Please keep discussions friendly, thoughtful and informative.

Best wishes

David

"I quite like the idea of being able to switch off the EHU facility for those who do not need it.  This would help the Club reduce its electricity bill, but would require investment in infrastructure (i.e. new EHU bollards) and probably would only be possible when the bollards were due to be relaced.  My guess is that this might be achieved without significantly effecting the site income - the member would just be charged the average that the Club would save by not supplying electricity to the pitch?  It's certainly something I could introduce for discussion."

I've just taken that paragraph from your excellent post, David. I have come round to agreeing that this is a genuinely easy and effective way to satisfy to a large degree what is being asked for.  To those who insist it would have to be policed I would just say that I think we have to take on trust that anyone declining EHU would not be so dishonest as to hook up anyway. Actually, I still believe the numbers would be fairly small and so would the loss of revenue to the club. But if anyone was found transgressing then just cancel their membership with immediate effect. I know that some want more - the ability to decline using on site facilities for a further reduction in price  but I'm afraId this would just overcomplicate things. If one doesn't want those facilities why stay on a site that offers them?  It's been pointed out often enough above how many alternatives there are. So yes, this idea would surely be easily implemented and a compromise in favour of the "ad hoc tourers". 

David, I think you’ve hit the nail on the head with your description of the difficulties in setting pitches aside for any reason. It will be fraught with problems.

Letting pitches with the option of having no EHU is a different matter and eminently feasible. However, I fear it really would need policing. I’ve witnessed units plugging into more than one socket so I’m afraid not everyone is as honest as we would hope. 

Many moons ago, we spent years using a lovely private site that offered a few hook ups in a specific area, but most pitches at the time were none hook up. How did they manage it? In the most simple way possible. As you arrived, you were asked hook up or not. Depending on your answer, you got a small flyer to place in your caravan or MH window. It gave the arrival and expected departure date (stay could be extended). If you asked for a hook up, it was on red coloured paper, if no hook up it was on white paper. It was a lovely well run site, where one of the family ambled around two or three times a day to make sure all was well, to chat with anyone who wanted to chat, but of course they were also making sure that all was as it should be and no one was doing anything they shouldn’t have been doing. Such as thieving electric. Sometimes simple methods work. Walk around need to be random timed of course! 

If you take a couple of pitches out of general use for overnighters doesn’t that then potentially put working folk who want to go away at weekends at a further disadvantage 

David, good post.....but no need to make use of any normal pitches...

allowing late arrivals to 'arrive late and pitch late' via the use of ANPR controlled entry barriers could remove the need for a LNA area, where there is one, thus making it the perfect place for 2/3 non EHU, max 48hr  places.

no real infrastructure changes, other than the barrier, no extra hook up points needed, no changing bollards on other pitches, no issues regarding trust of members, no affecting the available pitch volume for 'those who go away at weekends'....

BTW, what's the spacing arrangement if currently two vans arrive 'late'?

As an extension to those ideas why not replace the "old" bollards with metered ones. Electricity used would be charged at the same price as the club buys it in. Then members could choose whether or not to pitch on a "metered" pitch, use the EHU or not, and this would be registered in the wardens office. Members choosing these pitches would then just pay the adults(+Child) fee on arrival and settle up for electric used, if any, on leaving. 

I admit this will give additional work for the site wardens, but could be tied in with the return of the safety barrier key on leaving.

On numerous sites now with the added security being added to deter the other form of touring ,the exit barrier is also controlled by the safety barrier card/disc/key/code number so the member would be expected to call at the office thus enabling the site staff to read meter at the bollard and raise a bill for electric used, 

Ok, I give in! I know I said I would not post on this thread anymore but in the light of David’s encouraging post, I have changed my mind, just for one more post.

The choice of using EHU would certainly go a long way to satisfying myself. I have always seen the fitting of electricity meters as being the way forward, even if it is only on a few pitches. It still means members wanting electricity could still use them paying as they do now for it to be included in the pitch fee or paying by the Kwh

On the question of using economy pitches, as far as I am aware they are mostly grass, why not turn them into hard standings.

I think BB’s idea of doing away with the LNA areas by equipping sites with ANPR is a good one. Just how much are the LNA areas actually used?

Two other points worth making which would in my view go a long way to making the Club more motorhome friendly would be the introduction of:.

1. The ability to book hard standings

2. Allow members to call in a site for a fee to use the MSVPs. I see this complimenting CL usage and make them more attractive to Motorhomers. It isn't always easy to use facilities on a CL. (there are nearly a 1000 CLs offering hard standing which motorhomers could use)

peedee

Just had a glance at a few Club Sites, mainly ones we have used, and Devon and Cornwall. I didn’t look at AS sites. Somewhat to my surprise, not many have a LNA area! On the plus side, some have none electric pitches. But the price is still high on some without electric, one instance was over £18 for a couple, no hook up. On grass as well. That makes a lot of CLs much better value for money, provided of course you are happy using own facilities.