Am I being unreasonable?

I think it’s just CLs evolving, doing what’s best for them. There’s still a huge range of CLs doing things differently. If owners have committed to putting in facilities to attract more visitors, then that outlay needs to be recouped. If it’s a more laid back, sanguine affair, then the pressure might not be there.

I think more members are trying CLs, probably as a result of ever rising Club Site fees, but to expect them to be mini clones, with the same terms and conditions is unfair. Totally different business models. We seldom use CLs that ask for much in way of a deposit nowadays. 

I think some are expecting mini clones of the club which is putting pressure on CL owners to upgrade or lose out. Personally I don't want this but it could be the way that some CLs will survive, deposits etc are possibly all part of this. In the meantime I'll just enjoy the huge variety out there, deposits or no deposits. 

If a CL owner has a minimum investment and usually has no more than 2 or three vans they might consider it better not to operate deposits. If an owner is regularly running full or near so and having put considerable effort into a CL in a popular area then deposits make more sense. 

A popular CL that I have earmarked when next in the Macc area is probably charging £20 a night. We stay 5 nights on sites and so I would not be upset to pay a £50 deposit (50%). If we did not take up such a booking it would likely be due to health or breakdown and in such a circumstance a £50 deposit would be the last of our concerns

I don't think I can really add much to what I've already said. We love using CLs  - because we only have a small van and our shower is really a glorified storeage area (particularly when we had, and hopefully will have again next year, 2 dogs) we look for a site with toilet/shower facilities if we're staying more than just a night. We've found loads where those facilities are available and every bit as good as  club sites; many where we'd have been willing to pay more than what we were charged! Some have asked for deposits, most not.  That is entirely up to the CL owner to decide. Personally, I feel that asking for getting on for 60% deposit is unreasonable but good luck to them if they can fill the site with folk willing to pay that. 

Back when I had my apartment in Spain, I charged a deposit and, additionally, required full payment six weeks before the commencement of the rental. Whilst the 'no-show' rate would be lower as people have to arrange flights etc. it would have made a substantial dent in my income as getting last minute bookings is a precarious business. CL owners have my every sympathy.

Yes I agree, it is their business but personally I think they are being too greedy

Personally i think with the growth of the  more  inconsiderate people in society these days , the case for deposits of one night's fees is beckoning ever more strongly ,even if it is for just the one night stay or first night.of each booking  for the Club or even more so for Cls

That’s standard for booking cottages in this country in most instances as well CY. A good few require a damage deposit as well, I know we paid £100 first time we used a lovely cottage in Penzance. It was returned to us after we had left and the cottage was checked out. Have heard some real horror stories of folks having cottages trashed by visitors. 

I also took a 'security deposit' of £100. Fortunately I only had to invoke it once but the subsequent recriminations left a nasty taste.

interesting thread...

personally I don't see any site asking for a deposit as a problem if it's somewhere I really want to go...

on the flip side we have the open booking system of the cc, and ive booked sites in the past that we thought we 'might' like to visit, so booked early and got the spaces.

in the end, we didn't take them all up....all within the 'rules'.

if I'd had to pay a 'non returnable' deposit on each, I wouldn't have booked them.

but if I really wanted to go somewhere perticular and the site was just what we wanted (as seemed to be the case in th OP) then I'd be happy to commit.

its odd that the level of deposit seems to have sharpened the 'level of commitment' and in this case, the booking was not taken up.

perhaps the issue was the level of commitment not the level of deposit, as in my case above?

i wonder what level of deposit would be the threashold for taking up the holiday? 20%, 30%? and does this reflect the percentage commitment to the supplier?

when folk have discussed deposits here, citing the same reason for having them, we are told that they don't sharpen focus at all, In fact the opposite is true....

we happily pay deposits (or pay fully in advance) for many things in life, foreign holidays, theatre tickets etc, I guess it just depends on whether we are committed or not.... 

strange old world.