Minimum night booking

Some years ago before on line bookings some cc site managers (wardens then)also kept a naughty book not just for non arrivals,that if trying to book would not get a pitch

It was standard practice in leisure industry, particularly for squash/badminton/five a side bookings. They either paid up for the no show, or they didn’t get another booking until they did. Worked even better as our LC’s shared information about serial spoilers, who looked elsewhere. Couldn’t do it now of course, because of confidentiality, but it made sure that the minority who tried it on, got the message. It’s a customer review in reverse.......”traders beware this customer”😂

There have always been a few CLs that have stipulated a minimum number of nights stay, sometimes just over BHs, sometimes for any events in area. In the past, even on these it’s been possible to pick up the odd night that hasn’t been booked. But there are many others that will do any number of nights. 

A farming family living 4 or 5 miles from here have been running a campsite for nearly 30 years - at first as an ordinary CS, then as a CS with multiple awards, and now as a bigger site with with 35 well spaced pitches.across two big fields. The future for many farm CLs I think.

Kathryn asks for a £50 non refundable deposit from people she doesn't know, paid by electronic bank transfer. It doesn't seem to grate with her visitors who still give a score of ten out of ten on UKCS reviews. She rarely gets "no shows". 

We don’t mind paying a deposit to secure a Site we book in advance, in fact for one CL we used we used to pay for a whole 28 days in advance each year, just to secure a pitch on a 5 van Site. Nowadays, we tend to tour without booking, so we pick up some of the no shows, odd unbooked nights. Seldom get asked for a deposit for these. 

I think part of the problem is that there are two very different types of CL/CS owners out there.  On the one hand, the retired or semi-retired couple who have the time and the wherewithal to run the site as a business - with strict terms and conditions, deposits, a clear policy on cancellations and the forfeiture of those deposits etc etc.

Alternatively, there are those who already have a full-time business to run - be it farming, and equestrian centre, horticulture etc and they simply don't have the time to devote to the caravan site that the first category does.  They tend to work on trust and returning guests that they know but they can be taken advantage of by those caravaners who are not averse to pulling a bit of a fast one.

The site we have just returned from falls into the latter category and some of the stories the owner tells me of diabolical acts that some of the 'guests' have performed just beggars belief. He would love to tighten up on his business practice as far as the site is concerned but that's difficult when his first priority is to get the crops in!

There could be all sorts of reasons for a minimum stay requirement. Probably for weekends the owners like the idea of everyone arriving on a Friday and departing on the Monday so they have the minimum contact with their guests. Some will think that people arriving for the odd night here or there impose more work than it's actually worth compared to those that stay longer. Perhaps what should be required is that a stay should be paid for a week before arrival as that would concentrate the mind. However in order to do that all CL's would have to accept BACS payments. From the CL owners point of view all it requires is that they give out details of the account number and sort code. Quite easy to set up a payment direct from a smartphone. 

David

In general I don't mind paying a deposit for a booking, this year however we've had to cancel  3 different sites due to ferry cancellations.  The first was easy to get back as it was soon after lockdown. The other 2 were recently due to the FCO advice on France. Getting those deposits back took a little more effort. All of them were with the C&CC.

So far I've not come across a CL who wants a deposit or asking for more that 1night stays.

We often do 2 one nights on the way to the ferry. Haven't had an issue with C&CC getting it either, if the website doesn't allow the booking I just call the site and explain the situation, not been refused so far.☺️

I can understand why some do it but hope it doesn't become a fashion.

The C&CC are happy for people to turn up at the last minute and will offer a pitch if there's a spare one available even on sites where minimum stays are in place. I expect some CL owners are happy to accept last minute arrivals but others can't be as flexible. This year I haven't managed a CL booking where I'd have liked to stay so obviously CL stays have been more popular in our area and each CL operates it's own system. I don't have a problem with the different ways CLs function.

I have this season not taken any one night bookings in advance, as in the past I have done this and then lost a pitch that was wanted for a week. Should I get a call for that night and have a pitch free no problem, It is the blocking of pitches for those that want to stay longer that is the problem , and that includes weekends .

We just returned from a 5 week trip using 7 CLs and only one asked for a deposit, in fact the whole amount in advance, paid by bank transfer, and none had a minimum number of nights stay. Our next trip is taking in 10 sites, 8 of them CLs, and none have requested a deposit, not that we would have any problems with that had they asked when we booked.