New booking system with deposits

No they don’t. Even when using our caravan we often did short breaks, 3-4 nights, and often one night only if travelling a long way. Sorry but this is part of the “you said, we did” myth stuff that the Club have latched onto and are now using to impose deposits on everyone. 

The essence of this Club was to provide opportunities for touring, (limited to more expensive outfits they deemed “suitable”, unlike the CCC who have a slightly more laid back view of what folks might enjoy). I agree it’s more likely that caravans like to get pitched up and perhaps stay a bit longer, but there are still many folks who move on with a van after 4-5 days, so your ridiculous suggestion of a 7 day minimum is based upon little more than your own requirements.🤷‍♀️ We happily filled those mid week slots with our little MH, until this price hike, and what looks like the imminent loss of the MWD. You don’t get as many caravans used in the Winter months, many are laid up and locked away in storage, while MHs like us are still out touring, keeping the income coming in. Everyone who uses Club Sites, no matter how long they stay, contributes to that income.

Can you tell that to majority of the motor caravans on here (including us) that they are overstaying their time here 

Since the latest must haves being motor caravans if the site they are staying on has good transport links or local attractions then they seem to be used like a caravan without tow vehicle

In places that do not have any of the above ,motor caravans are either low in numbers on a site and those that do come have alternative transportation with them or stay a couple of days 

Ps there are two fifth wheel and one yank tank in here

You are right about "it's what members asked for "it seems is the answer  that site staff have been "advised" to give when questioned about anything that is even slightly "controversial"🤔 

Site staff are bound by the terms and conditions of their employment. Some choose not to comment at all, some are careful in what they do say. Away from work they might have an alternative view, but not in the public forum. 

Yes, possibly different approaches to touring and preferences exist but I dont know where the data is to substantiate much of this. Fact is that at present, subject to pitch availability, both methods of holidaying are possible and being ‘enjoyed’. Seems only sensible and fair to me to cater for as many members preferences as is possible. Yes, it may on occasions hinder one’s wishes but that can happen both ways. When a site is full, it’s full, that’s been our observation for most sites we’ve stayed on during this season, what would be interesting is to have an insight into the bigger picture (not just one site) across the whole network. Yes, possibly different approaches to touring and preferences exist.

I think maybe that is how things used to be 

It is obviously how it is now. 

But surely people who spend, as you previously mentioned, 2/3 weeks on a site, have no greater entitlement to be there than those that only spend a few days at each site. Its equally likely that that someone that tours by spending a few nights here and there provide the Club with as much, if not more, revenue as someone who sits on one site for three weeks? 

David

No they would be loosing revenue by stopping us book 2/3 nights, which on a consecutive tour is clearly going to include weekends. As weekends are independently popular, clearly if you want to guarantee a 2 / 3 week period you are going to have to get in early. I suspect that is your major bone of contention. As this will shortly require a deposit of  £110 / 170 some 12 months ahead.

Posted on 25/08/2022 16:33 by Briang

we like to book early as we stay for 2 or 3 weeks at 0ne site if we don't book early we will not get our time at the site we won't due to people booking 2 or 3 nights. There should be a minumum of 7 nights mostly for motorhomes 

Posted on 26/08/2022 09:48 by Briang

Most Caravanners stay for 7 or more nights. Motorhomers the majority of them stay for only a couple of days. I have seen this so many times. This is the problem it stops people booking for longer periods. The club must be losing revenue by allowing 2-3 night stopovers on the weekend and lots of space in weekdays. 

There are so many flaws in these arguments that it is difficult to know where to start - and that's quite apart from the grotesque, anti-motorhome prejudice that it reveals.  Others have already covered a lot of the reasons why the notion of a 7 night minimum booking is, frankly, bonkers!

Anyway, what does "mostly for motorhomes" mean? Does it means that sometimes those in caravans will also be barred from booking for less than seven nights? Or does it mean that some motorhomes will be allowed to book for seven nights on some occasions? How would the club decide? 

I wonder just what the impact on revenue would actually be if motorhomers had to book for a minimum of 7 nights. It must be the case that you would lose more bookings that you might gain. Moreover, what possible justification is there for confining this to motorhomes - if that is what "mostly for motorhomes" means? Think about this for a moment. I mean really stop and think about it. Imagine the club putting out a pronouncement stating that if you are a member, but use a motorhome, you can only book for a minimum of seven nights on sites. Why would any motorhomer bother to join? Imagine the uproar!

What about people who travel a long distance? If I go to Scotland, for example, I stop at least once on the way for one night only. I've done Ayr in one day, but to get north of the central belt in one day is too much. If I could not work that way, I would have to question touring at all. I would use hotels and book a self-catering place at my destination. 

I could go on and on about this, but I'll spare my fingers. 

I get why Briang needs to book early and he's plainly right about that; people who are "amused" by others who book early are just hypercritical and insecure about their way of working. But Briang just needs to carry on booking early and leave the rest of us in peace to book for whatever number of nights we choose.

In fact, as a point of interest, I probably stay longer on sites than most motor homers.