Posted on 14/09/2022 09:31
Good morning. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience being caused with the implementation of our new booking system. Members and guests are able to make bookings through the new system however this is not the complete experience we have designed.
Please be assured our IT and Technical Teams are working extremely hard to resolve all of the issues as soon as possible.
2 people like this
Posted on 07/10/2022 14:35 by Roger RandallThe C&MC justify the introduction of their punitive deposit scheme by saying, and I quote "almost half of all members who made a booking each year made at least one amendment or cancellation". Really - shock horror! That's exactly my point - the touring lifestyle means you need to make last minute adjustments to schedules (especially when you are a Motorhomer or Campervanner). But don't they realise that for every day cancelled there is another booked at another site. Its swings and roundabouts. In the big scheme of things, on average, they don't lose out!
Please C&MC answer the following:
1.Why don't you cap the membership, so that you can improve pitch availability to your existing members?
2. You have allowed a never ending stream of new members to join, now we all have to book sites many months ahead, some even into next year. What exactly are you planning on doing with our deposit money, and the huge amount of interest it will earn you? When are you going to give members ’interest’ on their deposits if you hold them for a period longer than say 3 mths?
3. When are you going to start acknowledging the needs of the biggest (and fastest growing) segment of your club - namely us Motorhomers and Caravaners? Show willing and adjust your punitive cancellation policy so that a deposit is only required when you book 5 or more days. That at least would be something to show you care and understand the needs of all your members!
4. The 21 day cancellation deadline is unacceptable - we’re campers for goodness sake and you now ask that we book many months ahead (sometimes even a year in advance) and set our plans into stone for at least 21 days before arrival! Here is what the Savoy Hotel in London does: "Guests can cancel up to 72 hours prior to arrival, free of charge." – this is the SAVOY hotel and they will allow clients to cancel up to just 78 hours before arrival. What makes you, the C&MC so special that you want to start taking our hard earned money from day 20?
The C&MC used to be run BY the members FOR the members. They have sadly become corporate and are chasing profit. A sad day!
Posted on 07/10/2022 16:38
Excellent post RR. You have said exactly what I and probably many others have thought. The problem is I don't believe the club really listens to its members. My father who has now passed away was a member for over fifty years. He would turn in his grave if he could see how the "club" operates now. I don't particularly like to moan but as use say, A sad day!
7 people like this
Posted on 07/10/2022 17:14
this is a club and we pay a membership fee. The club has c. 1million members with probably half paying the membership fee, this amounts to a a fair bit to have in the coffers before anyone books a pitch. We expect something extra , something over and above the commercial sites. The fact that we could cancel and amend the bookings was a big draw. Anyway enough of all the moans, my membership is due to be renewed next March, so how do I cancel my membership as I cannot find how to ?
3 people like this
Posted on 07/10/2022 17:14 by joaniethis is a club and we pay a membership fee. The club has c. 1million members with probably half paying the membership fee, this amounts to a a fair bit to have in the coffers before anyone books a pitch. We expect something extra , something over and above the commercial sites. The fact that we could cancel and amend the bookings was a big draw. Anyway enough of all the moans, my membership is due to be renewed next March, so how do I cancel my membership as I cannot find how to ?
Posted on 07/10/2022 17:35
Oh dear ,it looks like the “club” has upset a few members 
, club sites are only a small percentage of sites that are out there , so makes no difference to me , with plenty of choice
i wonder how many members who have thrown their toys out the pram will actually walk away
4 people like this
Posted on 07/10/2022 17:35 by huskydogOh dear ,it looks like the “club” has upset a few members
i wonder how many members who have thrown their toys out the pram will actually walk away
Posted on 07/10/2022 17:35 by huskydogOh dear ,it looks like the “club” has upset a few members
i wonder how many members who have thrown their toys out the pram will actually walk away
Posted on 07/10/2022 18:25
In my opinion, virtually none of them.
£54 a year is a drop in the ocean for access to some excellent sites, and they'll be shooting themselves in the foot.
They best way to get change is by fighting from within. I recieved my voting form today and made my opinion of the board clear. I also had a survey email from the club today, and did likewise. Will they listen? Don't know. But I've got a better chance of being heard than non members
1 person likes this
Posted on 07/10/2022 18:25 by TimboCIn my opinion, virtually none of them.
£54 a year is a drop in the ocean for access to some excellent sites, and they'll be shooting themselves in the foot.
They best way to get change is by fighting from within. I recieved my voting form today and made my opinion of the board clear. I also had a survey email from the club today, and did likewise. Will they listen? Don't know. But I've got a better chance of being heard than non members
Posted on 07/10/2022 14:35 by Roger RandallThe C&MC justify the introduction of their punitive deposit scheme by saying, and I quote "almost half of all members who made a booking each year made at least one amendment or cancellation". Really - shock horror! That's exactly my point - the touring lifestyle means you need to make last minute adjustments to schedules (especially when you are a Motorhomer or Campervanner). But don't they realise that for every day cancelled there is another booked at another site. Its swings and roundabouts. In the big scheme of things, on average, they don't lose out!
Please C&MC answer the following:
1.Why don't you cap the membership, so that you can improve pitch availability to your existing members?
2. You have allowed a never ending stream of new members to join, now we all have to book sites many months ahead, some even into next year. What exactly are you planning on doing with our deposit money, and the huge amount of interest it will earn you? When are you going to give members ’interest’ on their deposits if you hold them for a period longer than say 3 mths?
3. When are you going to start acknowledging the needs of the biggest (and fastest growing) segment of your club - namely us Motorhomers and Caravaners? Show willing and adjust your punitive cancellation policy so that a deposit is only required when you book 5 or more days. That at least would be something to show you care and understand the needs of all your members!
4. The 21 day cancellation deadline is unacceptable - we’re campers for goodness sake and you now ask that we book many months ahead (sometimes even a year in advance) and set our plans into stone for at least 21 days before arrival! Here is what the Savoy Hotel in London does: "Guests can cancel up to 72 hours prior to arrival, free of charge." – this is the SAVOY hotel and they will allow clients to cancel up to just 78 hours before arrival. What makes you, the C&MC so special that you want to start taking our hard earned money from day 20?
The C&MC used to be run BY the members FOR the members. They have sadly become corporate and are chasing profit. A sad day!
Posted on 07/10/2022 19:01
Spot on Roger. Totally agree.
Shock Horror - our members enjoyed the rights of being members ... now that will be taken away from us.
I wonder what will happen?
Everyone will leave the club? No, not immediately, but the majority will indeed look further afield before making their bookings as now there's much less advantage in booking club sites.
Such a shame.
6 people like this
Posted on 07/10/2022 12:25 by ArchI received my email today allowing me to vote and ask a question at the agm I would urge all members to use this vote and ask a question in protest.
Posted on 07/10/2022 19:49
We saw the writing on the wall a few years ago to be honest, more to do with the ever rising cost of a Club Site pitch than anything else. The name change and rebranding exercise didn’t bother us to be honest (money could have been used on Sites but heyho, it sort of dragged Club into 21st century), but the loss of simple no facility sites, the Racecourse Sites, the set in stone 7 hour arrival window doesn’t make for our kind of touring.
If you like moving around, linear touring as opposed to staying on a Site for days on end, then £30-40 a night to arrive at 7.55pm, and depart by 9.30am isn’t value for money. So we now primarily use CLs and small private Sites, or new to us this year, legal stopovers of one kind or another. It’s another touring world, hard to imagine how easy and pleasant it is if Club Sites are your mainstay, admittedly easier with a MH than a caravan, but there’s just no stress, no deposits, a whole lot less in terms of do’s and don’ts, every stop is a voyage of discovery, lots of sharing of great places to stop with likeminded others along the way, and our money for stays now goes a lot further.
We are currently touring East Anglia. Nothing booked until night before we set off. So far seven night away, that’s 1 Britstop (daytime loos, delicious cafe) free, 1 basic CL (water, waste and free fruit and veg, lovely church), £8, 3 nights on a CL (HS, hook up, shower, loo) £16 per night, 2 nights on a CL (HS, tap on pitch, hook up, toilets, walks direct from site, fishing if you want it) £18 per night. That gives us a lovely little average so far of just £13.15 per night, enjoying lots a variety, safe pitching, quiet, nice views, and interesting people to talk to and share a conversation with.
3 people like this
Rowena
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