Paying in advance

The only allocation of pitches will only normally only be the type of pitch you have chosen when booking ie grass,hardstanding,service etc not a specific pitch on most sites some larger outfits may only fit on some pitches and those with disabilities may need a pitch near to the facilities 

I can't recall there being a clear statement by the club on this, one or two sites may have done for one reason or another but all this year it's choose your own for me.

It’s the booking of specific types of pitches, not the booking of specific individual pitches. This I can live with. The booking of specific pitches would not work and would be against the touring tradition of the Club. Pick from all that are vacant in your booked type of pitch on arrival, that’s brilliant!

In normal circumstances the Club allows members to select from any available pitch of the type booked. If, of course, there is only one of the type of pitches you have booked left then obviously the site staff can only direct you to that one pitch. More Hobsons Choice than allocation in that case. There may be special circumstances where someone with a particularly large outfit might be directed to a specific pitch. Another exception is a site with ferry pitches where you might be allocated a pitch based on when you are leaving the next day, a good example is Black Horse Farm but even that might depend on how busy they are?

David

I can do more than "live with" the ability to book the type of pitch. It's not a constraint surely for anyone. If it guarantees that I never have to pitch on grass then it is an absolute boon. For others who prefer grass, it must be good for them too. 

The OP was merely expecting that a pitch would be allocated. It wasn't that he expected to be able to book a specific pitch. Since you raised it, however, I have always thought how good it would be if you could book a specific pitch. I've often tried to work out why it is not workable, as many claim. I've never been sure about this - may it is maybe it isn't. I know there are a few commercial sites that allow you to pick your pitch when you book.

Of course, it would be a challenge for the booking system, I do get that, and perhaps further changes are not to be encouraged!