Booking ahead is unfair at some sites

 Not sure how long you have been a member but trying to get into sites like Chatsworth can be a bit of a lottery unless you are prepared to book a long time ahead. The situation has been further complicated by COVID which has meant many more staycations and new people taking up the hobby. I have noticed there are lots of sites which seem to be difficult to find space on this year. Strangely the later you are willing to leave it to book the more likely you are to find space. As has been mentioned elsewhere the Club is currently reviewing its booking systems and the betting is that deposits will be introduced. It remains to be seen if people are willing to pay deposits and how far in advance they are willing to do it. For sites like Chatsworth (and there are others)  it may make no difference at all as they are so popular.

David

The club has stated that this (what the OP talks about) doesn't happen as often, or as much as people complain about. 

But they would say that, at least prior to the projected deposit imposition. Why then have they decided to revert to taking deposits?

Gosh, 362, I didn't know there were 2 classes of Member - those who've been one since before the war, and those, like myself who've only been a member for 10 or so years.  Oh, wait a minute, there's a 3rd class, those who've only recently joined.

How dare 3rd class members express an opinion!!

To paraphrase a well known maxim, sometimes it is better to be thought a miserable old git than to post a comment and remove all doubt.

I, or the club, was talking about block booking and to answer your question - could well be, and I don't know. But state it they did during the Q&A session during the 2020 AGM.

You are absolutely spot-on. Ignore the usual unfriendly replies from many on here. If you stick around you'll learn to get used to it!!

We are now as good as anyone at "gaming" this antiquitated system but unlike many others, at least we recognise that things need to change for the good of the club and all of the members.

You don't need to ask the club for stats. If you want to book a weekend away, wait until Tuesday morning when the forecast is rain and you'll find endless availability.

 Hopefully the deposits will be meaningful. Including loss of full payment if cancelled in the final month. That's what holiday insurance is for.

"

It remains to be seen if people are willing to pay deposits and how far in advance they are willing to do it. For sites like Chatsworth (and there are others)  it may make no difference at all as they are so popular.

David"

Really???

They certainly aren't going to find the same system anywhere else so they'll pay a deposit or stay at home.

Surprised it's taken the club so long to wake up to this...

Hopefully the deposits will be meaningful. Including loss of full payment if cancelled in the final month. That's what holiday insurance is for.

This statement often trotted out in these threads always amuses me. Try claiming for not wanting to go because a close relative is ill and requires support, plus any number of other good reasons that would be more trouble than it’s worth trying to get an insurance company to accept.

I am sure there will be folk who cancel or amend due to the weather. Towing a caravan in winds higher than you are comfortable with just isn’t sensible.

One thing I am certain of, is if the CAMC were daft enough to introduce loss of full payment in the final month, they would loose my considerable annual spend. There are plenty of providers who don’t have  such draconian penalties.

Buying a club membership should include the small print, "Don't expect to get a holiday during your first year of membership. Unless the forecast is wet and you can organise your work and family with 72 hours notice".

That's the reality.

We decided not to go to France last September / October  and put together a tour in this country instead, using mainly CAMC sites. We did this in the last week of June and although the very popular sites were unavailable, there was still plenty to go at, even service pitches. Your above statement just isn’t true. It most certainly isn’t reality.