Internet should be free

I would guess as it being Swiss Farm Touring and Camping.  You should give it a try John.

Yes a full +1. I've often shown that some sites have, in my view, horrendous T&C where one could lose all your payments if you cancel often  along time before arrival.

It always amazed me that people have to somehow 'boast' that the site they're on is so far better and cheaper than a club site.

Why? Is it the old people only use club sites because they don't know there's better out there line and those that use club sites need educating somehow?  I'm really happy that people find what they want and are happy, but maybe people who use club sites are happy too?

1) you supply showers and toilets but not everyone uses them so your justification comment on how many members will use it is invalid

2) i have stayed at many sites where phone reception is poor let alone 4G/5G so VOIP is the only option.

3) when you stay at a Premier Inn you expect to pay for internet when you stay at a Hilton you do not, its certainly not poor quality and its already in the price. CMH are the best sites but prices are the highest already.

4) If walk around most sites the demographic is clear, good luck with attracting younger generations with this strategy. To quote the old cliche "If you dont implement or embrace change you will be the victim of it"...Think of all the big companies and brands who simply dont exist anymore, Kodak being an excellent example. Markets move and you should know that because its why you had to change the name of the club to attract more members

I don't think any of it was David's doing, Fernhill😀

indeed :-) ..but as moderator the role comes with responsibilities.

Only to moderate fairly in line with the forum T&Cs. David is a volunteer forum mod and has nothing to do with the running of the club.

I agree it gets a little confusing at times when personal views are posted. 

LLM, yes that was the site and if demonstrating that a non club site can offer free wifi (the subject matter?) along with other additional amenities is 'boasting' then so be it..

Ive actually used both the Henley sites so feel able to make a comparison based on real experience rather than just trying to belittle someone elses post.

...and yes, we certainly did have to pay a £30 deposit....in fact, we paid one last year when our planned trip was cancelled due to covid. the site just rolled the deposit onto this visit so we didnt need one for this time....didnt seem too horrendous a deal to me.

we will be visiting again at New Year so have paid another £30 deposit for that trip, again, not a problem, we will go and the final bill will be reduced by said £30. yes, awful practice but there you go. 

we also had a continental winter sun break cancelled by covid and that deposit was also rolled over to our new booking for Jan next year. dreadful customer service, cant understand why we are going back to either site...

some folk have an aversion to deposits, some dont, however the earlier post showed that comparable sites, in near identical locations can offer, amongst other things, a free wifi service that works exceptionally well across a large site.

Comment from Community Manager: Part of post removed

Looks very nice BB and we would certainly give it a try for our normal 2 / 3 day stop. However, with those T&C’s I would be wary about booking for a week / two weeks. Particularly at present.

Payment at least 7 days before or they reserve the right to cancel. Refund minus deposit from 14 - 2 days only if they can rebook the pitch. Full loss within two days and no refund if you leave early. That could make the free Wi-fi seem very expensive.😉

Likewise...dont see any problem with deposits, we paid £30 last September for a site we will hopefully be visiting this coming September, site has previously rolled over deposits. Somehow £30 in the grand scheme of things does not seem to me to be worth bothering about some 12 months later if you loose it.

cant remember whether wifi was free or not, never use it

Steve, yes it is nice, very nice in fact...

but as Rufs says, you can get all hung up on this sort of deposit T/C thing and end up going to places/sites you might not have picked, all things being equal...

we go to sites because they fit a good combination of location and facilities.

in the case of SF over Henley Four Oaks, the £30 (which obviously we didnt lose because we actually went...) pales as the two sites offer different levels of service/facs..

if the £30 was a 'risk' (as seen by some) it was worth it for us....as we went.. and made use of those extra facilities....for the same price.

its interesteing how, whenever anyone makes a non club recommendation or comparison, there is an instant effort to 'defend' the club from the (obvious) 'slight' thats just been inflicted upon it....it was just a post about free wifi, but some get very defensive, very quickly.

either way, its a great site, with top class facilities and for those who choose it great, and for those who choose HFO thats great, too....