C&MC new booking system imminent

[Spriddler]

My renewal is due this week. I received this email today and there seems to be 'a printing delay'.............

 

[Langtoftlad]

Anything would be better than the current not fit for purpose system!

Current system works fine for me - so fit for purpose.
I'm sure the new system will also work for me - but I don't anticipate any reduction in the moans & groans.

 

[GlennL]

Not sure if this will work very well for us as we tend to book last minute for weekends away when work and other commitments allow us to do so. I think once people have paid their deposit they will not cancel whether they turn up or not, still leaving empty pitches.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Not sure if this will work very well for us as we tend to book last minute for weekends away when work and other commitments allow us to do so. I think once people have paid their deposit they will not cancel whether they turn up or not, still leaving empty pitches.

Hopefully they'll monitor any change in booking patterns and make appropriate adjustments, taking into account the changes in their cash flow.

 

[Spriddler]

Not sure if this will work very well for us as we tend to book last minute for weekends away when work and other commitments allow us to do so. I think once people have paid their deposit they will not cancel whether they turn up or not, still leaving empty pitches.

There is a 'Late availability' section on their website where sites with last minute availability is shown. Although, as you say, some folk may not cancel and just forfeit their deposit.

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[cyberyacht]

I made a similar proposal as Gellyneck some time ago. It would have saved a lot of upheaval. Mind you, I haven't used a CAMC site in almost two years and only ever booked at shortish notice and paid in full anyway.

 

[Rapido925M]

I'm sure there were incessant complaints on here a few years ago because CMC DIDN'T take deposits!
When they started sending "nasty" letters to people who cancelled at the last minute, some folks said that wasn't enough: "they need to pay a deposit".

Well, looks like it has arrived.
You can please some of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Gordon

 

[xYachties]

Looking at their booking site, even at the popular sites, plenty of spaces this month. Unlike last few years.

Doubt you'll need to pay deposit as there likely to be plenty of availability a few days before next year. Also plenty of privately owned sites with more facilities for less cost.

Brave to make such big changes just before a recession knowing that many members will have cash flow with everything else happening. Could be a massive mistake.

With price of fuel weather etc. I know I won't pay deposits months in advance. Take my chance, go last minute and head to the better weather.

 

[Riggers1]

Just added a link to the detail behind it.

But if you have to book a year in advance the outlay on deposits could rack up quite significantly (potentially hundreds of pounds).

Agreed and as the CAMC aren’t significantly increasing capacity you will still need to potentially book 12 months in advance for popular sites. Great cash flow for the club but not necessarily so for families on tighter budgets who have been able to book holiday periods that they use throughout the year without the need to pay hundred or ponds in advance.

is the deposit calculated on pitch type or on the whole booking including the number of people staying. 20% for a family booking a two week holiday in peak season could be a chunk of money to layout 12 months in advance.

 

[Gellyneck]

is the deposit calculated on pitch type or on the whole booking including the number of people staying. 20% for a family booking a two week holiday in peak season could be a chunk of money to layout 12 months in advance.

Believe it's 20% of the total cost of your booking so if that is £200 deposit is £40. This is fully refundable up to 21 days in advance of the first day of the booking.

Well, that's my understanding.

Looking at our previous booking patterns we could be outlaying c£500 in deposits.

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[VXman]

Next season, we will make more bookings with independent sites due to the CMC's introduction of deposits.

I think CMC have shot themselves in the foot with both barrels.

Deposits a good idea. The old system was used and abused. How can you run a business allowing people to clog up the calender with bookings they probably won't use.

 

[Caggsie1]

Why do people bang on about deposits will free up pitches. Try getting on CCC Keswick, Bowness or any other popular site unless booked way in advance, and if a pitch does get cancelled they use a dynamic system so price goes up too.

 

[Bognor Saint]

The C&CC have been taking deposits for a long time. Not unusual for independent sites to ask for deposits and even some CLs/CSs are now asking for upfront payments. It is a sign of the times, the great British public can not be trusted to honour their bookings unless it hits them in the pocket. The C&MC have just been a bit slow about it.

The C&CC have a terrible online booking system though

 

[Coolcats]

I don't have a problem with changes to the booking system including deposits. If it means I can get a pitch at a site I want when I want it and not find pitches have been block-booked by speculative bookers who later cancel at short notice, I'll be happy.
What I'm not happy with, and will probably cancel my membership over, is the extortionate prices they're now charging.

Just a thought regarding ‘extortionate pricing’ it could well be that many takeaway restaurants (including the local chippy) will cease trading due to the huge increase in energy costs.

In the press over the past few days we’re the Chinese restaurant in Aberdeen whose costs have gone from £1000 to £10,000 just on energy. (There is no energy price cap for businesses) so whilst many state the club site fees are extortionate, some consideration may be needed for those operating costs.

 

[SpeedyDux]

Just a thought regarding ‘extortionate pricing’ it could well be that many takeaway restaurants (including the local chippy) will cease trading due to the huge increase in energy costs.

In the press over the past few days we’re the Chinese restaurant in Aberdeen whose costs have gone from £1000 to £10,000 just on energy. (There is no energy price cap for businesses) so whilst many state the club site fees are extortionate, some consideration may be needed for those operating costs.

Pitch fees that are inclusive of unmetered EHU are bound to increase sharply again. CMC have already increased theirs in 2022. The Club handbook will be quickly out of date. As a relatively low EHU user who could get by on 5 or 6 Amps, I resent effectively subsidising other members who are drawing the full 16 Amp supply and maybe a bit more. A bit of thought about saving electricity while on site would seem appropriate in light of this impending energy crisis.

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[Pausim]

I think future energy costs could be a game changer. Heated shower blocks with copious amounts of hot water with customers happy to squander it because “they have paid for it”. 3Kw fan heaters running full time in awnings while 95% of the heat is lost. I am not preaching, I have been guilty of much waste in my life but I think things may be very different in the future. I no longer want to pay for facilities I rarely use and electricity others have wasted.

The times they are a-changin.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin………….

Bob Dylan

Edit
p.s. I include myself in any implied criticism contained in this post.

 

[Gellyneck]

I think future energy costs could be a game changer. Heated shower blocks with copious amounts of hot water with customers happy to squander it because “they have paid for it”. 3Kw fan heaters running full time in awnings while 95% of the heat is lost. I am not preaching, I have been guilty of much waste in my life but I think things may be very different in the future. I no longer want to pay for facilities I rarely use and electricity others have wasted.

The times they are a-changin.

Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin………….

Bob Dylan

Edit
p.s. I include myself in any implied criticism contained in this post.

and for those with poorish eyesight!

 

[Dorset Diver]

It would appear that implementation of the new system tomorrow has been delayed. An IT glitch?

 

[Coolcats]

It would appear that implementation of the new system tomorrow has been delayed. An IT glitch?

Business as normal for many companies and best it is right before switching over

 

[RandallC]

The C&CC have a terrible online booking system though

You can loose the will ti live using the CCC site to book a tour.

Have complained, emailed, advised that for touring their site/booking system is near worse than useless.

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[cyberyacht]

Get yourself a refillable gas cylinder and a lithium battery and then you can just ring up somewhere the day before as you will have a far greater choice of location. Unless you're picky about where you stay of course.

 

[Neil S]

You can loose the will ti live using the CCC site to book a tour.

Have complained, emailed, advised that for touring their site/booking system is near worse than useless.

One of the many reasons I've ditched the C&CC because of the hopeless booking system , the inflexible attitude to a 3 minimum night stay and the fact that the C&CC took 8 months and countless emails to refund £1500 they owed me when I had my Spanish site bookings and ferry from Spain cancelled under my feet because of Covid .

 

[RandallC]

Get yourself a refillable gas cylinder and a lithium battery and then you can just ring up somewhere the day before as you will have a far greater choice of location. Unless you're picky about where you stay of course.

Have a refill gas system, Can't ever justify Lion or LIPos. and sometimes when you look you can't get a pitch fo love nor money where you want.

 

[big gin]

Yes, supposed to be going live Monday, I've got a load of bookings to make for next July & August, so I'll be seeing how well it works with the inrush

Why wait for one company?? I don’t have a problem paying a deposit, I do have a problem with the length of time it took to get year in advance bookings back up and running, it’s a shambles that we all support with our annual membership.
We have booked for June, July, August and September with other companies, mostly tranquil parks adult only sites. We don’t have anything booked with CAMC so cancelling our membership for a year, possibly longer if the other sites are as good as they look. Nothing to lose and the cost of a year’s membership will be a nice little pub meal!

 

[Spriddler]

I doubt that new caravan or m/h owners (of which anecdotally there seem to be very many) will be aware of how things used to be, except for the abysmal CAMC website which gives the impression that their I.T. department is staffed by 7 years olds. I was going to say 10 yr olds but they'd make a much better job of it.

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[Bobby-gg]

Why wait for one company?? I don’t have a problem paying a deposit, I do have a problem with the length of time it took to get year in advance bookings back up and running, it’s a shambles that we all support with our annual membership.
We have booked for June, July, August and September with other companies, mostly tranquil parks adult only sites. We don’t have anything booked with CAMC so cancelling our membership for a year, possibly longer if the other sites are as good as they look. Nothing to lose and the cost of a year’s membership will be a nice little pub meal!

Because, the bookings I wanted are down to location, I want chatsworth house for the country faire and Southport for the airshow - I can't book other companies sites with where I want to be