Holidays, campsites, costs and odd rules........perhaps (1 Viewer)

dave newell

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We, ve nicked off for a week on holiday, spent 3 nights with friends near Cambridge for a 50th Birthday (happy birthday Gaz :) ) then set off to bimble back home. We don't need to be back before Thursday and thats just to sort fresh clothes and my race gear and car as Friday pm we roll for Loton Park for a weekend of throshing the poor little thing uphill. Quick search on 'tinternet this morning found a five van site between Stratford and Oxford called "The Norman Knight" in a village called Whichford. Website looked rather good, pub does good food' campsite has showers and toilets and they brew their own beer. Website insists we phone "during their opening hours" to book a pitch and pay deposit so we tried, eventually it goes to answerphone but message doesn't suggest they'll phone you back. We headed off in the general direction of the Cotswolds, repeatedly trying to phone to book a pitch for 3 nights with no joy. Any way we arrived about 2.30 pm to find a deserted pub all but the cleaner. "They don't open during the day monday and tuesday and they're not here now, don't know what time they'll be back". So we waited, had a cuppa then I noticed the Caravan Club CL members only sign. We decide we'd try Moreton in Marsh CC site instead as we knew they took none members and although we were fully aware of the none member supplement we decided to give it a try. They could give us one night for 26 quid but for three they wanted 108! They were pleasant and helpful suggesting another CC site a few miles away or "Fosseway Farm" also in Moreton. We opted for Fosseway as it was closest, no problem, £14 a night with no hookup so here we are. I suppose this is abit of a whinge but mostly about the Norman Knight as their website is quite misleading, I also cannot figure why such a pleasant CL was totally devoid of any campers or caravans during the first week of August, surely it should be full?

D.
 

dylan

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Interesting post, we are an adults only CS and have 3 units on site. Friend said his daughter went to a Peak District site with her tent and there was only her and two vans on site. He thought there should have been more at a weekend. Are folks staying at home during school holidays ?
 
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dave newell

dave newell

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Thats a good point. As for the Norman Knight I can't help but thik its a combination of over priced food (and even the site perhaps at £16.50 a night although they do have showers and hookups) poor info on website and apparently unmanned booking phone no at least on Monday and Tuesday and poor marketing.

D.

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dylan

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Not good business sense as I'm sure every business man/woman knows !
 

bobandjanie

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Hi Dave, the camping and caravan club have a holiday rally running at Stow on the Wold rugby club £6.50 a night ::bigsmile: Broken Link Removed
We stayed there last year for a couple of nights, but you have to be a member.
Don't know if you have been to any THS, but you just turn up no need to book. :thumb: Bob.
 

pappajohn

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I also cannot figure why such a pleasant CL was totally devoid of any campers or caravans during the first week of August, surely it should be full?

I can think of two reasons.....


1....they dont answer the phone (could have a divert set to forward calls)

2....£36 per night :Eeek:

I wouldnt pay that for ANY site.

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lorger

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Although you may think £26 is expensive for the night we are currently in Slovenia and so far we are only on our second campsite first one for 3 nights at lake Bled for 2 adults a 16 and 15 year old girls. The cost was €165 but they gave us a 10% discount as we are cc members and we only had ehu for one night so the girls could charge their phones and stuff. The site was in ideal situation and clean facilities but in my opinion over priced for what it was and just due to location.

We are now in Bovec where we will stay on a very basic site for 2 nights at the cost of €36 with ehu and free wifi, although we did get a discount on our white water rafting through the site.
 

MHVirgins

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It makes you wonder how some sites (usually CL's) are still in business........not having a pop at CL's in general though. But we've been trying to get in touch with a CL on the outskirts of Glasgow for a couple of weeks, have left two messages on their answering machine now and sent an e-mail to them through their website. They haven't bothered to get back to us, so we can only guess they're not interested in contacting us and don't want the business.
Perhaps they don't want the hassle in late November, but they advertise as being open all year round.
I would prefer it if they could at least have the decency to call back or e-mail us and then we would know where we stand :Sad:
 

pappajohn

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It makes you wonder how some sites (usually CL's) are still in business........not having a pop at CL's in general though. But we've been trying to get in touch with a CL on the outskirts of Glasgow for a couple of weeks, have left two messages on their answering machine now and sent an e-mail to them through their website. They haven't bothered to get back to us, so we can only guess they're not interested in contacting us and don't want the business.
Perhaps they don't want the hassle in late November, but they advertise as being open all year round.
I would prefer it if they could at least have the decency to call back or e-mail us and then we would know where we stand :Sad:

I would be sending them another email stating exactly that, but include 'as you cant be bothered to reply we will book elsewhere.'

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haganap

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Personally I can not speak highly enough of CLs. We use them all the time, never pay more than about£8 have a wonderful network of locations, use them when running etc. no electric means generally no caravans :Smile:.
Staying on one next weekend whilst running in the peaks, lady returned my call straight away and said she was looking forward to seeing us, also on many occasions we have been offered hard standing even on the farm drive if the fields muddy.

Well worth my CC membership every year:thumb:
 

jonandshell

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We love our CLs too!

Add a pub and we'll be back for more.

Psst, if you want a quiet getaway at a CL, book the day after Haggers leaves. That monster of a dog of his will have scared away all the other CC members!::bigsmile:
 

dylan

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It makes you wonder how some sites (usually CL's) are still in business........not having a pop at CL's in general though. But we've been trying to get in touch with a CL on the outskirts of Glasgow for a couple of weeks, have left two messages on their answering machine now and sent an e-mail to them through their website. They haven't bothered to get back to us, so we can only guess they're not interested in contacting us and don't want the business.
Perhaps they don't want the hassle in late November, but they advertise as being open all year round.
I would prefer it if they could at least have the decency to call back or e-mail us and then we would know where we stand :Sad:

I find this very sad:Sad: I return all calls if I can't answer the phone and I have an email alerter so I know when customers email me and reply quickly many a customer has said "wow that was quick" when I reply. People like this give us campsites a bad name.

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Jan 28, 2008
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its the stratford effect at tiddington we wasnt allowed to park with hab doors facing and the bar wouldnt put lemonade in my beer then we were refused from a pub site just south of stratford due to being a self build
 

Allanm

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Unfortunately, we have noticed this more and more. We have tried many CS's ( we are C&CC members) and very few are contactable. On the other hand, thd ones that do reply have brilliant sites, never more than a couple of vans or MH's and cheap too
I often wonder what foreign travellers think of the UK campsites and general lack of places to pitch up at a moments notice. Especially if they are used to aires and the like
We spent thd day overlooking the English channel yesterday in a free car park. As it got darker, 3 German MH's turned up to spend the night.
All 3 said they had problems finding places to stay for a night
Still, they all found this car park. Which is probably the nicest place to park at any time oc day within 50 miles of Dover
And it's our secret!
Allan
 

MHVirgins

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I would be sending them another email stating exactly that, but include 'as you cant be bothered to reply we will book elsewhere.'


Funnily enough, I have just sent them another e-mail through the CC website this time. By the tone of my e-mail they definitely won't come back now:roflmto:
There aren't many CLs within 10 miles of Glasgow open around the last week in November and unfortunately Strathclyde Park CC site is like spending a night in the middle of a busy roundabout.
Think we're doomed now:Doh:

Margaret

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MHVirgins

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Unfortunately, we have noticed this more and more. We have tried many CS's ( we are C&CC members) and very few are contactable. On the other hand, thd ones that do reply have brilliant sites, never more than a couple of vans or MH's and cheap too
I often wonder what foreign travellers think of the UK campsites and general lack of places to pitch up at a moments notice. Especially if they are used to aires and the like
We spent thd day overlooking the English channel yesterday in a free car park. As it got darker, 3 German MH's turned up to spend the night.
All 3 said they had problems finding places to stay for a night
Still, they all found this car park. Which is probably the nicest place to park at any time oc day within 50 miles of Dover
And it's our secret!
Allan

And here was us thinking you were going to share this little gem with us all:RollEyes:
 

sedge

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I think it's poor business practice - but there again most CLs aren't run as a business per se are they? They are usually just an add-on or a hobby.

And people do have lives.

They could have left the country and forgot to change their ansafone message, had a bereavement or a nervous breakdown, or alternatively had a carbon monoxide leak and be lying dead in their beds.

Or just be knobheads of course!

We stayed on a great CL near Skegness, we had phoned to see if they had space and the chap just said, Yes, turn up and choose your pitch, we probably won't be in.

Just one other unit on site, another MoHo. We got talking .... they'd rung too. They were asked for their name, CC membership number, Reg of van, virtually his inside leg measurements.

No idea why - we did expect him to want to know our names and what we'd got and were most surprised when he didn't. Most odd.

But then - there's nowt so queer as folk, is there?
 
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dave newell

dave newell

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Hi Dave, the camping and caravan club have a holiday rally running at Stow on the Wold rugby club £6.50 a night ::bigsmile: Broken Link Removed
We stayed there last year for a couple of nights, but you have to be a member.
Don't know if you have been to any THS, but you just turn up no need to book. :thumb: Bob.

Thanks Bob but we're not members of any clubs now due to rarely getting time off to use the sites. The site we're on also has a C&CC THS in situ which would have been £7 a night if we were members. Happy enough with £14 a night though.

D.

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dave newell

dave newell

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I also cannot figure why such a pleasant CL was totally devoid of any campers or caravans during the first week of August, surely it should be full?

I can think of two reasons.....


1....they dont answer the phone (could have a divert set to forward calls)

2....£36 per night :Eeek:

I wouldnt pay that for ANY site.

Hi PJ, the CL was £16.50 a night, the CC site proper at Moreton in Marsh could give us one night for £26 or three nights for £108 due to none members supplement. They did us a favour 'cos the site we're on is just as close to town, just as quiet but less regimented and lots cheaper so we're happy here for three nights.

D.
 
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dave newell

dave newell

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Personally I can not speak highly enough of CLs. We use them all the time, never pay more than about£8 have a wonderful network of locations, use them when running etc. no electric means generally no caravans :Smile:.
Staying on one next weekend whilst running in the peaks, lady returned my call straight away and said she was looking forward to seeing us, also on many occasions we have been offered hard standing even on the farm drive if the fields muddy.

Well worth my CC membership every year:thumb:

Hi Paul, yes CLs and CSs are a brilliant network and if we had the opportunities to use them more often we'd join one or the other clubs and do it but we can't so we won't. I was just amazed that their website painted such a wonderful picture of the place and said we must call to bok a pitch with no mention of it being a CC members only CL and then nobody there to answer the phone and even when we arrived it was deserted all but for the cleaner who didn't know wht time anyone might be about. Seems an odd way to run a pub never mind a pub with a campsite.

D.
 
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dave newell

dave newell

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I think it's poor business practice - but there again most CLs aren't run as a business per se are they? They are usually just an add-on or a hobby.

And people do have lives.

They could have left the country and forgot to change their ansafone message, had a bereavement or a nervous breakdown, or alternatively had a carbon monoxide leak and be lying dead in their beds.

Or just be knobheads of course!

We stayed on a great CL near Skegness, we had phoned to see if they had space and the chap just said, Yes, turn up and choose your pitch, we probably won't be in.

Just one other unit on site, another MoHo. We got talking .... they'd rung too. They were asked for their name, CC membership number, Reg of van, virtually his inside leg measurements.

No idea why - we did expect him to want to know our names and what we'd got and were most surprised when he didn't. Most odd.

But then - there's nowt so queer as folk, is there?

Hi Jenny, yes they do have lives but if you choose to run a business in a service industry you should make arrangements to keep it running or make it plainly obvious that you're not there for whatever reason. As it was the pub does open on Monday evenings 6-10.30 no food available so presumably someone would have arrived before 6.00 pm. I did make use of his toilet dump to empty the cassette but that was before I realised it was a CC site and I wouldn't be able to stay, as we were sat looking at an empty five van field we thought at that point we'd be stopping. Again their lack of businesss sense did us a favour cos we're no on a nice site, in a nice town a £2.50 a night better off for it to boot. I consider that to be their loss not mine.

D.

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We are in our second year of CC. We find that a lot of the time we are leaving messages and getting no response (this was true of C&CC as well)
This may be due to the fact that we do not tend to book in advance but ring on the day (normally Friday or Saturday) to find a pitch. We have some cracking sites locally which we like to stay on and can normally squeeze in one of them.
That said, it would be useful to get a call even if its to say sorry we are full.
 

dylan

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I think it's poor business practice - but there again most CLs aren't run as a business per se are they? They are usually just an add-on or a hobby.

And people do have lives.

They could have left the country and forgot to change their ansafone message, had a bereavement or a nervous breakdown, or alternatively had a carbon monoxide leak and be lying dead in their beds.

Or just be knobheads of course!

We stayed on a great CL near Skegness, we had phoned to see if they had space and the chap just said, Yes, turn up and choose your pitch, we probably won't be in.

Just one other unit on site, another MoHo. We got talking .... they'd rung too. They were asked for their name, CC membership number, Reg of van, virtually his inside leg measurements.

No idea why - we did expect him to want to know our names and what we'd got and were most surprised when he didn't. Most odd.

But then - there's nowt so queer as folk, is there?

True, not a business as such but it takes alot of work to keep it decent and if you are going to run a site do it the very best you can and not play about at it.

You are supposed to ask for all details and send them in on paperwork at the end of the year to C&CC
:thumb:
 
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I would say they are pricing themselves out, when if you live anywhere south it is probably far cheaper to go to France with free aires you soon get your ferry fare back, we have found plenty empty or at least not full sites in the south last month.

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Jan 28, 2008
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weve never used a cl we were members of ccc for a couple of years, are they only for the use of members of the big 2 clubs or can anyone use them we couldnt work out how you booked them
could some one explain the whole system /concept
 

Fireman Sam

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Hi Dave, the camping and caravan club have a holiday rally running at Stow on the Wold rugby club £6.50 a night ::bigsmile: Broken Link Removed
We stayed there last year for a couple of nights, but you have to be a member.
Don't know if you have been to any [HI]THS[/HI], but you just turn up no need to book. :thumb: Bob.

THS? Pardon my ignorance.
 

pappajohn

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Hi PJ, the CL was £16.50 a night, the CC site proper at Moreton in Marsh could give us one night for £26 or three nights for £108 due to none members supplement. They did us a favour 'cos the site we're on is just as close to town, just as quiet but less regimented and lots cheaper so we're happy here for three nights.

D.

Sorry Dave, misunderstanding on my part :Doh:

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pappajohn

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weve never used a cl we were members of ccc for a couple of years, are they only for the use of members of the big 2 clubs or can anyone use them we couldnt work out how you booked them
could some one explain the whole system /concept

CLs/CSs are independent, privately run sites but use the big clubs to get business....because they are affiliated to the clubs, the clubs insist members only can use them.

to book you ring the CL/CS owner direct, not via the club booking system.
 

GJH

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We haven't used CLs/CSs much but normally find them easy and friendly. We tried booking one near Worcester, though, and after leaving a message and not being called back we decided to try The Ketch - we are there at the moment.

Right on the banks of the Severn, near the ring road so easy to get to, £15 a night including electric. Bus stops for Worcester & Pershore 5 mins away. Toby Carvery next door and a Harvester pub near the bus stops.

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