Caravan Club Wardens - Guess what? (1 Viewer)

moandick

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An email that I have just sent to the Caravan Club:

For the last five years we have been telling American Motorhome Owners (members of the Big Pitch Guide) that they can go to White Water Park with vehicles up to a maximum length of 38ft - (as advised by the Caravan Club in their original Large Pitches List) I attach a copy of the page for White Water Park which clearly shows a 36ft motorhome on a 'hardened pitch'.

Recently one of my members tried to book a pitch on that site with his 30ft motorhome and he was told quite specifically that they no longer accepted American Motorhomes of any size. Can I please ask why?

I tried to speak to the Warden this morning but he immediately told me to talk direct to Club sites - and when I said to him that Club Sites had already told us to talk direct to the Wardens concerned in a situation like this - he then told me that he didn't like my attitude and put the telephone down on me. Now I expect that sort of attitude from some of your Wardens when it comes to American Motorhomes - they simply do not like them being on their sites - but in this case, where the site has already got 'hardened pitches' (grass growing through brick base) - we really ought to get a better answer than "We don't take RV's anymore!"

I appreciate that we have only around 7000 members in this Country and therefore cannot compete in any way, shape or form, with you but please bear in mind that many of our members are also members of the Caravan Club and we feel that we are not getting the same service as 'standard' members of the Club.

Dick Kingswell - Ex-warden St Agnes Beacon Caravan Club Site 1990-1996) Membership number: 12096775

To reinforce my case - Can I ask ANY members of MHFun to tell me if they have been to White Water Park, Stockton-on-Tees recently (in the last two/three years) especially if they have a photograph of their rig on site?

Through here or direct to: moandick@aol.com

Any information would be seriously appreciated.

Dick
 
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zaskar

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I take my hat off to you Dick!
Think you're flogging a dead horse..........but I still applaud you.:thumb:
Well done for at least trying.:thumb:

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Mrs Munchie

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We have friends who are CC club wardens so I usually leap to their defense. However, we have stayed at Whitewater many times and have seen the largest of RV's on there so there should be no problem. Must say the current wardens are the most miserable and unhelpful little Hitlers we have come accross on any site!!!
 
Feb 18, 2009
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Hi we stay at White Water on a regular basis as it is close to us though not in the Summer Season.On one visit we were talking to a couple in a huge American RV that had booked on line to be told on arrival that they were too large but space would be found.Speak as you find we have always found the wardens friendly. I will look on our next visit and post any photo,s.Sue and Steve

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peter marshall

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Hi Dick I have not stopped at that site, but was on the cc crystal palace site about a month ago and there was a large rv parked up on a large pitch complete with frog. Peter:thumb:
 
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moandick

moandick

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Hi Dick I have not stopped at that site, but was on the cc crystal palace site about a month ago and there was a large rv parked up on a large pitch complete with frog. Peter:thumb:

Thanks for that, Peter. Crystal Palace was in the original Big Pitch Guide but was removed because the Caravan Club stuck a 28ft limit on outfits attending. Now, of course, big rigs are subject to the LEZ regulations so I don't think we will be filling Boris's coffers just yet!
Thanks for the info, though, we will update our records.

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paradocs

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Thanks for that, Peter. Crystal Palace was in the original Big Pitch Guide but was removed because the Caravan Club stuck a 28ft limit on outfits attending. Now, of course, big rigs are subject to the LEZ regulations so I don't think we will be filling Boris's coffers just yet!
Thanks for the info, though, we will update our records.
I would seriously check before you update, Dick.
It still states max 8.5 mtrs on their webpage Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site - Site Detail
I was refused my attempted booking approx 2 years ago by the then warden of Crystal Palace because of this new max size ruling, after spending many weekends there previously. This led me to cancel my membership, and i am not about to rejoin based on the personal attitude of the current wardens. What happens when they move on or replaced? Suddenly you are back to the goosestepping brigade!
I am pleased that someone has spotted a large RV there recently, but how long will it be before they are refused once more?
BTW my RV is 34' long and runs on petrol/LPG, which is unaffected by the LEZ :winky:
 
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moandick

moandick

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Well, I am dumb-founded, I have actually had a sensible reply from the Caravan Club with reference to the White Water Caravan Club Site complaint recently...........

Dear Mr Kingswell

I acknowledge receipt of your recent e-mail via the Enquiry Service. I have discussed this issue with the Regional Manager who has asked me to convey his apologies for the misunderstanding. The Wardens who were on site when you arrived are not regular wardens at the site and they were not aware that we can take RV’s up to a particular size because all the pitches are “engineered” at the site and are limited in terms of depth. There is a high proportion of grass on the site and accordingly we have to be careful about what we put on grass pitches having regard to the state of the ground prevailing at the time.

Once again, please accept my apologies for the confusion and if I can be of any further help or assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Chris Hurst
Sites Co-ordinator

I shall now ask him to deal with the myriad of other complaints that I have received this last week or so!

Dick
 

scotjimland

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I shall now ask him to deal with the myriad of other complaints that I have received this last week or so!

Dick

Result Dick..

As an aside, did you know that chrismacgowan ( a fun member ) is on The Caravan Club executive committee .. maybe he can assist ?

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moandick

moandick

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Thanks for that information, Jim - I have recorded it in my little black book for future reference - but being as Chris is sensible enough to belong to the 'fun' site - I really wouldn't want to spoil his enjoyment of what I consider to be one of the best and most informative sites on the web (creep creep to the 'other' Jim! :Smile:).

:Blush:

If I ever meet him at Club HQ, mind you, then it is 'daggers drawn'
 
Feb 22, 2008
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I have not had any problems with my 30ft rv on cclub sites albeit I always book direct with site.
On arrival they normally remark " Ooh what a big one" but I'm sure it does'nt show :ROFLMAO:

30ft???

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moandick

moandick

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"we can take RV’s up to a particular size"


he's not giving much away as to the ACTUAL maximum size though.:RollEyes:

Actually Pappajohn, if you read the whole thing and compare it to my original email - he hasn't actually answered me at all - BUT that is about as close as I have ever come to having a Caravan Club official (almost) telling me that the 'Wardens' (be they assistant, flying squad or whatever) were actually in the wrong! :Eeek:

That has never happened before - and I am happy to accept it - but it goes into my little Black Book for future reference! :thumb:
 

Patrick

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I have canceled my C&C membership at the begining of this year, partly due to not using sites much and the other reason was having booked and traveled to meet friends at a site. On arrival, being told i could not come on to the site due to a double booking.....would'nt even let me park on a grass pitch with no services. there were 5 pitches empty but had been booked by caravaners they never turned up all weekend...we stayed down by the river, wild camped and had a better time......no one to tell us of like school kids for walking on the grass He He!

Fook Em!

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moandick

moandick

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Final Part of this sorry saga - a post that I have just read on the BPG web site from the member who complained originally of this problem:

Hi Dick,

I've just received a response from a Chris Hurst apologizing for the misunderstanding when we arrived at the White Water site. He said that the wardens on site were just assistants and did not really know. The fact is that - they would have let us on - it was the miserable sod that has been there for a few years who wouldn't. I have sent an e-mail back telling to the Caravan Club pointing this fact out to them and told them I would not go back to that site anyway because of the Wardens attitude. Also told them our caravan club membership will be cancelled.

So my initial elation at having got a proper response from an official of the Caravan Club for the first time has been totally shattered by their (once again) obvious reluctance to investigate the matter properly and deal with it properly.

It turns out to be just another stereotyped response - why do I keep hoping that one day they will change? :Sad:

Mo and I, after nearly 20 years membership, have also reluctantly decided that we have had enough of their attitude and we shall cancel our membership after this year is up.

They won't miss me - and I sure as hell won't miss them! :Angry:
 
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zaskar

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Mo and I, after nearly 20 years membership, have also reluctantly decided that we have had enough of their attitude and we shall cancel our membership after this year is up.

They won't miss me - and I sure as hell won't miss them! :Angry:


Are you really sure you wanna do that Dick?
Beieve me, I'm the last person to stick up for CC wardens given the the percentage of bad ones I've unfortunately met. I'm with you all the way on this one.:thumb:

When ffi and I had A class RV's (a 32ft and a 34ft) granted, they were a little bit smaller than yours, but we found that there was plenty of scope with the CL network. In the end, we never used the big sites (and still wont on principle!) and we always stuck with CL's. Yes, we always booked ahead, that's just common sense isn't it, and yes, we had some tight situations, but the wonderfull places we managed to get our rig to had to be seen to be believed. No little hitlers in green overalls, no regimented rows of vans, no Mr Merceded& Carlight25yearmember, tut-tuting at you while you're trying to pitch up, and I would say 99% of the time, a really friendly welcome from the CL owners which is a hell of a lot better percentage than I've ever managed with the hitlers!
Think about it Dick. You might be doing yourself out of some lovelly places just cos the hitlers have wound you up!:Angry:
Good Luck:thumb:
 
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moandick

moandick

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Another email from another of the Big Pitch Guide members:.....

Hi there,

We stayed at White Water Park Caravan Club Site, Stockton from the 1st to the 4th November 2008, (our RV is 33 feet long).


We booked through central bookings, but when we arrived we were told of a length limit - however, we were allowed to stay on a grass pitch but told if it had been wet we wouldn`t be allowed on the site.

The warden said in quieter times we could park cross ways on a hard pitch but that staying there in peak season wouldn`t be possible.

Hope this helps others

Geoff & Lynn Walker



If you look up this site in the Caravan Club web site - their published length limit is.... 11.6 metres - or 38ft in the old measurements!

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PeteH

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Size? is it important? (bloody right!!)

Hi

Greetings Dick, Sorry to hear you have been having more "fun" with the C-C. As you are aware I had similar problems with Rowntree Park at Christmas in spite of having had the rig there about 5 times now. I would still like to put up a "motion" for C-C AGM, based on taking such decision making away from the Wardens, and giving it to the member. The C-C is (allegedly) a democratic organisation, and I feel that maybe with backing of enough of a pressure group, it might be possible.

My main problem at this time is (actually) "time" to process such a venture having just bought a new "building site" (bungalow). What (I) we need is someone who is.
1) interested in helping 2) available to go the the AGM and speak on the motion.

If there is anyone out there who is in this position I could re-publish my proposal on this and though this forum thrash the draft into a formal "motion".

Pete
 
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moandick

moandick

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Hi Pete

I am currently trying to gather a portfolio of problem sites (or actually problem Wardens!) and other members of the BPG are also trying to gather knowledge. The main stumbling block is inertia - may RV'ers have now, or at some time in the past, had a problem BUT trying to get those people to come forward is just about as easy as trying to get Mr "average diner" to complain about a bad meal in a restaurant!

However, here is one trusted friend:.......

Dick. we feel much the same way, but there are still Caravan Club sites with a warm welcome for us. or should I say "were".
There is clearly some concern in the Caravan Club re RVs, as the internet booking system now has the question "Is it an RV" included. What difference does this make, as surely country of origin is immaterial.
Also, it used to be possible to book first, and confirm suitable pitch availability later with the Wardens, but now you have to book direct with the site if over a certain (guess 28 feet) length. so you can be excluded arbitrarily by whoever answers the phone on site.
We will be at the ARV AGM over the weekend, and I will bring this matter up there, to try to ascertain how many more of us are "enjoying" this problem.

Des & Ann Booth


Hopefully Des will come back with a folder full of information that we can use - I await the outcome - and of course, will keep everybody up to date.

Dick
 

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