Frustrated -Booking Sites

I sympathise with the OP,  but we have to recognise the transparency and technology of the clubs booking system allows us to see these fully booked situations, and, let’s not forget, also when vacancy gaps appear in them. There’s plenty of holiday (of various types) booking systems which you wouldn’t even know if they were full, because they wouldn’t be advertised at all at that time if full. Having that visibility allows us to consider alternative sites or dates easily.
And the full situation is not limited to CMHC sites, there’s plenty of private/commercial sites we’ve enquired about recently which are full at times.

I’m with DK in booking what CMHC sites we can, and watching and waiting for gaps to appear; that has worked for us too.

But, I have to say that I consider a major advantage of CMHC is the opportunity for members to book, and amend/cancel, without charge. If that was not the case, I for one would question why be a member if you wished to use that type of site (ie not CLs). It’s interesting that, as a result of the pandemic, many travel and tourism providers are now offering flexible booking, with easy changes - not just due to COVID circumstances. I suspect this greater flexibility might be here to stay, so I say well done and thanks to the club in being ahead of the game.

I would suggest that there were many CL's in the area you were interested in visiting, at the dates you wanted, that had both H/S and EHU, very similar to the facilities provide by the club, that had a pitch available to book. Did you not think to have a look for one of them?

The few CL's I have used have been excellent. However the major problem for me as a motorhomer is that they are often quite remote. I do occasionally come across CL's which are near places within reasonable distance half to a mile away but that is pretty unusual. Likewise those near good transport links are also fairly rare. When I find them I make a note of them. We found a lovely CL at Beccles but that has now closed as a touring CL and now just offers permanent accommodation in the form of Pods and Houseboats.

David

The medium term forecast of poor weather is probably a significant factor in cancellations too.

Please, Please please, listen !

Start taking deposits for site bookings so far in advance. This will stop all the speculative bookers that just choose a pitch on Caravan Club site in case nothing else comes up.

Just been away to a CAMC site that was booked up solid early and then late on had pitches available.

We went on to a 2nd site that was an affiliate site that required a deposit and were talking to another CAMC member. We told him where we had been the week before and he openly admitted that he had booked the Looe site a year in advance "Just in case", nothing else came up. (Some sites don't take bookings until after Christmas).

You do not get this problem at Camping and Caravan club as they expect a deposit.

By all means, even offer a refund of deposit if cancelled say a couple of months before, this would deter many from just booking a pitch whilst they look around. I asked the afore mentioned member if he would have booked the pitch if he had to pay a deposit even though he would have been able to get a refund and he said "NO!"

Some of us still work and have to arrange leave months in advance so cannot be flexible and leave till the last minute.

Like, Urchin, we are more often booking with Camping Club or commercial sites, which are often cheaper. 

If I book with good intentions, pay a deposit, and circumstances change, which was the case 2 years ago due to family illness, I expect to lose my deposit. However, that Commercial site actually refunded my deposit without me even asking. I immediately booked another week with them.

Buckland, this had been debated time and time again. Have you read the links given in the earlier posts and the Q&As from the AGM? They give varying views and the club's standpoint. There is some change in the air apparently but we don’t know what it is.

I think it’s important to realise that last year and this year have not been 'normal' and it could be foolhardy to base any assumptions or changes on booking events and site occupancy over this time.

I would think that many points about booking have been looked at by this club. 

And as pointed out several times. There are numerous reasons for pitches to become available at "short notice" on sites ,not as you and others suspect only cancelations but then as also posted before very many commercial and ccc sites do not attract the High volume of people that this clubs site tend to

"If you have a specific date in mind book what you can and go back a few days later to book the rest"

...and this advice is often given....which is fine if thats the only site in the running...if you need to hedge your bets and also book an alternative, it cant be with CC as you cant have two bookings open for the same dates.

if the preferred site doesnt yeild cancellations, then youll have no alternative unless that is with a third party, which may include deposits, which would/might be lost if the club site does come up trumps...