Message Forums

Quote: Originally posted by AndyVines on 25/9/2008

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You could leave a review but you would probably find that once those wardens have moved on it will be different.

On the whole we find the staff at Forest Holidays and the CC sites helpful and understanding, but you will always get the exceptions.

On one CC site the warden went into my drive away awning when I was off site to see what my hookup lead was connected to. Complaint made and two site night vouchers received, as he was wrong to do so.

I have been to some sites where dogs are welcome then only to find that the signs indicate that some how the dogs must hover above the ground until they are clear of the site boundaries.

Other 'wardens' insist you all park the same way, go back a year later and new wardens and as long as you are within you pitch area (hardstanding) do what you want.

For the last two years at Hollands Wood the staff have been the same, and they are very helpful friendly people the year before they were jobsworth, it's only 11.55 mate you can't come in until 12.

I could go on but I think you are getting the jist.

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I'm wondering if this is a fault within the club system, a jobs worth warden or even a bad warden can be moved around with in the sites system instead of being weeded out after complaints about them.

We have only had a problem twice on CC sites (our latest I have written about in the campsites section) but we have seen the same wardens on about 12 sites over the years one of them seems to get complaints (although we have not had a problem with him) where ever he is posted !

At the end of the day if someone is unhappy with the way they have been treated they need to write to the respective Club. No end of debate on here will change things. Unless rules go into several volumes there will always be room for interpretation. Often the way a warden will approach things is often dictated by previous experience on that site by thoughtless campers who will bend rules to their own ends. The real problem is that whilst I believe both Clubs do their best to listen to members there are few encouraged opportunities for public debate within the Clubs. If both Clubs had member only forums where debate could be joined and answers given I think it would be a healthy thing.

David

Quote: Originally posted by Julie + Steven on 26/9/2008

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Yes I think you are right there David, but a debate here can warn others of what to expect

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I am not altogether sure on that one. Another person could go to the same site and not have a problem. We also only ever hear one side of the story, at least the Club will investigate and listen to both sides before replying.

I accept forums such as this allow people to let off steam and that can be therapeutic!

David

Hi Vickit,

Dont want to disillusion you re your October holiday, but aren't Forest Holidays run by Camping & Caravan Club - same wardens, same firm, different t-shirts!

little jack

Hi Little Jack

Yes they are a joint operation between the C&CC & the forestry commission, but it does appear that you're not charged for gazeebos as far as I can see.......

Paul

That logic doesn't work with the forest holidays sites as they don't have pitches laid out, you park up wherever you want so long as you are 6m away from the next unit.  That's why I imagined that the size of your unit would be the determining factor, but apparently not!

Equally most UK sites that do have defined pitches charge you differently depending on what you park on the pitch, I think the French system of so much for a pitch and a person is a lot fairer, but then again their sites seem to be pretty pricy.

Logic doesn't appear to be something that comes into it unfortunately!

Vicki

Quote: Originally posted by David Klyne on 26/9/2008

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At the end of the day if someone is unhappy with the way they have been treated they need to write to the respective Club. No end of debate on here will change things. Unless rules go into several volumes there will always be room for interpretation. Often the way a warden will approach things is often dictated by previous experience on that site by thoughtless campers who will bend rules to their own ends. The real problem is that whilst I believe both Clubs do their best to listen to members there are few encouraged opportunities for public debate within the Clubs. If both Clubs had member only forums where debate could be joined and answers given I think it would be a healthy thing.

David

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  I also think thats a good idea David,in 17 years I have only felt compelled to

 complain twice once about a wardens attitude over us being set up on a pitch that

 turned out to belong to a m/h that had not left a pitch occupied sign and the 

wardens oppo did not tell us when we went to get the loo key,this resulted in me having to take down awning and move I,m disabled btw, when it would have been far easier to move m/h to another pitch,warden would not have it. and once about

 children destroying fence o/s toilets in late evening (why are disabled pitches right next to toilets?) while their parents were getting noisily drunk in their awning (family

group three caravans) holiday from hell, warden never seen after 6pm,complained

 got no where, wrote to CC no reply emailed no answer gave up!

 A club forum would be a great help.PS enjoyed Germany calling.

OMG

It's going from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Seeing this topic made me see red because I wrote to Forest Holidays a year or so ago about this subject and got nowhere.  This was before they became part of C&C so I thought the 'friendly club' might have made changes to the rules that would make it fair for motorhomes, but obviously not!

We live near the New Forest and used to go to various sites for weekends, sometimes taking one of our cars as well as our tiny motorhome if one of us needed to leave the site for any reason during the weekend.  We were charged £5 for parking the car on the pitch and when we pointed out that we were taking up much less space than some of the giant caravans with their awnings and 4x4s they didn't want to know.  Also, their charges are (or were at that time) per pitch not per person so a giant caravan might contain 6 people using the facilities as opposed to just the 2 of us.  HOW CAN THEY JUSTIFY THIS?

This is a not anything to do with jobsworth wardens (although some of them are, I agree), it's FH's rules.  It is grossly unfair and should be stopped.

Jan

Hasnt Forest Holidays been sold to foreign owners on a long lease on all sites, with investment promised (for "investment" read higher charges).

 The thing about price is it will never be "fair" to everyone. My van is the same size as a car, but a car could put up a tent big enough to park six vans in. My van could sleep six at a push without an awning (another four in there too).

The term "jobsworth" is more often than not applied to someone in authority making decisions based on rules that people tend to think apply to everyone else but them. For example if a warden saw someone park in someone elses space; isnt it their respnsibility to move the "offender" not the legitimate camper on their return!! I would expect them to do it for me!!!