End of Season 2017

Late summer blue sky and balloon over the playpark

We’ve recently taken the time to read through the Suggestions and Comments left for us by campers over the past year. I heard a quote once that humans are like Teflon when it comes to compliments and Velcro when it comes to criticism so with that in mind, here goes!
Suggestions:-
We missed a waste bin in the washing area 
We did too. We took it out when we replaced the sinks and there’s no space now. We don’t want to put in a big bin as it will encourage people to leave all their rubbish there. It’s on Greg’s jobs list this winter. Watch this space
The cheeseburger was not what I expected 
We agree. We’ve taken it off the menu for 2018
Electric problems let the site down 
We invested in the site electrics last winter. In September 2017, a series of events (unseasonably cold weather, a surprising number of campers, some excessively huge units and most significantly, a broken pump in the drainage system) meant that the power tripped several times a day. Now that we have identified the problem, we can work on solving the issue.
Pourquoi vous n’acceptiez pas de chèques vacances? 
Parce qu’il n’y en a pas suffisant pour adhérer à l’association et c’est un poids administratif en plus
Have you thought about putting a chewing gum machine on the campsite? 
We already find chewing gum stuck under the tables in the bar, on the sunloungers etc. We don’t really want to encourage this by selling gum on site.
Why don’t you put a platform in the pool to make a shallow end? 
For every comment we get about the pool being too deep, we receive another saying how people love a pool they can dive into. We inform people about the depth of the pool on our website and at the moment, we have no plans to change it.
The small wash block was disgustingly filthy 
Wow! Strong words from a lady who took up a whole page in the Guest Book to complain about our reaction to her complaint. It’s true that we didn’t react particularly well. Especially when she demanded that we (John) go and clean the block immediately. While we will work on our way of receiving criticism (upon investigation, it turned out that the wash block HADN’T been cleaned for 24h due a mix-up in the staff rota), it’s true to say that clients could also take some responsibility in the way they report problems to us. John works hard to maintain standards on the campsite. If there’s a problem, it’s certainly not due to a lack of attention on his behalf and if the wash block was “disgustingly filthy”, its possibly due to the users rather than our cleaning staff (see below!)
Why don’t you put a generator under the mill? 
We’ve investigated the possibility. We would need to install a system to regulate the level of water coming down stream which would cost a fortune, require serious administrative complications and it would make a constant noise. Also at certain times of the year...

...there's little or no water

...or it's flooded! 

So, for the moment, it’s not one of our priorities. 

You should make sure there is always a supply of toilet paper. 
Sorry. We do try!
Why don’t you provide soap in the wash blocks? 
Most people bring their own soap. It would be costly to install dispensers in each cubicle, and they make additional mess which our cleaners would have to deal with, as well as ensuring they were constantly refilled. We don’t think it’s worth it. It is camping after all...
The crossroads by the bridge is dangerous. 
We know. We’ve written several times to the local authorities warning them that it’s an accident waiting to happen but have received no answer.



And now onto the compliments:
Every comment bar one (see above!) mentioned the cleanliness of the washblocks and we’d like to thank our team for their hard work and commitment this summer. Apart from a hiccup in August (sorry about that), we do try to ensure that the blocks are cleaned daily/twice daily and preferably at times when they aren’t being used. Which means that our staff often work between midnight and 7am … (a big ask when they’re already working shifts in the day time too). It’s good to know that you recognise their efforts.

Many people commented on the friendliness of our staff, in Reception, the bar and generally around and about. It’s true, we have had a lovely team this year and they all seem to enjoy their experience of working with us too.

Many of you appreciated the weekly walks, the photography museum, the BBQs & live music events, Starman and other little extras like the Ice Pack shack and the eco-fun entertainment. We do too. It’s what makes our job be different each year and we do try to listen to your comments and respond by providing services you enjoy, and which we can fulfil in amongst everything else going on.

Greg came in for special mention: trying to mow around tents, awnings, guy ropes and tow bars isn’t easy and he works very hard to keep the site looking good throughout the season. And it clearly works because most people commented what a lovely site we have, particularly rare to find a site without rows of mobile homes, and with such a peaceful atmosphere.

As the season draws to a close, we say goodbye to our last campers and prepare for the winterisation of the pool, the wash blocks and the bar. Somehow, we haven’t had time to begin our autumn gardening. 106 privet bushes to trim and soon, lots of leaves to rake. It’s reassuring to know that our hard work is appreciated and we look forward to welcoming you back in 2018.