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Original poster

Feather Down Farm - last minute group split... Advice

461 replies

Nicky1234 · 02/08/2011 17:37

A group of 5 families has booked early in the year to stay with feather down farm and were advised that we would all be together. Now 2 weeks before our stay we have been advised that in actual fact we are being split up because a group of 2 wants specific tents and so it makes that field too small for us.
Anyone been to one of these farms and do you think it will be a problem, we have 10 kids between us, 6 and under, so I am worried that they'll disturb other guests (rather than all being together they'll have to find each other). Also though there is a brook between the 2 fields so we're going to have to shepherd them about and it seems such a shame they cant just roam a little free (poor loves get no freedom). Selfishly the adults won't be able to hang out in the evenings either...
Im also really upset that we have to split up as seems unnecessary and unfair...
Any thoughts/ideas/suggestions to put my mind at ease.
Thanks

OP posts:
hocuspontas · 03/08/2011 15:56

Yes, it makes a complete mockery of their 'Come together' page...

lisad123 · 03/08/2011 16:49

I am certainly being put off booking for our big group next year :(

oranges · 03/08/2011 16:50

have you mentioned that your predicament is being discussed on mumsnet? or maybe someone else could drop them a line?

LIZS · 03/08/2011 16:56

Are you liaising with FDF or the site owner (sorry not sure how their system works). Perhaps the other group are "regualrs" if they are requesting speciific pitches and maybe they feel they have a (clearly misplaced) loyalty to them. They've left it this late to put you in a really hideous situation , knowing you would probably compromise. Maybe Trading Standards could advise you how best to approach it ?

feelingvfrazzled · 03/08/2011 17:23

The farm owner actually called my friend who booked us all in to tell her that the other people had booked 2 tents in the 6 tent field and we should speak to FDF straight away. On speaking to FDF there was a bit of too-ing and fro-ing as to who's fault it was.

When we booked we were told there was room for us all in the one field here as there were other camps available (we actually booked in November I have found out!). I'm not totally sure whether the other people were already booked into the farm, I can only hope that they were, but we were categorically told that there was room for us as a group in a single field. Which there isn't if the other people have requested 2 of the 6 as the other field has only 4 tents.

FDF are first claiming that the farmer is at fault and now that we dont have any guarantee as a group. I think you are right LIZS they have probably messed this up a bit with the other people as well and we are reasonable people but they're just trying desperately to wipe their hands of us. They are so unhelpful and keep saying that we have spent a lot of time on this and there is nothing else they can do!

We just want to go somewhere else :(

lisad123 · 03/08/2011 17:28

thing is its not a good impression at all is it! They clearly arent helping yu and would make me question what they would be like once you arrived :(

BellaBearisWideAwake · 03/08/2011 17:33

This thread has seriously put me off FDF. I'm serious, I'm not just saying it for the sake of the thread. Have you emailed them a link to this?

sockpoppet · 03/08/2011 17:38

So many people on this thread seem to have been put off booking a Feather Down Farm holiday because of their shoddy customer service.

lisad123 · 03/08/2011 17:43

i have emailed them Grin hopefully they will sort out their customer service, if not i think they are going to be losing alot of bussiness from MN

hocuspontas · 03/08/2011 18:10

Is it possible the interlopers, being regulars, booked with the farmer and op booked with FDF which is where the over-booking of the field occured? If so, they need to be straight on how this can be avoided in future.

AlmaMartyr · 03/08/2011 18:11

This would really put me off as well tbh. I've considered a FDF holiday for our family sometime but the customer service sounds appalling.

ChaosTrulyReigns · 03/08/2011 18:11

I was planning on going next year with 3 other families as a bigcelebration of us having finally turned 40.

I'll ceratainly be thinking twice about this, if there's no guarantee our party will be together.

Sad
RollingInTheAisles · 03/08/2011 18:17

Their booking for next year is going live later this month, I've been waiting as we wanted to book one of the Devon ones for our family but think we will go elsewhere now.

WhoWhoWhoWho · 03/08/2011 18:27

How disapointing for you all. Sounds to me like you have booked via FDF and the others have booked via the farmer.

I've always fancied going on one of these, have been drooling over the brochures even, but seeing their crappy customer service and poor management of bookings I don't think I will bother and will find an alternative. (And no I am not just saying that for the sake of this thread).

It must have cost a fair whack for such a large group of you to go, all of whom are now discussing this let down with their family and friends, who will mention it to their friends, and so on.

RollingInTheAisles · 03/08/2011 18:28

Just to add, it's because I would stress out worrying they would do this to us too. I understand not always being able to accommodate groups together but not changing their minds after you've booked. Basically you're paying for one thing but getting another.

Oblomov · 03/08/2011 18:35

I am so sad to heaqr this OP.
Our lovely campsite in Dorset, also CLEARLY states that they give no GUARANTEE for your pitch. So out of the 90 odd, we always ask for 12 or 34. And we accept that soemtimes these things happen. But to be honest , we book the dates we want on 12 or 34, at the very beginning of the season, and our ticket says 12 or 34, so thats where we expect to be.
BUT when you have a group booking. To split the group is a totally different story.
Totally unacceptable.
And their unhelpful nature is just adding to their 'future loss of bookings'.
But doesn't help YOU, does it?
And for that I am sorry. And do not quite know what to suggest.

feelingvfrazzled · 03/08/2011 18:39

The frustrating thing is that friends have been, including two families from this group and had such an amazing time once there. But you are all right, this is a bad way to get there! We were fuly prepared to make it an annual event, feel cheated!

I can't emphasise enough to them 0that the other party would not be split up, this is the frustrating thing and I can't get this out of my head that its all possibly a big mis-understanding. Surely if they had approached these people and explained the situation in a reasonable manner they would have agreed. Wouldn't they? Why bother splitting people up?

We have been told they can't guarantee specific tents as that would depend on future bookings but were assured that we would all be together in this farm as they could see who had booked at that point. Clearly not the case.

Hopefully they can sort this out as everyone does say that its an amazing experience! We'll all definitely need a glass of something at the end of this though :)

Oblomov · 03/08/2011 18:48

Have you also told the Farmer, and the cental booking office of the MN discussion.
Because this blame culture between farmer and FDF main booking system, is just unprofessional.
Oh its not my fault, it's his.
Ohh, its not my fault, its theirs.

Oh Puuurrrlease.

You book an all inclusive holiday for 6 families and 5 are in one hotel and one is in another. same thing as here. I mean for gods sake, this is ridiculous.

SeaShellsMyDogSmells · 03/08/2011 19:43

After their success of being awarded "mums net best 2011" I can't see the same success for 2012 Wink

I hope you get this sorted OP. You have 4 other families to help get this resolved :)

MisSalLaneous · 03/08/2011 20:01

Another one to add my vote to boycotting FDF in the future unless they can sort this out and change their procedures to avoid this situation in the future. I was considering one of their farms for when parents visit (they won't do "normal" tent camping), but won't now.

Like you said, OP, if you knew then that you won't be together, you could have booked somewhere else. It's too late to arrange anything now.

Since they messed this up, they can offer other party a 50% reduction or free weekend in the future - I'm sure they'll accept and then problem will be solved. FDF is, in my opinion, being penny wise and pounds foolish here. It'll cost a LOT of marketing to make up for such a public bad review, especially over their attitude. I just wouldn't trust them not to mess future bookings up if they handle problems this way.

sockpoppet · 03/08/2011 20:14

If you really want to piss off fdf you need to type out the whole name then it will come up in Google.

Oblomov · 03/08/2011 20:53

What ? You mean , like :
Feather Down Farm Days
Knaveswell
Corfe Castle
Dorset

lisad123 · 03/08/2011 21:01

wat feather down farm, dorset

MollieO · 03/08/2011 21:19

This thread didn't come up when I googled.

I've thought about staying at Feather Down Farm in Knaveswell but I'm not sure I'd bother now.

OneHundredPercentFucked · 03/08/2011 22:05

Feather down farm in Knaveswell, Dorset, is now crossed off my list of sites to go to.