Late booking of club sites

I wanted to book a C&MC site for Friday/Saturday nights this weekend. Looking at the website it was fully booked on the Saturday. I have heard that if you phone the sites direct they often have better availability. I have never quite believed this...one of those urban (camping) myths. But it’s true! I phoned up and had a choice of several. A happy bunny.
Oh and before I put the phone down a confirmation email pinged on my iPad. Impressed.

You lucky the site I wanted won’t even answer the phone

Really. As I say mine was with C&MC and they could not have been more helpful.

We are almost at the end of 4 weeks in the East of Scotland all on club (both major) sites and all were booked at short notice On all the sites the wardens were helpful but I think the C&MC have the toilet issue sorted better. A while since we went on so many club sites but the C&CC have the free WiFi sorted much better than the CMC who on some sites WiFi is free and you are expected to pay on others

We were at Stover the weekend before last next pitch to a young couple who were travelling without having booked in advance.  The site was full and they said they were only able to book an odd night here and there in the south of England.
We'd stayed two nights at Broadway and two at Cheddar on the way down and both were heaving.

I thought all stays have to be pre-booked (although that can be right up to the day if arrival) under current rules and you can't just turn up on spec. Even C&CC THS's have to be pre-booked.

Didn’t know about THS booking. I checked with one a few weeks ago to see if it was still on and subsequently turned up. However they were very strict on CV precautions.

My post is misleading, I realise... they were trying to book, not simply turn up, but with very short notice.  
We had booked before July 4th.

Quote from Out & About...
"Campers should book in advance of their visit to ensure they have a pitch...."

Most listings for THS's do say 'up to day of arrival' so simply phone ahead. We did last week when wanting a one night stay on return from Berwick with two THS's to choose from.