I'm going to put my neck on the block.
I got fed up with the C&MC because of various reasons, but pitch costs and availability remain the big two. I'll just have to accept they will always be expensive, but the archaic system of booking that meant some members block booking and the resultant lack of availibility, just in case, was totally beyond belief and had to change. If you book a CL you generally get asked for a deposit, if you book an independent UK site or one abroad you also pay a deposit.
I am I favour of a deposit system, but I expect it will take some fine tuning to get it as correct and fair as it could be.
Colin