AA Declare Norfolk Park Best In Britain

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By William Coleman

Judges in the annual AA holiday awards have told the family owners of Norfolk’s Searles Leisure Resort that they are the UK’s champion holiday providers.

The Hunstanton park was named this autumn as the overall winner in the “Holiday Centre of the Year” category of the honours, beating thousands of other parks in Britain to the title.

Awards given by the AA – based on guest reviews and a “secret shopper” visit by inspectors – are regarded as the Oscars of the holiday parks industry.

The park first began welcoming campers over 60 years ago onto what was then a farm, and it has since grown to become one of Eastern England’s largest and best-loved holiday centres.

It provides more than 800 holiday home and touring pitches, including luxury lodges to buy and rent, plus a raft of family-friendly attractions and outdoor activities.

The citation from the AA’s award judges noted that Searles “never stands still, and every year offers something new to delight visitors seeking a truly memorable and high quality experience”.

They continued: “The park’s success and popularity is thanks to the vision, passion and hard work of four generations of the Searle family, and their quest for ever-rising standards.

“All the resort’s facilities are spotlessly clean, and there is a general feeling of pride from the friendly and hard-working staff. Searles is a very worthy winner,” judges concluded.

Searles is also a highly-regarded local employer with around 200 staff, and provides valuable training and skills development opportunities especially to younger workers.

Speaking on behalf of the family, managing director Paul Searle said that the AA award celebrates not just the park, but also the entire workforce:

“Standards of customer service are an important criteria for these awards, so our team at Searles can take a major share of the credit for this achievement,” he said.

“So many of the reviews we receive from customers mention the great atmosphere here, and delivering this is very much in the hands of our park team.

“We hope the publicity from this AA award will also benefit other local tourism businesses by putting the spotlight on north Norfolk as an amazing holiday destination,” added Paul.

Earlier this year, the park was crowned as the region’s perfect park destination in the holiday parks category of the Norfolk and Suffolk Tourism Awards 2018.

Attractions at Searles include an innovative new indoor “splash zone” with a host of different water play features, a new outdoor gym, and an adventure play park plus nightly entertainment.

There is more information about Searles Leisure Resort at www.searles.co.uk

Spotlight For Welsh Family Run Park

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By William Coleman

Staff and the family owners of Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park are celebrating after receiving a top gold accolade in the 2018 Go North Wales Tourism Awards.

The flagship of the Thornley Leisure group, Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park’s standards of excellence and levels of customer care made it a very worthy winner, judges declared.

Their verdict was announced at the competition’s glittering awards ceremony in November which was held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

The event was organised by North Wales Tourism which represents more than 1,500 tourism-related businesses across the region, including scores of holiday parks.

Stepping into the spotlight to receive the top prize in the closely contested caravan parks category were representatives from Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park and managing director David Thornley Jnr.

Situated on the north coast of County Conwy between Anglesey and the Menai Straits, the park provides tranquil landscaped grounds in a picture-postcard setting.

It has long proved popular with families wishing to own a caravan holiday home in one of North Wales’s most popular areas for lovers of natural scenic beauty.

The park’s many awards include a top five-star tourist board grading – but according to David Thornley, this latest Go North Wales accolade has an extra significance:

“The award is especially important to us because it recognises not just the quality of the park’s facilities and surroundings, but also the levels of hospitality and service provided to guests.

“It’s our staff team which deserves the lion’s share of the credit for this, and they do a great job in making everybody feel welcome and helping them enjoy their stay.

“It’s been a superb year for Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park and the group as a whole, and I hope the publicity from this award will help benefit all tourism businesses here in North Wales,” added David.

The Thornley family’s business, established over 55 years ago, now comprises nine parks in total with facilities which include holiday homes to buy and rent, glamping, and touring pitches.

According to North Wales Tourism, the region’s tourism industry currently generates £3 billion of visitor spending each year, and employs around 40,000 people.

There is more information about Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park and the other members of the Thornley Leisure group on its website at www.thornleyleisure.co.uk

Christmas Camping And Caravan Hot Spots

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By William Coleman

Just because Christmas is almost upon us, 26 days as I write this, does not mean you have to put the caravan, motorhome or tent away. As we rapidly approach the festive season The Camping and Caravanning Club are preparing to welcome all holidays makers from now through to the New Year both in the UK and overseas.

Seventeen sites across the Camping and Caravanning Club’s network in the UK will have extended opening and will stay open until early January 2019, with 12 sites currently staying open all 365 days a year.

Many of these with extended opening are hosting special events for campers over Christmas, with Salisbury (Wiltshire) laying on a mulled wine and Christmas quiz afternoon on Christmas Eve and Bellingham (Northumberland) throwing open the doors of its cosy recreation hall for campers on-site on New Year’s Eve. In addition to the ‘New Year Fizz’ party, the site will also hold a quiz and film night on New Year’s Day on its big screen.

Club Sites open throughout the year include Kingsbury Water Park in the heart of the Midlands, Canterbury (Kent) plus Theobalds Park (Hertfordshire) and Chertsey (Surrey), which both feature good road and rail links to London.Sandringham Club Site (Norfolk) sits in the grounds of the Royal Estate of the same name where the Royal Family traditionally spends Christmas and New Year.

Bob Hill, Sites Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “More Club members are now touring long after the clocks fall back in the autumn, swayed by modern heating systems on their camping units and plush on board furnishings.
“The Club is committed to spending more on our sites to make them better equipped for winter touring so they can stay open later into the winter.”

The Club also has several sites close to Christmas markets that are perfect picks for a mid-winter break, such asCanterbury, Oxford and Salisbury.

And further afield, the Club’s Winter Sun sites are gearing up for another busy season with 20 winter sun destinations available on the coasts of Spain and Portugal plus four Winter Sun Rallies running over the festive period. These include Marjal Costa Blanca (Spain, Costa Blanca), La Manga (Spain, Murcia), Almafra (Spain, Costa Blanca) and Alicante Imperium near Benidorm (Spain, Costa Blanca). All of them, with the exception of Alicante Imperium, offer full Christmas Day lunches for Club Winter Sun Rally members.

What’s more, all 20 destinations have plenty to offer over the Christmas period, particularly the rally sites, with activities ranging from carols on the beach to quizzes, Boxing Day swims or walks plus Christmas sing-alongs and other festivities.

Richard Grimsdale, Travel Service Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “There are more members booked on to Winter Sun holidays this winter than ever before. The numbers booking continue to grow year-on-year, with campers tempted by the prospect of warmer shores in Spain and Portugal.”

Meanwhile, Camping in The Forest, a partnership between the Forestry Commission and The Camping and Caravanning Club, has four sites across the UK open year-round. These include Bracelands (Forest of Dean), Glenmore (Cairngorms National Park), Postern Hill (Savernake Forest) and Setthorns (New Forest). For more information visit www.campingintheforest.co.uk

A Public Reply To A Public Holidaymaker

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By William Coleman

Just under two weeks ago I stumbled across an article on the Dorset Echo website where a motorhome user felt slightly shunned by some of the new restriction brought in to an area they love to visit. A local resident from the area has publicly replied with her opinion on the matter. What do you think?

So before you read the reply I wanted to take a moment to go over my thoughts on the topic. There are some residents, especially in very popular tourist destinations, are none too pleased with the amount of attention the area gets.

What these residents are not considering, but are probably aware of, is the importance of local tourism. We have seen what can happen to holiday towns, especially coastal ones, once the tourism dies off. Towns like Margate are a ghostly shell of what they once were whereas other towns who embrace tourism are flourishing and as popular as ever.

That being said I feel very strongly about tourism not having an adverse effect on an area. There have been occasions where some tourists just cause havoc and ignore all the rules. This can give caravan and motorhome owners a bad name and leave a very sour taste in the mouths of locals.

So as long as residents understand the importance of local tourism and holiday makers do not infringe on locals and their way of life all should be well.

I, and I am sure all the residents in this lovely part of world, were delighted that Gill Thomas loves West Bay.

However she goes on to say that she is a responsible motorhome owner and cannot understand why we are so hesitant to have her in West Bay – although she does acknowledge that there are some owners who are not so responsible.

Well, Gill, I am sure you will agree that when visiting any area one needs to abide by the rules.

The Station car park distinctly says no overnight sleeping. You say why not pay for a warden.
Well, would you want to be abused by the irresponsible owners who feel it is their right to sleep there, or even say they haven’t been sleeping there when they are sitting outside their motorhome in their pyjamas having their breakfast?

In the summertime I have counted more than 30 motorhomes in the car park, many of whom camp all summer long.

It is a car park, not a camping site, and as such there needs to be room for cars.
The only way, and one which apparently West Dorset District Council have considered, is to ban all vehicles from the Station car park from 10pm-8am.

There are campsites open from March to November and in the summer additional places on the West Bay road campsite, so please use these in future.

-Sue Pollock

So now we have seen the other side of the argument you can see why some people are unhappy with motorhomes in their towns.

I am a bit of a stickler for the rules when it comes to things like this. I get that there are some people who do not do any harm by using these car parks but I do not feel that parking areas should be used for mobile accommodation, that’s why they are named car parks and not campsites.

The are more than enough sites in fantastic areas around the country to use so as not to “abuse” relaxed local parking rules.

Caravan And Motorhome Club Certificated Location of the Year 2018 Awards

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By William Coleman

The the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s CL Site network keeps getting bigger and bigger with every new season. At one point they were the Club’s best kept secret, which is now a thing of the past as the Caravan and Motorhome Club announce this year’s winner of the Certificated Location of the Year Award 2018.

First of all, what is a Caravan and Motorhome Club CL Site? Well if you are looking for a peaceful, quiet and secluded spot to spend your time the Certified Location exactly what you need.

Unlike most sites in the Club’s vast portfolio the CL site needs to be small and off grid. The achieve CL status a location must have 5 pitches and in a very quiet secluded area which is off the beaten track.

Each site is totally unique and approved by the Caravan and Motorhome Club. From working farms to hidden country estates the CL location offers a very different experience from most sites across the UK. Each site is as varied as the next, so if you want to stay on a beach, river, golf course or near a historic landmark then the CL sites are for you. Oh and some will even deliver a cooked breakfast direct to your caravan.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club are delighted to announce the winner of its Certificated Location of the Year Award 2018 is Avon Bank Meadow situated in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside. Close runners up are Poole Farm in North Cornwall and Keal Lodge deep in the heart of Lincolnshire.for members and provide them with a truly memorable experience.

New for 2018, the Caravan and Motorhome Club has introduced the Best Newcomer CL Award and Most Inspiring CL Photograph Award. The Best Newcomer Award celebrates a CL that joined the Club in the past year, meeting all criteria and going above and beyond.

Located on the Isle of Wight, Rodgebrook Farm scooped the Best Newcomer Award CL 2018 with many visitors coming to know the site for its level pitches, warm welcome, discounts on ferry fares and being very dog-friendly. In addition to this and also new for this year, the Most Inspiring CL Photograph Award celebrates all things CL and the site’s surroundings in visual format.

The winner of this award was Woody Kiln Farm from the depths of Pembrokeshire National Park with its stunning photo of Lindsway Bay, a beach accessible from the Pembrokeshire coastal path, just 20 minutes’ walk from the CL.

Winner – Avon Bank Meadow

Situated on the banks of the River Avon, Avon Bank Meadow Certificated Location offers an idyllic location for caravanners, so it is little surprise that it scooped the top spot at this year’s CL of the Year Awards. Run by Craig Brown and Sandra McAllister since 2015, the Worcestershire CL is full for most of the year attracting repeat guests.

The site itself offers five hard standing spacious pitches, set within half an acre. It is open all year round and encourages visitors to get out and visit surrounding areas, helping to sustain the local economy. Each pitch is fully serviced with its own electricity, water, drainage and aerial point meaning everything that any caravanner could ever need is at their fingertips. The site has also recently installed Wi-Fi and has undergone a lot of replanting with the silver birch trees being a popular hit with visitors.

Runners up – Poole Farm and Keal Lodge

Poole Farm Certificated Location in Cornwall has been owned by the Holmes family since 2015. Situated adjacent to the Tamar River, the site is also not far from the Devon border so is well placed to visit many stunning locations in the south west. All five of the pitches are hard standing and fully serviced; the site also offers battery charging, laundry and recycling facilities and dog walks directly from the site. The owners have even been known to deliver a cooked breakfast, piping hot, to members on site.

The site is renowned on the CL network for its warm welcome; the Holmes family regularly look forward to welcoming new visitors to their site. It is a real family affair with everyone having a role to play; Louise runs the business, young Harvey is responsible for recycling, newspaper delivery, ice-cream runs and on the odd occasion, playing his saxophone in the middle of the site to entertain guests, or running a ‘makeshift’ dog agility competition for our four-legged friends. Greg is head groundsperson, caravan fixer and generally an all-round handyman.

Wi-Fi is also included in a stay and local tourist attractions include Tintagel Castle, the Eden Project and Launceston Steam Railway.

Keal Lodge Certificated Location situated near Peterborough in Lincolnshire takes third place in this year’s CL of the Year Awards. Open since 1996, Keal Lodge, run by Alison and Keith Rogers, is no stranger to picking up CL Awards having won back in 2009 and scooped runner up in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Keal Lodge offers a relaxing tranquil break on its adult-only site. The pitches are designed with this in mind, allowing each visitor privacy within their area. All five pitches are hard standing with Wi-Fi available. A firm favourite, the site also has a two acre field to exercise and walk dogs, meaning even furry friends do not have to miss out on a holiday to Keal Lodge. Local tourist attractions include Stamford, Peterborough, Tolthorpe and Rutland Water.

Caravan Bosses `court` In The Act

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By William Coleman

A couple of weeks ago I highlighted some of the scams that myself and the CaravanTimes team have comes across over the years. Following that we have stumbled across a story where two Directors and former solicitors have been banned by courts for 21 years after conspiring to remove close to £700,000 worth of property from failed caravan company.

Last week Liberty Joseph Durant, Joseph Price and David Alan Borland appeared at Lincoln Crown Court where they each received disqualifications and suspended prison sentences.

On Monday 12th November the court heard that a company called Classic Caravans Limited, based in Sleaford, Lincolnshire was incorporated in November 2008, where it manufactured and serviced caravans.

During his time with Classic Caravan Joseph Price became the companies sole director, made official in December 2010. In just 4 short years after first being incorporated the company ceased trading due to incurring debts close to £22,000 by October 2012, which then triggered an insolvency process to close the doors on the business.

Upon its closure Classic Caravans’ nominal work in progress was then transferred over to a new company by the name of Carlight Trailers Limited. The funny thing about this transfer was that Joseph Price was also a director of Carlight Trailers Limited and Liberty Durant just happened to be the sole shareholder. The plot thickens.

Just one day before Classic Caravan went into liquidation, the liquidators were made aware, by Joseph Price, that Liberty Durant owned a substantial amount of Classic Caravans’ stock. This new information, that was conveniently brought to light, meant that the property totalling approximately £693,000 could not be returned as assets to the company’s creditors.

Upon this startling revelation the case was then referred to the Insolvency Service where investigators found that Liberty Durant had previously been disqualified in 2011 for six years in relation to a separate company and should not have been acting in the management of a company.

On top of that further investigation revealed that before Classic Caravans was to be closed, Liberty Durant and Joseph Price conspired with former solicitor David Alan Borland, trading under the name DAB Legal Services, to produce a fraudulent ‘Contract of Sale’.

These fraudulent documents then enabled Liberty Durant to claim ‘retention of title’ on the stock owned by Classic Caravans. Due to this it meant that the caravans under the company’s ownership could not be used to help repay creditors. So in short the manufacturers of these leisure vehicles and parts would end up massively out of pocket while certain people walk away with a big smile on their face.

However, the sales contract was falsely back-dated to 2010, two years before the company entered into liquidation, and was proved fraudulent as one of the copies of the contract included the liquidator’s address, someone who had only been appointed in 2012.

The sentencing handed down to Liberty Durant was a 10-year disqualification order, a £1,000 fine and a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to one count of acting in contravention of a disqualification order and one count of fraud.

Joseph Price found himself on the receiving end of a 6-year disqualification order, a £1,000 fine and a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years, after pleading guilty to one count of fraud.

And David Borland was given a 5-year disqualification order, a £1,000 fine and 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years, after pleading guilty to one count of fraud.

Glenn Wicks, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “These men cynically and ruthlessly used a forged document in an attempt to defraud creditors and to allow Liberty Durant to act as a shadow director in breach of his disqualification. The court has shown this sort of behaviour will be dealt with severely.”

So there you have it, it is not only we consumers and holiday makers that get stung by the wide range of scams out there. Each year manufacturers face the potential loss of thousands of pounds due to poorly run, or in this case, very dodgy dealers. To find out more about how some scams may affect you read our article from a couple of weeks ago herel.

Have A Very Merry Salop Christmas

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William Coleman

The run up to Christmas is an important time for the caravan and motorhome world. Sites and dealerships all across the UK are prepping the decorations and yuletide festivities to ensure that their guests and visitors enjoy themselves during the “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”. One such company who are sparing no expense once again are Salop Leisure who are presenting some of the best Christmas events you are likely to find this year.

The Shropshire based leisure business are starting unwrap all their plans for this year’s Christmas celebrations with several events taking place over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas.

‘The Salop Christmas Adventure’ planned by award-winning caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure at its Emstrey Shrewsbury headquarters kicks off on November 24 and 25 with the Shropshire Handmade and Creative Christmas Gift Fair.

More than 60 local traders will be offering handmade, home designed, artisan and products and food over the weekend with free admission and parking. Six thousand visitors attended the fair last year. If you are in need of stocking fillers or gifts to put under the tree this will certainly be a great place to look.

This coming weekend will also see the arrival Mr Christmas himself, Father Christmas, as he opens the Santa’s Grotto with elves guiding visitors through Toyshop Lane to Santa’s hidden woodland grotto. While parents and children wait there will be complimentary craft making with Santa’s helpers to keep everyone entertained. Last year the Santa saw over 1,600 children.

If you want some more face time with Santa you can book a space to have tea with him during the December festivities at 4pm on weekdays and between 12-3pm on weekends.

There will also be a chance to post a letter in the North Pole letterbox to watch a festive film in a cinedrome with cookies, blankets and hot chocolate.

November 24 also sees the launch of Salop Leisure’s festive outdoor skating rink, which will be open until December 23. A fee of £9 per person for 45 minutes on the 96 square meter synthetic ice rink will made. Three thousand visitors enjoying the skating last year.

The Annual Salop Santa Dash

Salop Leisure’s “Salop Santa Dash” is now in its second year and is shaping up to top last year’s event. The Dash is held in partnership with Love Fitness and returns on Sunday 2nd of December. The get your spot all you need to do is pay for £12 entry fee, which will include a Santa suit and a festive themed medal. Children under the age of 8 get to run for free.

Entrants can choose to run, jog or walk one or two laps of a 2.5 kilometer circuit around the grounds of Salop Leisure, Love Fitness and Love2Stay resort. A charity donation from the proceeds will be made to the ‘Wear Red for Zac’ appeal, which is raising money to send Zac Oliver from Broseley to America for treatment of an extremely rare form of childhood leukemia.

“Salop Leisure will definitely be the place to be this Christmas,” said Ed Glover, Salop Leisure’s marketing manager. “With Shrewsbury Christmas Festival sadly being cancelled this year, we think there is a bigger need than ever for Christmas attractions in Shrewsbury.

“Rather than closing in December like some in the caravan industry do, we spend thousands of pounds transforming our business into a winter wonderland and this Christmas is going to be exceptional.

“Christmas is a special time of the year and it’s important that we create some magic for our customers who have young families.”

If you want to take part in the “Salop Santa Dash” you can find out more details about the annual event on the official website, www.salopsantadash.co.uk

Our Top Touring Apps To Help Holidaying

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By William Coleman

It was not that long ago that the A to Z was the travelling man’s, and woman’s, best friend. For years this helped motorists and holiday makers across the UK get from A to B with ease, provided you had a good map reading co-pilot and an update map. Years on it seems technology has made the map book look like a relic. As technology rolls on we take a look at some apps that may just change the way you holiday.

Technology has come on in leaps and bounds in the past 10-15 years. I remember when I first heard that companies were going be mixing a phone and a camera together and thinking, “well that sounds silly.” Here we are today with a camera on your phone that can broadcast live video, video call, post your photo online as you take it and even identify the objects it is looking at and show you where to buy it. But how has technology helped move caravanning into the 21st century?

As I mentioned before the phone apps for maps are without a doubt one of, if not the, most helpful tool for anyone who likes to hitch up the van and set off an adventure. Why are these apps so helpful though, and are they really better than a trusty map? Simply put yes, yes they are.

Take Google Maps for example. Run by one of the largest companies on the planet and updated with info from second to second meaning you are always up to date with the best routes, traffic updates and problems along the way.

I was travelling to the NEC a few weeks ago and about an hour into my journey Google informed me of an accident on my route that would add an hour to my journey time. It then asked me if I would like to take a different route and save myself 50 minutes. This is something that you simply do not get with map books or an A-Z.

So we are going to look at several apps that can make your caravan life a lot easier, meaning more time to put your feet up with a cup of tea and a pack of chocolate biscuits.

Google Maps

Not specifically designed for the caravan or motorhome world, and cannot really compete with a full on sat nav, but what a fantastic help this free app is.

Google Maps will give you live traffic updates, reroute to save time, alert you of obstructions and incidents all for zero cost.

This is not to say that it is perfect as sometimes it does not update as quickly as and you need and you have to put the final destination in and search again for a more up to date ETA and traffic update, usually only happens on motorways when a collision has very recently happened.

Price- Free
Value For Money- 5/5
Overall Score ?
Final Thoughts- A fantastic app that is free. It will not replace a sat nav which has been designed for motorhome or towing but some people swear by this app and have never needed to buy or use anything else.

Key Features

  • Live traffic updates
  • ETA always spot on
  • Easily add another destination on route such as petrol stations, service stations etc
  • Voice guided, which can be muted

Truma App

Having an on board heating and air con system that can be controlled from your phone? “It will never happen.”, I heard people say. Yet here we are at the end of 2018, and it is very much a reality for a lot of caravan and motorhome owners with a Truma or Alde system.

If your leisure vehicle has the iNET system on board all you will need to do it go the app store on your phone, search for Truma and then download. It really is that simple.

While you are out on your journey you can set the temperature of your van so when you arrive you can step into a cool or pre warmed environment and start relaxing right away. There really is nothing worse than stepping into an oven temperature van after a nice day out in the sun.

For complete full details on the app and how it can benefit you make sure you visit the Truma App Page.

Price- Free
Value For Money- 5/5
Overall Score 5/5
Final Thoughts- Another free app that helps you to ensure the climate of your van is perfect. No issues using the app and very easy to navigate through. A zero cost this is a must have for any Truma customer provided you have the right system in your caravan or motorhome.

Key Features

  • Display if a set temperature or the on-board voltage is not reached
  • Control Truma appliances from up to four smartphones via the App
  • Automatic climate control in combination with the digital CP plus iNet ready control panel
  • Compatible with Alde heating system

Talking Caravan Leveling

The Talking Caravan Leveling app is quite a handy tool, something I was unsure of when I first saw it. Once I started dabbling with the app’s features I saw a lot of reasons why this app would be popular with caravanners.

First of all it cuts out the need of having assistant stood there with a spirit level spouting out adjustment advice and then leading to the inevitable bickering. Simply place your tablet or smartphone down and let the app do the talking.

The app will tell you which leg or wheel needs to be raised on your leisure vehicle and when to raise or lower the jockey when you are level.

Nowadays almost every smartphone comes with a spirit level that you can simply place down and then adjust accordingly. The difference with this app is that you have a voice guiding you and giving you quite specific info of what needs doing to get totally level.

Price- £1.49-£1.99 (depending what phone you have)
Value For Money- 3.5/5
Overall Score 5/5
Final Thoughts- The app is simple and does what is says on the tin. There is not much to it but will certainly help a lot of people, especially of you are setting up on your own or would rather do it by yourself.

Key Features

  • Voice guided instructions
  • Very specific information given

The Caravan And Motorhome UK Sites App

Here is one for Club members, or prospective club members, to see just how many sites CAMC have and where they are.

Yes, their website does this but being able to do it sat on the sofa via an app on your phone does provide another level of ease and comfort while you plan your next get away.

Another handy feature is being able to book and or amend your current site booking all with just a few taps. Being able to use a series of filters to narrow down the search means you can very easily tailor your preferences to what suits you and find some new sites you may not have known existed.

Price- Free
Value For Money- 5/5
Overall Score 5/5
Final Thoughts- A little bit like the main website but more modern and a lot more readily accessible thanks to the way the app works. This is a great way to find out more about The Club’s sites and locations.

Key Features

  • Filters enable you to find the perfect site for you
  • You are able to save your favourite sites in the “favourites” section
  • “Google” style map system makes it very easy to find sites in certain areas

There are a ton of apps out there to help you on your journey, some free and some that cost. I would have a look at some reviews before spending money on an app as there is usually a free version that does the same thing out there. What would you like to see in an app?

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Caravan Cafe

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By William Coleman

The old traditional caravan nowadays is most likely spotted sat on driveways covered in weather ware or just plonked depressingly in fields throughout the country. One special care giver has stumbled upon a very rare vintage van and has decided to turn it into something worthwhile to help out our aging community.

This week the Teesside Gazette Live ran fantastic story of one woman’s mission to help her community and the elderly people living nearby who have limited mobility and outside contact. After reading what was happening I had to share this Friday feel good story.

Support worker Amie Tait managed the almost impossible feat of getting her hands on the rare Swift 1986 Sprite Alpine caravan with the idea of converting it into a mobile cafe. The motivation behind which is to bring tea, coffee and cakes to those who may not be able to get out and about as much as they used to.

As a population we are getting a lot older and living for many more years. The issue with that is the high street is in rapid decline and a lot of shops are closing. With your local parade of shops becoming almost non existent in certain areas it makes getting those bare essentials a lot harder. This is where Amie Tait comes in.

Amie wants to take us back to an age where a lot of produce was brought to you by a mobile seller, the milkman used to deliver more than just your pint of semi skimmed and full fat. The mobile cafe will help a lot of older folk by giving them a measure of social interaction, something some members of the older generation are in serious need of. Amie has ensured that her new route will be very regular in areas with older residents.

The Middlesbrough mum-of-two will run retro caravan cafe ‘Oh So Lovely’ in her spare time and will could also soon be licensed to serve alcohol for weddings and other events.

“I’ve had strangers knocking on my door asking what I’m doing and what the caravan is going to be,” she said.

“I wanted it straight away, it’s very cute and really quirky in real life. They only made a few hundred of these caravans, someone has even contacted me about it to do the rallies as they’re all very interested in it. We will deliver afternoon tea as gifts, as you would do a bunch of flowers.”, continued Amie.

Amie’s own grandmother lives in an area where a lot of shops have closed down and never reopened which has made it a chore to get fresh goods and see other people.

“She still works and is mobile but a lot of her neighbours aren’t and rely on family. I’m aiming to do a weekly round of tea, sandwiches and cake in residential areas for elderly residents who do not live close to shops and don’t see much of others on a daily basis. This will hopefully help a little with loneliness., says Amie.

“People can enjoy tea and cake at 2pm – a bit like when the ice cream van comes round. We used to have a mobile shop that came round, selling bread and milk – well I’ll be selling tea and cakes instead.”

This is such a fantastic thing to do for your local community, it brings back that old spirit of community that is hard to find now days.

What makes it even more special is that by day Amie works in a children’s home and is doing this on her own personal time. Two thumbs up to you Amie from the CaravanTimes team.

The Diverse World Of Caravan Awnings

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By William Coleman

Caravans are the perfect way to travel in comfort and on your own terms. Taking trips in a caravan allows you to enjoy unique sights that many people would never venture to see and gives you the flexibility of spending the night wherever you wish. Buying a porch awning for your caravan offers many benefits, so read on to find out.

  • What are caravan porch awnings?
  • Why do you need a porch awning?
  • Types of porch awnings
  • How to choose the right awning

What Are Caravan Porch Awnings?

Porch awnings attach to the outside of your caravan and can provide extra storage space and an area to relax. There are many different kinds to choose from and each model has its own unique benefits to match the needs of the consumer/holiday maker.

Full-size awnings can feel difficult to manage, transport, and set up; however, porch awnings have a simple set up and are much smaller, lighter, and easier to handle.

A porch awning is basically just like a porch on your home, except for your caravan! It offers many of the same benefits and can make your caravan feel even more like home.

Why Would You Need A Porch Awning?

Imagine yourself traveling to a remote location with your caravan in tow and stopping in the late afternoon to set up for the night. As the sun sets over the beautiful landscape, you sit in a comfortable chair sipping a cup of tea under your porch enjoying the gorgeous view. A caravan porch gives you a great outdoor space to enjoy the scenery you have traveled to see.

There are many other benefits that porch awnings offer as well. It can make your living space feel larger by giving you more room for activities, shaded seating, eating and cooking.

Although the caravan life is great for those that enjoy it, even the most content travelers can begin to feel cooped up in the caravan. A porch allows you to have some extra space for you and your travel companions to spread out.

Another great perk of porch awnings is the rain protection it provides for you and your belongings. Once you set up your porch, you can store chairs, grills, dirty shoes, and other things outside for the night without worrying about rain. If it rains during the day, you can still enjoy the view and open space without getting soaked.

Porch awnings are generally smaller and more compact than a full-size awning. This allows for easier setup and take down and makes them much easier to handle. In most cases, you can set up your porch in 15 minutes or less!

If you have a smaller caravan or frequently go on shorter trips, a porch awning is a perfect choice to add flexibility and freedom to your caravan while also maintaining the convenience of a smaller awning.

Buying a porch awning is a great investment that will bring enjoyment and convenience for years to come.

The Different Types Of Porch Awning

These days, there are so many different variations of porch awnings for caravans on the market. You can choose from different fabrics, frame materials, styles, sizes, and more. Seeing all of the options could feel overwhelming, but each type has a different set of benefits.

Learn about the different varieties available so you can weigh up your options and make an informed choice.

Frame Material

  • Steel: This heavy-duty material is a great choice if you are not planning on moving your porch very often, such as in situations where your caravan will remain parked in one area for months at a time. Steel is able to withstand most weather conditions and will stay strong for a long time
  • Aluminum: Aluminum is a lightweight option for the structure of your porch. This material is perfect if you travel frequently and want your porch to have an easy setup, take down, and transport
  • Fiberglass: Fiberglass is a similar material to aluminum, and these porches are also lightweight and easy to handle and store
  • Air: Inflatable porch awnings are a new innovation in the caravan accessory market. These porches are easy to construct; all you have to do is inflate the pipes inside the awning with an upright or battery-powered pump. This kind of porch is the lightest and most convenient type on the market

Fabrics

  • Lightweight polyester: This material dries quickly after a rainstorm and is easy to handle, set up, pack, and store away. There are many different styles, types, and textures of polyester porches, and they are great for weekend trips
  • Heavy-duty polyester: While this fabric adds a bit of weight to the porch, heavy-duty polyester is more durable and sturdy and will last for much longer than a porch made of lightweight polyester. This fabric is a wise choice if your porch will get lots of use over many years
  • Acrylic: Although acrylic porches may seem a bit more expensive than other types, they are also very durable and will last for many years of heavy use. This fabric looks more taut and rigid than polyester. Solution-dyed acrylic is resistant to UV light and comes in different colors

    As you can see, there are a ton of different options to consider when buying a porch awning for your caravan. Generally, you pick your frame material based on your needs and choose a fabric to go along with it. Now, learn about how to choose the right awning that will meet all of your needs!

    What Is The Right One For You?

    Investing in the right awning to improve life in your caravan is a big decision. Consider the following factors when buying a caravan porch.

    Consider your budget

    The most important thing to consider when buying a porch for your caravan is your budget. If you want to stay on the less expensive side, smaller, lightweight porches allow you to enjoy the benefits of a porch without a high cost. If you have more spending ability you can look at larger sizes and higher quality materials.

    Decide what benefits you want

    Will you use your porch frequently, or just a few times a year? Will you travel often, or stay in one place? Do you want space to eat outside and store your belongings, or just enough room to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air? Do you want a quick and easy setup or a more durable awning? You must take all of these considerations into account when thinking about buying a caravan porch.

    If you want to enjoy spending lots of time outside, you may want to buy a larger and heavier duty porch, but if you just want room for a few chairs, a smaller porch is more convenient. Carefully consider the ways you will use your porch, and then decide on the material, fabric, size, and style that fits your needs.

    Taking Care Of Your Awning

    No matter what kind of awning you buy, proper maintenance is essential to getting the most benefit and longest life from your porch. Every time you take it down, you must fold it correctly, protect the windows, and make sure it’s clean. Although it doesn’t have to be dry as soon as you fold it up, you want to make sure no moisture remains in the material before you pack it up for a long period of time.

    Make sure to always separate the poles from the canvas and never put them too close together to prevent marking and punctures. When you set up your porch, assemble it with care and properly secure it to your caravan and the ground to protect it from flying away with the wind.
    Proper care for your awning is not difficult, but very important to keeping it functional and looking brand new for years and years!

    In Conclusion

    Whether you live in a caravan full time or just use it on holidays, porch awnings offer great benefits! They can increase your living space, provide an area to relax, enjoy the scenery that you’ve traveled to see, and protect your belongings from the weather elements.

    There are a number of different styles, materials, and fabrics to choose from for your porch, so take time to consider exactly how you will use your porch and what benefits you want to receive from it.

    If you’re looking for a porch that is quick and easy to set up and pack away, a less expensive, lightweight style is perfect. If it will be used every weekend for years, however, it’s worth investing in a higher quality and more expensive awning. Living the caravan life can feel exciting and extremely rewarding, and a porch awning will only add to your experience.

    Look at all of the Quality Porch Awnings to get a feel for what you want and order one today to begin enjoying the benefits!

    • Motorhome Hire Franchise Launch And Expansion

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    By William Coleman

    The market for new and second hand leisure vehicles keeps growing and growing as more UK residents are opting to choose a caravan for the next holiday. Another sector within the industry that is seeing a real boom is the leisure vehicle rental market. At last month’s NEC Motorhome and Caravan Show the UK’s first nationwide motorhome franchise business was launched.

    The company opted for a name that simply says what it does on the tin, The Motorhome Hire Franchise. The company made their first public appearance last month at the UK’s largest trade show to share and highlight some new and exciting opportunities for holiday makers.

    The franchise was set up by motorhome specialist David Gill who, having run Motorhome Hire Scotland since 2010, spotted a gap in the market for a concept that enabled others to build their own successful business based on his proven model.

    David Gill said, “The motorhome hire industry is thriving, with holidaymakers turning to it as a less expensive alternative to holidaying abroad, with the introduction of new routes across the country only increasing popularity further.

    “However, with over 200 independent motorhome hire businesses across the UK, customer service and experience varies enormously, so this national network of motorhome hire ‘hubs’ means consumers can be safe in the knowledge that the brand will deliver the same high quality vehicles and service every time. Our years of professionalism in the motorhome industry, combined with strong franchising experience offers a proposition that sets new standards in the market.”

    Mr Gill and his team plan to launch 25 franchise locations, branded Gill’s Motorhomes, that will be supplied with premium motorhomes by leading European motorhome manufacturer Adria.

    The Motorhome Hire Franchise has already secured the first of its UK ‘hubs’ in Swindon, to be managed by Alan Amos, with only 25 locations in total available for franchise. The team is now looking for motivated and talented individuals to become a selected business partner, developing a successful business through a strong franchise model.

    Alan Amos, who will be opening the first franchise in Swindon comments, “I’ve always had a passion for motorhomes and the travelling opportunities they offer and having a range of business experience throughout my career, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to combine the two and build my own venture.

    “So far the support and guidance I’ve received from the entire team at The Motorhome Hire Franchise has been second-to-none and has filled me with confidence for the next steps of this process – I can’t wait to get started!”

    Following their successful launch at the NEC The Motorhome Hire Franchise have recently unveiled an epic 5 year partnership with leading European motorhome manufacturer Adria.

    Adria has committed to provide 500 luxury motorhomes to the value of £30M to the company over five years to service its planned franchise network. This will make the Motorhome Hire Franchise the UK’s only supplier of Adria’s superior vehicles for rental.

    Slavica Sterk, managing director of Adria Concessionaires said: “At Adria we have grown a strong market share over many years across Europe but our recent research shows there is a trend for ‘trying’ over ‘buying’ with younger generations in the UK, as they are increasingly looking for experiences over investments.

    This has created a key opportunity for market penetration in the UK and the partnership with The Motorhome Hire Franchise is our chance to really shake up the marketplace with this new proposition.”

    So there you have it, another large piece of evidence that the caravan and motorhome holiday is very much back in fashion all across the UK. A lot of people, especially the younger generations, want to have a “staycation” holiday but may not have the funds to invest in a leisure vehicle, especially if they want to get on the property ladder. Renting a motorhome means they can be included in the community and enjoy the holiday freedom that we all love.

    To find out more visit The Motorhome Hire Franchise.

    Caravanners And Adventurers Are Getting Younger

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    By William Coleman

    It is no surprise that campsites across the UK are capturing a much younger audience than over the past few years. With the introduction of glamping holidays and the huge increase in motorhome sales the youth of the nation are revitalizing the UK based holiday.

    There are another couple of large factors that we can attribute to younger generations taking up motorhome and caravan holidays, the adventure holiday and festival season!

    It seems that the UK youth have become a lot more active over the past few years and are choosing adventure weekend away over the boozy trip to Bognar or Blackpool.

    A lot of campsites that are located near these hotspots are benefiting from the new holiday trends. Another great thing about this new craze it that it is bringing a lot of first timers to the fold.

    The 2018 rise in “park novices” was among the subjects discussed when Best Of British members met in November for their annual conference in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

    Comprising over 50 independent family-run parks, the group also welcomed six new members, and heard of plans to step up its successful digital marketing campaign.

    BoB’s online activity, reported chairman Richard Legg, had this year generated a raft of bookings and enquiries from holiday guests seeking top-end park experiences:

    “The internet is proving a very powerful medium for us, and by working in collaboration we can achieve much more than would be possible or affordable individually,” he said.

    “It also allows us to target people who are perhaps unfamiliar with parks generally, but who enjoy the notion of trying a glamping holiday, or renting a motorhome.

    “This is an important emerging market of younger guests who are likely to underpin our future by providing tomorrow’s customer base of visitors and holiday home buyers.

    “There’s every reason to believe that the growth of new park customers will remain on an upward trajectory as long as we continue to meet their quality expectations,” said Richard.

    Richard, whose family owns Hidden Valley Park near Ilfracombe, said that the group’s strength lay in its shared values of providing the highest standards of hospitality and customer care.

    The two-day conference also heard from a number of specialist speakers on different ways in which parks could help promote and market their businesses.

    Richard said that BoB was delighted to be joined by six new parks from across the UK which would offer visitors an even wider choice of first-class destinations.

    Scotland is now represented by Blair Castle Caravan Park in Blair Atholl, Brighouse Bay Caravan Park in Dumfries and Galloway, and Craigtoun Meadows Holiday Park in Fife.

    It is not just adventure style holidays that are attracting a younger audience. I have been to parks all across the UK this year and spoken with tons of young people and couple about what has drawn them to campsite and the purchase of a leisure vehicle.

    The overwhelming consensus was that there always seemed to be a kind of stigma towards caravan and motorhome holiday, oddly enough. “Caravan” at one point seemed to be a dirty word that was for “old people”. The reality of the matter is it could not be further from the truth and the proof is in the pudding as the caravan holiday is very much at the forefront of the UK’s economy.

    Add to that the huge efforts taken by parks all across the UK to and attractions for those who do not own a caravan or motorhome. The Caravan and Motorhome Club have stationary American Airstreams on several sites as well as other glamping huts, pods and yurts. The rental scene has always had a huge positive impact, especially during festival season.