Global demand fires Silver Bullet Caravans to success

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by Tom Lowenstein

Business is booming at a small caravan maker in the West Midlands, whose retro 1950s-style caravans are shooting out of the door faster than they can make them.

Demand for Kidderminster-based Silver Rocket Caravans’ hand-made trailers is growing all the time and having already doubled its workforce to ten, the company could add a further ten workers within the next 18 months as demand hots up.

A bulk order from the Netherlands for a new mobile barbecue business is just one example of the kind of customers taking an interest in the rock ‘n’ roll tourers, according to a report in the Express and Star.

Having initially launched the company with only his daughter Lydia as well as his business partner, Silver Bullet managing director Peter Carrick has overseen rapid growth and a year ago was forced to find bigger premises to make the retro aluminium trailers.

With orders stacking up, this 9,500 sq ft factory in Easter Park is already looking too small and Mr Carrick could soon find himself working with a much larger army of staff in a plant three times the size.

The 59-year-old told the newspaper: “There is a big revival of retro fashion in all kinds of things at the moment.

“We’ve exported to Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Spain, Belgium and Holland, as well as having a lot of interest in the UK.”

For Lydia, 24, the big attraction of the caravans is their shininess and rock ‘n’ roll style.

“They’re so much more individual than the modern fibre glass caravans – they are all bespoke and you can have whatever you want inside to create your own little home from scratch,” she said.

The firm currently has five different models on the menu, ranging from a 16ft single-axle version called the Grasshopper all the way up to the 23ft twin-axle Constellation.

National Caravan Show puts two TV chefs on the menu

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by Tom Lowenstein

With tickets already on sale, the organisers of the national Motorhome & Caravan Show are now beginning to confirm the star-studded line-up appearing at Birmingham’s NEC in October.

First on the menu are television celebrities Paul Hollywood and Matt Dawson, who are set to give culinary demonstrations at the Cookery Theatre.

Paul shot to prominence on the recent show The Great British Bake Off after making his name as one of the country’s most talented bakers. He will be showing caravanners how they can still enjoy the ancient craft when on a touring holiday when making an appearance on Wednesday October 17th.

Matt Dawson, meanwhile, will be bringing his trademark banter and recently-discovered culinary skills to the show on Saturday October 20th.

The former England scrum-half-turned-TV-chef is bound to be a hit at the show after using his stint on Celebrity MasterChef as a springboard to release his own cook book and record two television series.

In a statement announcing the two latest recruits, the National Caravan Council promised that visitors to this year’s show would be thrilled by what is on offer.

“This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than before, occupying eleven halls (over 80,000 sq m) and uniting more than 400 exhibitors, including campsites, destinations, attractions, leisure suppliers and service providers,” it said.

The 2012 Motorhome & Caravan Show will runs from October 16th-21st.

Airstream teams up with Westmorland park for try-before-you-buy offer

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by Tom Lowenstein

If you’ve always liked the look of an Airstream caravan but have never been quite convinced by their practicality, then a new scheme from the company may be just what you are looking for.

Airstream has joined forces with Westmorland Caravan Park in the Lake District to offer potential customers the chance to ‘try before you buy’.

As part of the offer, anyone can hire one of the silver bullets for a stay at the Westmorland site, giving them the ideal opportunity to see how they feel.

The caravan site is located just a few minutes away from Airstream’s HQ in Tebay and it offers a great base for anyone looking to explore the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales or Northumberland National Park.

It is also run by the same people who own the Farm Shop at Tebay services – an award-winning store that offers great meats and cheeses and is right on the park’s doorstep.

With packages costing either £495 for three nights or £700 for seven nights it is perhaps not the cheapest way to enjoy a caravan holiday if you just fancied renting one for the fun of it, but that charge will be refunded from the purchase price of one of the caravans afterwards.

COMPETITION: Win a wireless caravan reversing camera in our latest giveaway

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Update: Thanks for your entries, this competition is now closed

by Chris Jefferies
Caravanners and gadgets go together like peas and carrots, and one of the most helpful gadgets for any keen touring holidaymaker is a reversing camera.
Not only do they give you added peace of mind when reversing onto your pitch, they can also be used in addition to the rear-view mirror to see what’s coming up behind you as you’re towing along a motorway.
What’s more, if you get a wireless version, then you can take it off your caravan, attach it next to your towbar and hitch up with precision every time, as the dashboard display will show you when the towball is exactly lined up with the hitch.
If all of this technical wizardry piques your fancy, then you’re in luck – CaravanTimes has teamed up with Towergate Insurance to offer three wireless In-Car reversing cameras (worth £80 each) in our latest reader giveaway.
This competition will end at midday on Friday June 29th and the three lucky winners will be announced in our weekly newsletter.
Entering the competition is easy – simply provide your contact details and a renewal date for your caravan insurance and we will enter you into the prize draw.
Update: Thanks for your entries, this competition is now closed
Competition rules:

  • The lucky three winners will be picked at random on the 29th June 2012 and the winner will be notified via the email supplied in the entry form
  • The value of the camera will be £80
  • Only one entry per person
  • No purchase necessary
  • No cash or alternative will be offered
  • The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over

VIDEO: Why the Elddis Autoquest has a stronger Peugeot chassis

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by Chris Jefferies
Elddis Autoquest is the best-selling motorhome range in the UK and one of the reasons for its popularity is the strength of the chassis.
In this video, we meet David Whitehead from Elddis, who explains that the way they build on the Peugeot chassis ensures a stronger motorhome and reduces potential warranty problems.
We also talk about all the different things that people tow with a motorhome – from motorbikes to small cars.
What’s more, David tells us about some of the celebrities that Elddis have lent an Autoquest to over the past ten years.
Prices in the Elddis Autoquest range start at £32,599 and there is a wide range of two, four and six-berth layouts to choose from

Wrexham family in lucky escape from caravan arson attack

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by Tom Lowenstein

A family in Wrexham, Wales, had a narrow escape this week after arsonists targeted the caravan that they were storing outside their home.

The Martins, who live on St David’s Crescent in the Caia Park community, were shocked when neighbours began frantically trying to alert them to the blaze, which was started by vandals at around 10pm on Monday night.

Thanks to a neighbour’s quick thinking, the family of four, including ten-year-old Jonathan and Charlotte, eight, were able to escape their home before the flames had a chance to spread, the Leader reported.

Fire crews quickly arrived on the scene to put out the flames, but it was too late to save their £7,000 caravan, which was completely gutted by the blaze.

While the fire has ruined their plans of a holiday to the Lake District at the end of the month, dad Edward, 41, revealed he was just glad that his family were not hurt in the incident.

“I just feel sick thinking about it,” he told the newspaper.

“The main thing is everyone got out but the thought of what might have happened when my wife and kids were inside is awful. I can’t believe anyone would do this.”

Northumberland brothers launch new caravan wheelchair lift

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by Tom Lowenstein

Two Northumberland brothers are hoping to make caravan holidays accessible to all with their new business – a hoist that easily lifts wheelchair users into touring vehicles.

However, while Jim and John Little’s invention could revolutionise touring holidays for those who thought them inaccessible, the pair did not set out to launch a new business.

The Belford Transfer Lift was created so that Jim and his wife Carol could continue enjoying their touring trips after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“It was never built as a commercial venture,” John told the Northumberland Gazette. “It was built out of necessity.”

Yet after receiving encouragement from enterprise development organisation Business Link the brothers were backed by Northstar Ventures and took their invention into production.

They are now touring the hoist around trade shows in the hope of drumming up business.

“It certainly works, that’s for sure,” remarked John. “The best thing is that you don’t have to alter the vehicle, so if you sell it you can sell it as a standard caravan or motorhome.”

Including installation, the lift is being sold for £4,995, but that could offer a saving of thousands for people considering converting their vehicle to make it wheelchair-friendly.

For more information on the Belford Transfer Lift, click here, or watch the video below to see this lift in action:

Top tips offered for caravan reversing and buying reversing cameras

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by Chris Jefferies
Reversing a caravan is a prospect that fills many towcar drivers with dread, with so many potential pitfalls, from jack-knifing to hitting hidden objects.
With this in mind, a major insurance broker has offered some very helpful tips for reversing your caravan like a pro.
Towergate Insurance has explained that the caravan hitch works as a pivot in the reversing manoeuvre, and understanding how this affects the movement of your tourer is key to the whole process.
The insurance provider has also suggested that caravan owners look into purchasing some added gadgets to help with the reversing process, such as extra-wide towing mirrors and reversing cameras.
Of course, the most helpful piece of kit you can have is a patient and co-operative co-driver, who can get out and give directions.
No matter what technique to employ, the most important thing to remember is to keep calm and take your time, the company adds.
For more tips and advice from Towergate on how to keep your manoeuvre your caravan with confidence, read their original article: Top tips on safe caravan reversing and the best reversing cameras.

Staycations on the rise with 41% of Brits holidaying at home

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by Tom Lowenstein

Summer 2012 looks set see a record number of staycations, with a recent study revealing that Brits will spend £8.7 billion holidaying at home this year.

The figure represents the most that has been spent on staycations since the start of the recession and shows that regardless of the economic problems facing the nation, we refuse to give up on our precious holidays.

Hotel chain Travelodge made the discovery after surveying 5,000 people about their holiday plans for the coming summer.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cornwall was named as the number one staycation destination, with Edinburgh and the Lake District making up the rest of the top three.

Some 41 per cent of respondents revealed that they plan to holiday at home this year – a six per cent increase on 2011. The study also found that the cost of an average week’s break in the UK has risen £10.78 on last year to £433.47.

Grant Hearn, chief executive at Travelodge, believes that it is great news that Britons are planning to embrace the staycation despite household budgets being eaten away by a double-dip recession.

“Our research highlights even in difficult financial times, Britons will make the necessary sacrifices in order to have a summer break,” he said.

“I guess everyone needs something to look forward to during these difficult times.”

Midsummer Motorhome and Caravan Show cancelled due to wet weather

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by Tom Lowenstein

Not content with flooding caravan parks and ruining people’s homes, the awful weather of late has claimed another victim – the Midsummer Motorhome and Caravan Show.

The show was due to kick off at the stunning Kelmarsh Hall in Northamptonshire on Friday June 15th and run all weekend, but event organisers have been forced to cancel the event with just days to go until the doors opened.

In a statement announcing their decision, Warners said: “Due to the consistently poor weather conditions that the country has experienced over the past few weeks and the outlook up to the Show, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Midsummer Motorhome and Caravan Show.”

For any disappointed caravanners who had pre-booked camping tickets for the show, Warners are offering the option of transferring them to the Motorhome Show Season Finale in Lincoln, which runs from September 21st-23rd.

This will include a caravan pitch plus two entertainment tickets for the Saturday evening’s events worth £72.

Those look for an alternative caravan show this weekend can head to Paulton’s Family Theme Park in Hampshire where the UK’s largest dealer network, Marquis will showcase a range of motorhomes and caravans (June 15th – 17th).

Cleethorpes caravan parks offering Humber Bridge toll refund

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan parks and tourist attractions at Cleethorpes are offering visitors a refund on their Humber Bridge toll in a bid to drum up more business.

In the past, businesses in the town south of the bridge said that the toll was discouraging people north of the bridge from visiting.

However, at the start of April the fee was cut in half and, with single journeys now costing £1.50, Cleethorpes has seen a noticeable increase in tourists from the other side of the Humber.

In a bid to further boost this, the BBC has reported that businesses in the town have come up with a new scheme to refund the toll charge and further drive visitor numbers.

“It will definitely have an impact and will be a good thing,” the Showground Caravan Park’s Harry Dolby told the news provider.

One tourist attraction already seeing the benefits is Hull’s Deep Aquarium, with staff revealing that visitors have increased significantly since the toll was reduced.

If visitor numbers continue to increase at the region’s caravan sites it will be another piece of good news for the Hull caravan industry, which celebrated recently after successfully leading the campaign to overturn the Government’s controversial ‘caravan tax’.

VIDEO: How The Camping and Caravanning Club set a Guinness World Record

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by Chris Jefferies
Over the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Weekend (June 2nd – 5th), more than 100 Camping and Caravanning Club sites across the UK hosted one of the biggest celebrations of camping that this country has even seen.
Thousands of campers and caravanners joined the Friendly Club to set a Guinness World Record for the most number of people wearing paper crowns across multiple locations.
This ambitious event was timed to coincide with National Camping and Caravanning Week (June 2nd – 8th), so the Club went all out to lay on plenty of entertainment and attractions to get people outside and camping.
In this video, CaravanTimes heads to Norfolk to meet the team behind this incredibly ambitious event and we find out how they managed to organise a party for thousands of people.
We also reveal the grand total and speak to some of the campers and caravanners who will be able to say that they made history on a sunny day in June.