by Chris Jefferies
Caravan holidays have been around in some form or another for well over 100 years now, so it’s high time that this great pastime was formally commemorated in a museum.
Thankfully, the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has stepped into the breach by announcing a new permanent exhibit with the help of Bailey of Bristol and the Caravan Club.
The Hampshire attraction has worked with the Club to host events about caravanning since 2006, but the new exhibit is the first permanent fixture at the popular museum.
Developed in partnership with Bailey Caravans, this unique collection of memorabilia, photographs and film footage dates back to the 1880s and some of the items are on public display for the very first time.
History buffs will surely enjoy learning about the origins of caravanning, which date back to the Victorian era in the form of horse-drawn caravans.
Moving into the 20th Century and visitors can also learn about the formation of the Caravan Club in 1907 and look around an Eccles caravan from 1926.
The exhibit also covers modern developments, such as the pioneering Bailey Alu-Tech construction method, which was launched in 2009.
Lawrence Bate, director of marketing at the Caravan Club, said: “The National Motor Museum is a treasure-trove of motoring history. The Club is delighted that the museum has chosen to showcase the origins of this wonderful leisure pursuit as a permanent fixture.”
A third off for Club members
Stephen Munn, commercial director at the National Motor Museum added that the exhibit has already proved to be highly popular, particularly among those who are visiting the nearby New Forest for a caravanning holiday.
In order to encourage Caravan Club members to visit Beaulieu, the Museum is offering a third off for anyone holding a valid Club membership card, plus three guests.
Tickets are priced at £20 per adult, £18.50 for seniors and £52.50 for a family ticket. The Museum is open every day from 10am to 5pm, with late openings to 6pm during the summer months.
Other items on display at Beaulieu include stunning Bentleys from the 1930s, powerful Formula One cars from the 1990s, and some of the crazy contraptions dreamt up by BBC One’s Top Gear.
For more information about the Caravan Club’s permanent exhibit at Beaulieu, visit the National Motor Museum website.
Welsh flood: 150 evacuated from caravan site as flash flooding hits UK
More than 100 terrified caravanners had to be rescued from their holiday homes after torrential downpours caused flash flooding in Wales at the weekend (June 9th-10th).
Holidaymakers staying at the Riverside Caravan Park in Landre near Aberystwyth, Wales, were left frantically fighting for their lives when the River Lery burst its banks.
A huge rescue operation was carried out by the RAF, coastguard and fire services, with families stranded in their caravans and the water levels rising rapidly.
In some cases, the water rose 5ft up the side of people’s caravans and two teenage girls had to be airlifted to safety after becoming stranded in their caravan, the Shropshire Star reported.
Others were forced to scramble 30ft up a steep slope to higher ground after wading through water up their chests. Around 1,000 local residents also had to flee their homes as the rain kept falling and water levels continued to rise.
Emily Nickless, 18, and her 17-year-old friend Leigh-Anne Wharton were rescued by helicopter after waking at 5am to find themselves trapped in their caravan by the rising water.
“When we opened the door, it was terrible. It was impossible to get out,” Emily told the newspaper.
“We saw people on the cliff and we kept the door open because the water was still rising and if we closed it, we wouldn’t have been able to open it again.”
Meanwhile, in Pennal, Gwynedd, around 600 residents had to abandon their homes and were moved to a local leisure centre after the unprecedented rainfall threatened to break the dam of a local reservoir, potentially flooding the village half a mile below.
More than twice the amount of rain that usually falls in the whole of June fell in just 24 hours. The Met Office has now issued severe weather warnings across the UK, while the Environment Agency has put flood alerts in place in areas across the nation.
As much as three inches could fall over the next 24 hours as the downpours continue, forecasters have warned.
Riverside Caravan Park is the second site to fall victim to flash flooding this year, after Billing Aquadrome in Northamptonshire was flooding last month.
The floods come after a Government survey warned back in March that 28 per cent of the UK’s caravan parks are at risk of flooding.
Norfolk caravan owners warned over security following Avondale theft
Police in Norfolk have warned caravan owners to make sure their tourers are well secured following the theft of a vehicle from the quiet village of Wiggenhall St Germans.
Thieves took a five-berth Avondale Argos Pearl tourer from outside its owner’s home on Thursday morning, according to a report in Lynn News.
Unfortunately for the victim, they had left the vehicle’s original purchase documents inside, meaning the crooks who stole the tourer will look legitimate when they try to sell it on to unsuspecting buyers.
Authorities have urged caravanners to make sure they store their paperwork in a safe place away from the vehicle and suggest that everyone registers their tourer with the Caravan Registration and Identification Scheme.
The theft also highlights the importance of taking out a good caravan insurance policy. A recent study by Club Care Insurance revealed that just one per cent of all claims it receives would be covered by a person’s standard home insurance.
VIDEO: Exploring the high-end features of the Elddis Aspire motorhomes
by Chris Jefferies
When Elddis set about creating the Aspire range of motorhomes, they were keen to stand out from the pack, and with their bold exterior styling they certainly achieved that.
Looking beneath the surface, and these tourers also boast a highly enviable level of kit, from the luxury Alde heating system to several clever features to make the driver as comfortable as possible.
In this video, we talk with Angela Robson, one of the chief designers at Elddis, to find out what inspired them to go down the luxury route.
We also take a look at some of the more practical features, including the wipe-clean upholstery and the extra-comfortable memory foam mattresses.
Prices in this luxury motorhome range start from £43,899 for the two-berth Elddis Aspire 215, rising to £49,999 for the four-berth Elddis Aspire 265
VisitEngland announces the UK’s first five-star service station
by Chris Jefferies
As any seasoned caravanner will tell you, picking out the right service station for a stop-off can make all the difference to your towing experience.
Finding a decent cup of tea without spending an arm and a leg can be a challenge, and of course regular breaks are recommended to help keep you fresh and thinking clearly behind the wheel.
So we at CaravanTimes were very interested to learn this week that VisitEngland has named its first ever five-star service station.
The national tourist board has several criteria that need to be satisfied, and no roadside stop-off had made the highest grade, that is until now.
Tebay South on the M6 in Cumbria is the service station in question, boasting locally sourced meat from a nearby farm, as well as freshly-baked bread in its cafes.
It also excelled in many other categories such as cleanliness and customer service.
Janet Uttley from VisitEngland said: “The team at Tebay South are to be warmly congratulated on being the first MSA in the country to achieve a five-star rating.
“Our assessors were impressed by their dedication to providing a memorable, high quality experience to their customers.”
So the next time you’re towing your caravan along the M6 for a break in the Lake District, don’t forget that the country’s best service station is nearby.
For more information about Tebay South Services, head over to the Visit Cumbria website.
Charity calls on MPs to give caravan carbon monoxide warning
A leading charity has called on MPs to warn their constituents about the danger of taking a barbecue inside a caravan, tent or campervan.
Following a series of recent tragedies that have claimed several lives, the Carbon Monoxide Awareness charity says that more must be done to educate the public, and believes that manufacturers should put warnings on barbecues.
Carbon monoxide is given off by barbecues and, despite being both colourless and odourless, is deadly in confined spaces.
The organisation’s president Lynn Griffiths has warned that, even if campers are cold and want the warmth from a barbecue, nobody should ever take a lit barbecue inside a tent or caravan. She added that to do so would be “courting disaster”.
“The public don’t seem to be aware of this and sadly there have been a number of tragedies and several near misses this year,” she said.
Next month, the charity is holding a large event to launch its new “Cosy but Deadly” poster campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the issue.
Scottish Caravan and Camping Show promises Sprite, Bailey and Elddis models
Caravanners north of the border are in for a treat this month when the Scottish Caravan and Camping Show returns to the Thainstone Centre in Inverurie, near Aberdeen.
The popular show was a great success in 2011 and will run from June 15th – 16th this year, with the show’s organisers promising it will be bigger and better than ever before.
“We were determined to offer visitors even more this year,” explained John Gregor, the show’s team leader.
This year the show’s main sponsor is Dyce Caravans – one of Scotland’s leading caravan dealers – and the company will be representing Durham-based manufacturer Elddis alongside others such as Bailey and Sprite at the show.
“Last year’s show was a great success, not only for us but the whole industry, and we are delighted to be involved again, especially as it is our 25th anniversary,” revealed Kenneth Cumming, sales director at the company.
The show runs from 1pm until 9pm on Friday June 15th and from 9am until 4pm on Saturday 16th. Tickets for the day cost £6, or a two-day pass is £12, while under-fours go free. Parking at the 25-acre site is free.
Gwyneth Paltrow and Beyonce planning caravan holiday for Chris Martin and Jay-Z
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and rap star Jay-Z are reportedly heading off on a caravan holiday together, according to newspaper reports emerging this week.
In an even more unlikely twist, the trip is being organised by their celebrity wives, Gwyneth Paltrow and Beyonce Knowles.
The glamorous destination for this bizarre holiday double-date is Florida, as the boys look to unwind when they finally finish their hectic world tour schedules this summer.
“The two couples are planning a trip around Florida,” a source close to the celebrities told The Sun. “Both Chris and Jay have been on intense world tours so they really need a break.
“Gwyneth and Beyonce think the jaunt – going back to nature on a high-end Winnebago – will be the ideal getaway.
“It will be low-key but it’s just what they need and they’ll get to spend quality time together.”
Chris for one will certainly be familiar with the world of caravans, since his father Anthony Martin owned Martins Caravans of Exeter until 1999, when he sold it for around £5 million.
Here at CaravanTimes we’re not sure what we find stranger: that superstar rapper Jay-Z and mild-mannered Chris Martin are close friends, or that the glamorous Gwyneth Paltrow and Beyonce Knowles would ever be willing to go on a humble caravan holiday.
Either way, we’re sure they’ll all have a great time in Florida this summer with their Winnebago.
Controversial Lancaster caravan site gets council green light
Plans to build a 26-pitch caravan site on Lancaster farmland have been given the go-ahead by a slender majority, despite being initially refused by council planning chiefs.
Stodday Land Ltd had its first application turned down in the face of stiff local opposition, with two petitions and 24 letters of objection submitted to the planning committee at Lancaster City Council.
Complaints centred on fears of litter and noise, worries that increased traffic would pose an accident risk and concerns that the drainage system could not cope, the Lancaster Guardian reported.
However, despite almost 60 signatures on the petitions, developers re-submitted a revised request with slight changes to take into account the new National Planning Policy Framework that presumes in favour of sustainable developments.
In the face of opposition from the local parish council at Thurnham, planning officers recommended that the plans be given the go-ahead after changes were made to the proposals.
Developers can now begin constructing the site, which as well as a one-storey amenities block, will be landscaped and include a wildlife pond. To address the traffic issues Stodday Land Ltd will create additional space for vehicles to pass at the entrance to the site.
Towcar triumph as Kia Sportage named best car to own in the UK
by Chris Jefferies
Towcar favourite the Kia Sportage has won a major accolade, being named as the most satisfying car to own in the UK in a recent survey.
The 2012 JD Power customer satisfaction survey, as carried out by WhatCar? Magazine, named the SUV as its best car to live with, thanks to its mechanical reliability and seven-year unlimited mileage warranty.
A brand new entrant in the awards, the Sportage was award five stars across all categories, including ownership costs, quality, value for money, and styling.
What’s more, the compact SUV is the first car in its class to win this prestigious accolade, with storage space and practicality also highlighted – two attributes that are sure to attract towcar buyers.
The Sportage’s vital stats include an impressive towing capacity of up to 2,000kg for the 2-litre diesel version, while prices range from £17,300 for the entry-level model to just under £26,000 for the top-of-the-range version.
With an overall score of 83.8% satisfaction, the Kia edged out stiff competition from the second-placed Jaguar XF, as well as the Toyota Prius and the Skoda Superb, which completed the top four.
This is by no means the first such award that Kia has won, in fact its Sorento SUV was voted as the CaravanTimes Towcar of the Year back in 2010.
Thousands of caravanners help Friendly Club set Guinness World Record
by Chris Jefferies
The Camping and Caravanning Club has kicked off National Camping and Caravanning Week 2012 in style by setting a Guinness World Record.
More than 100 Club sites across the UK contributed to the world record attempt, which involved getting holidaymakers to wear a paper crown on Monday (June 4th).
Early estimates suggest that over 13,000 people took part in this ambitious event, and the grand total is due to be announced later this week.
The Club’s Sandringham site was used as the headquarters, with an official from Guinness Records on hand to verify reports as they came in from all across Britain.
Bathed in glorious sunshine, the Norfolk site played host to more than 600 campers and caravanners who were treated to a hog roast lunch, live music, competitions and entertainment, as well as a nature walk led by the Club’s president and famed TV botanist David Bellamy.
“I’m delighted to have celebrated with the Club by setting a new Guinness World Record,” he said. “I’m certainly going to keep my crown as a memento – carry on camping everyone!”
David’s enthusiasm was matched by the campers in attendance, many of whom wore custom-made crowns or Royal Family face masks throughout the day.
Week-long celebration
The world record attempt coincided with the beginning of National Camping and Caravanning Week 2012, which runs until this Friday (June 8th).
Now in its 12th year, National Camping and Caravanning Week was set up by the Club to encourage campers and caravanners to get out and enjoy the Great British countryside.
The week also aims to foster a community spirit through events such as the Woodland Trust’s Jubilee Woods project and the Big Lunch, as well as the Guinness World Record attempt itself.
Robert Louden, Director General of the Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “The planning that has gone into putting on such a large event is phenomenal and I’d personally like to thank all of those people that have been involved in organising what has been such a brilliant day.
“As a Club, we will continue to encourage holidaymakers to get out camping and to enjoy our great British countryside.”
For more reports and videos from this record-breaking event, be sure to check back with CaravanTimes later on this week.
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VIDEO: What makes Elddis Autoquest the UK’s best-selling motorhome?
by Chris Jefferies
When it comes to picking your first motorhome there are plenty of options, but if you’re looking for great value for money, you’ll be hard pressed to beat the best-selling Elddis Autoquest.
In this video feature, CaravanTimes meets Angela Robson, one of the chief designers at Elddis, to find out how they’ve managed to make this range so popular.
We take a look at the storage space options, the bathroom features and the most popular layouts. Also there’s a close-up look at how the lounge area easily converts into a double bed.
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
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