New proposals to get tough on rogue traders and caravan cowboys

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A new national board designed to act as consumer champion could help cut down on the number of rogue traders and cowboys operating in the caravan industry.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has announced that Citizens Advice will become a consumer information champion alongside a new National Trading Standards Board (NTSB).

Meanwhile, the Consumer Direct advice line has already been replaced by a new service from Citizens Advice and the public body will now take over where the previous Consumer Focus organisation left off.

Trading Standards will still play a key role protecting consumers, but [the] new NTSB will bring together representatives from across the UK in a bid to fund and organise national cases against unscrupulous dealers.

Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, said the move was “good news for consumers”.

“With consumer advice, advocacy and education all under one Citizens Advice service roof, consumers will get a service they know and trust,” she commented.

Wales Caravan and Motorhome Show returns to Chepstow

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

One of the highlights of the caravan show season kicks off at Chepstow Racecourse again this weekend when the Wales Caravan and Motorhome Show gets underway.

Following the excitement and heartbreak of the Grand National, the show offers the chance to enjoy an altogether less frantic time at the races where the gambling has instead been replaced with nothing but great deals.

Elddis will once again be represented at the show, this time by dealership Pearman Briggs, and a range of unbeatable offers on their caravans and motorhomes will be available.

Alongisde a range of Elddis and Buccaneer touring ‘vans, the exclusive Magnum caravans built specifically for the retailer by the Durham-based manufacturer will also be on show.

As usual, Elddis’s Autoquest motorhomes will be making the journey too, with West Country Motorhomes representing the brand in this department.

The show opens on Friday April 20th and runs until Sunday 22nd.

Caravan Club and MPs celebrate small sites at Westminster awards ceremony

Posted by

by Maeve O’Donnell

David Amess, MP, has hailed the Caravan Club as “the finest club in the world” as the House of Commons threw open its doors once again to host the Certified Location of the Year awards.

Introducing the Club’s annual awards ceremony at Westminster Palace, Amess added “it’s very cool to caravan now”.

Grenville Chamberlain, the Caravan Club’s Chairman, reiterated the need for celebration, announcing their plans to open an Olympic Park in Essex to serve as a temporary campsite in August, but also warned of the affects that higher petrol prices would have on the club.

Certified Locations are privately owned sites which hold no more than five caravans at a time. Often situated in remote locations, sometimes near farms or stately homes, they generate significant income for the surrounding area.

Also on hand to present the awards themselves, was Dan Jarvis MBE MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, no stranger to caravanning himself he praised the British pastime; “Caravanning has been a way of life for generations of people and long may it continue.”

The winners this year were first time attendees to the annual ceremony, Tony and Maria Potts, from Walnut Lakes CL, in Algarkirk, Boston. Located within the beautiful Lincolnshire countryside their CL is often visited for fishing but the surrounding area has plenty to offer including an award winning village, Sutterton, and a bird watching hotspot.

The couple have been running their site for five years now and stunning views across the water have ensured visitors often stay in touch and revisit.

Runners up were Bruce and Ann Regimbal from Hillcroft CL, near Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, returning for their third award. Third place went to Keal Lodge CL, also in Lincolnshire and run by Keith and Alison Rogers bringing the site’s total to eight awards in 15 years.

After presenting the awards, Jarvis also highlighted the Caravan Club’s economic value, emphasising the annual £400m local expenditure by Caravan Club members. The Caravan Club has more than 1million members and he quipped that is “the kind of membership that political parties can only dream of”.


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

Boris Johnson admits to taking caravan holiday during London riots

Posted by

by Maeve O’Donnell and Chris Jefferies

Mayor of London Boris Johnson came under fire last summer when he failed to return from his holiday whilst the capital was in a state of upheaval, caused by three days of riots.

But now, it has emerged that Boris’ holiday was, in fact, spent in a caravan. As the London riots got underway the Mayor was caravanning in a remote area of Canada.
With the upcoming London Mayoral elections due to take place on May 4th, last summer’s mistake is back to haunt him – in a recent candidates’ debate Ken Livingstone was quick to mention Boris’ delayed return to the capital.

Johnson responded, “I was in a caravan stuck up a mountain with very poor mobile reception and I was a good 300 miles from the nearest airport. As soon as it was obvious what was going on, I got back as fast as I could.”

Boris has already revealed his love of the outdoors in his Daily Telegraph column, writing: “At the risk of sounding like a character from Enid Blyton, there is absolutely nothing to beat camping.”

CaravanTimes can only speculate on Boris’ choice of caravan, but given his political experience, a Bailey Senator would certainly be a fitting option.

Stray cat finds new home in mini Bailey Orion caravan

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A stray cat that took to loitering around a caravan dealership was taken in by the firm’s big-hearted owners and now has its very own luxury tourer to live in.

Unlike most Bailey Orion 430-4s, however, the feline’s new home measures just three foot long and boasts a single fleece-lined bed.

Staff at Cosford Caravans in Albrighton, Shropshire began feeding the cat – which they rather unimaginatively named Cat – when it first turned up and it very quickly became a regular at the dealership.

Cosford owner Mervyn Hughes then mentioned Cat to Bailey director Nick Howard during a meeting and didn’t think anything more of it, but days later a cat-sized Orion 430-4 arrived on the doorstep.

“It turned up with a message saying ‘something for the cat to sleep in at night in comfort’,” he told the newspaper.

“I must admit I was a bit amazed. In my 28 years here, I have never seen anything quite like it. I was amazed it was made from scratch so quickly.”

Last year, a cat called Banjo from Sussex spent months living 250 miles away in Wales before being reunited with her owner after stowing away in a neighbour’s touring caravan.

Mystery fire destroys two caravans in Essex

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A fire in a residential carpark in Vange, Essex destroyed two caravans and a car at the weekend.

Firefighters don’t know what sparked the inferno, which quickly spread between the two vehicles and a Ford Fiesta parked in between, wrecking all three.

Two fire engines and eight firemen spent a quarter of an hour tackling the blaze on Saturday night (April 14th), but luckily managed to prevent one of the tourer’s gas canisters from exploding.

An investigation is now underway to establish the cause of the fire, the Southend Standard reported.

Warren Breeze, leading firefighter, told the newspaper: “It’s strange how it started in a residential car park.

“We had to use breathing equipment while we put out the flames. Luckily we managed to get the canister out before it became too hot.”

A recent study by Club Care Insurance revealed that 99 per cent of claims relating to caravans would not be covered by an owner’s standard car insurance.

Car insurance doesn’t cover 99% of caravan insurance claims

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

While it may be tempting to dispense with caravan insurance and just let your car insurance cover it, a new study has revealed just how bad an idea this could be.

In the UK caravan insurance is not required by law, so some people decide against the extra expense.

However, according to Club Care Insurance, just one per cent of all caravan claims it receives would be covered by standard car insurance policies.

A caravan itself is not insured under standard car policies, meaning the only cover they provide are for damage to third parties.

The Camping and Caravanning Club’s insurance provider revealed that just one per cent of all claims fall into this category, meaning the other 99 per cent of claims would fall on deaf ears unless a proper caravan insurance policy was taken out.

“If you were involved in a road accident while towing your caravan that was your fault then you would be covered for any damage that you did to a third party, not to your own caravan,” Club Care said in a statement.

This means that any thefts or damage to your caravan are only covered under specific insurance policies, so relying on your existing car cover is a dangerous game and one that is probably not worth playing.

Tourism minister praises £3m Morris Leisure caravan park

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

Tourism and heritage minister John Penrose has offered his congratulations to the Morris Leisure caravan park company following the completion of their new five star site in Shropshire.

The 135-pitch Ludlow Touring Park cost Morris Leisure £3 million and sits on the banks of the River Teme in a stunning 20-acre site.

Ahead of its official opening on May 9th, the Conservative politician visited the site alongside local MP Philip Dunne, unveiling a plaque to mark the completion of the new caravan park, Shropshire Live reported.

Mr Penrose said he was “delighted” to see such a significant level of investment going into the local tourism industry.

“It is a wonderful destination for caravanners to come to and it looks like a very professional park, which I am sure is going to be full,” he said.

Mr Dunne echoed the minister’s sentiments and commented that the site would bring a big boost to local businesses.

Last month, Morris Leisure revealed that it was planting 750 new trees at this site as part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

VIDEO: Designing the new Dunster House Concordia range of luxury caravans

Posted by

by Chris Jefferies

Dunster House’s first ever range of caravans split opinion right down the middle, so with the new Concordia collection they are going for a more traditional look, which they think will appeal to almost everyone.

In this video feature, we speak to Matthew Rickard, who explains the thinking behind this brand new collection, which has been completely redesigned from the bottom up.

Featuring the class-leading Alde central heating system and with highly competitive price tags, this range is sure to win over many more caravanners to the Dunster House way of thinking.

Prices in the Dunster House Concordia range start at £17,995 and MTPLM weights range from 1,360kg to 1,580kg

For a virtual 360-tour of the Dunster House Concordia Serenity, click here

No Comments

filed under: Video

Safety devices recommended for avoiding caravan towing accidents

Posted by

by Chris Jefferies
Towing a caravan can be a stressful experience, particularly if you are new to the pastime, but luckily there are many devices you can buy to make the whole experience safer and smoother.
From stabilisers to anti-snaking devices, there are many products on the market that can help in this area, and Towergate Insurance has recently pointed out that some of them can earn you a discount on your annual policy as well.
Towergate insurance expert Edward Cross told CaravanTimes: “I would certainly recommend these types of devices, they are an absolute must with bigger caravans, and indeed I would encourage anyone to invest in one of these.
“They significantly reduce the chances of you having a nasty snaking accident, which can even include the entire caravan flipping over.”
In a nutshell, these systems work by monitoring the road conditions, sensing any lateral movement and gently applying your caravan brakes as necessary to prevent the tourer from snaking out of control.
For more tips and advice from Towergate on how to pick the right system for your tourer, read their original article: How safety devices can help you avoid caravan accidents.

Friendly Club joins forces with mapmakers Ordnance Survey to help caravanners

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

The Camping and Caravanning Club and British mapmakers Ordnance Survey (OS) have joined forces in a bid to help caravanners get the most from their touring holidays.

As part of the new partnership, OS will be offering a discount on all of its Custom Made maps that centre on the Club’s sites, as well as cutting the price on other products, including its get-a-map annual subscriptions.

All of this is designed to help caravanners find new walking routes when staying at Club sites, while members are able to use the online OS Leisure Portal to share their routes with others and find new recommended routes.

Ruth Doyle, director of marketing and communications at the Club, said they are delighted to partner with Ordnance Survey.

“Our campers love walking, cycling and running when they stay on our sites and Ordnance Survey maps are an excellent way for them to discover a new area,” she said.

Caravan Club gives tips on living green this spring

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

With spring upon us and summer closing in, it is the perfect time of year to start thinking about a greener way of living and the Caravan Club has offered some great tips.

Outdoors exercise, eating fresh, local produce and composting your food waste are the Club’s top three ways to cut our carbon footprint and help preserve the natural environment that make caravan holidays so enjoyable.

According to the Club, spring is the best time to get a sweat on outdoors, whether its running, cycling, working out or just walking. It’s great for health and fitness, costs nothing and doesn’t waste energy driving to the gym or using treadmills.

“Experts also believe that exercising in the natural light can improve vitamin D and serotonin levels, which in turn can boost your mood and even help you to lose weight,” the Club says.

Seasonal, local produce is very big at the moment, but there is a reason for that.

Visiting farmers markets is not only fun and interesting; it also helps support the local economy and is much better for the environment than buying asparagus that have been on a plane from Peru.

And once you’ve eaten all of your delicious locally grown fruit and vegetables, don’t forget to compost your waste – great for the environment on so many levels.

As well as cutting waste going to landfill, it also generates free compost to feed gardens.