FUEL CRISIS: Easter caravan holiday plans in chaos as petrol stations run empty

Posted by

by Marcus Dubois

Caravan holidaymakers across Britain will be nervously watching the signs at petrol station forecourts this weekend, after a record surge in demand for fuel.

The threat of a possible tanker driver’s strike over Easter led the Government this week to call for motorists to top up their fuel. On Wednesday the Cabinet Officer Francis Maude exhorted drivers to keep “maybe a little bit [of petrol] in the garage as well in a jerrycan” – a statement which led to thousands of drivers heading to fuel stations across the country to collect fuel reserves.

His advice was subsequently been criticised by the AA and the Fire Brigades Union, both of whom pointed out the danger of storing fuel at home. Politicians also pointed out that a jerrycan has a capacity of 20 litres which exceeds the official limit for safely storing petrol at home.

Running dry

The Petrol Retailer’s Association reported a 170% increase in petrol sales on Thursday as panicked Britons queued at stations. Meanwhile sales of diesel surged by almost 80% in response to the news.

Across Britain there have been reports of petrol stations closing altogether as extraordinary demand led to forecourts drained of fuel. Filling stations in Weymouth in Dorset displayed “Closed” signs today while waiting for tankers to arrive, while in the East of England a number of garages have asked drivers for a minimum spend to discourage drivers looking for a quick top-up.

The national crisis has understandably led to caravanners expressing serious concerns over their holiday plans this weekend. With stocks of petrol low across Britain, some holidaymakers believe they will be unable to fill up with enough fuel to make it to their chosen campsite.

No round trip guarantees

One Caravan Times reader was due to set off for Scotland on Saturday – but with most of the petrol stations in his surrounding area displaying “empty” signs, his holiday plans are now in jeopardy.

Fred Scuttle reported that “with most of the filling stations round us already empty, we’re wondering what chance we have of getting fuel once we head off to the remote parts of the Highlands?”

Furthermore, he was more concerned about the possibility of further fuel shortages en route. “Normally we’d just fill up the car and once we get past Glasgow we’d fill it up again which would easily get us to our destination, but now there is real uncertainty about what we will find when we get up there – and will we be able to get enough fuel to actually get us where we want to go?”

Latest news reports indicate that union Unite has ruled out the threat of strikes by fuel tanker drivers over Easter, in the hope of working with conciliation service Acas to come to a solution. Meanwhile a 46-year old woman suffered serious burns yesterday after petrol ignited while she was decanting it in her kitchen.

Are your Easter holiday caravan plans in chaos due to the petrol crisis? Have any petrol stations closed in your area? Click here to have your say and keep the Community up to date in our forum topic

Club Care insurance launches online tool to find nearest caravan repairer

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

If you’ve ever needed repair work done to your caravan and didn’t instantly know where to get the work done, you’ll know how difficult finding a trusted and reputable repair shop can be.

What’s more, a recent study by Club Care Insurance indicates that as many as one-in-30 caravan owners will make a claim on their insurance this year, meaning the need for a quality repairer is all the more pressing.

Well now, a brand new tool from The Camping and Caravanning Club’s insurance service is designed to take the stress out of finding a caravan repair specialist.

Its new website lets caravanners search through more than 300 repairers that Club Care Insurance has used to carry out work in the past, so locating one wherever you are in the UK has never been easier.

Club Care’s client director Nigel Coppen commented that it can be difficult when you damage your tourer and the new service is designed to help reduce the stress.

“At Club Care we want to make it easier for you to find someone capable of repairing your vehicle wherever you may be in the UK,” he said.

To access the repairer locator click here

Elddis Caravans wins International Safety Award for 6th consecutive year

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

The health and safety standards at caravan makers Elddis have once again been recognised after it picked up its sixth successive International Safety Award.

Presented by the British Safety Council with support from the Health and Safety Executive, the award is an acknowledgement of the outstanding commitment to workplace safety made by the caravan manufacturer.

The awards are available to every kind of industry right across the world and more than 600 applicants entered this year, with Elddis’ prize testament to the firm’s commitment to safety standards.

Health and safety officer at Elddis, Mel Dunn, said that the company sets itself targets to improve its performance every year, and this helps it stay alert and drive up standards.

“The benefits to the company are that it leads to a safer working environment for all and at the same time employees are given the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in health and safety,” he added.

This year, the British Safety Council raised the standards for its international awards and it said that the quality of applicants was exceptional.

“We would like to congratulate all winners on this achievement and they should all be very proud,” it said in a statement.

VIDEO: Whale explains how to prepare your caravan for the spring season

Posted by

by Chris Jefferies

Spring is in the air here in the UK, and people are starting to take their caravans out on holiday for the first time all year, after a respite during the winter months.

A crucial detail to remember is that there is some initial preparation needed in order to get the best out of your caravan. This includes checking the water pipes and making sure there is no stagnant water built up from the previous year.

CaravanTimes paid a visit to Whale in Northern Ireland, a company that builds water pumps and under-floor heaters, to ask for an expert opinion on how to get your caravan ready for its first holiday of the season.

Aiden Devlin from Whale gives his advice on what to do before going out on your first trip of the year, and also offers some common issues caravanners have had in the past.

Caravanners urged to give their tyres a ‘health check’ after a long winter

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A leading not-for-profit tyre safety organisation has advised caravan owners to carry out a full tyre ‘health check’ this Easter to avoid any potential problems over the holiday period.

With most caravan sites now open for the season, the Easter bank holiday weekend is likely to see many of the estimated 2 million UK caravan owners hit the road, so TyreSafe have recommended the check-up as a precautionary measure.

Caravans that have spent the winter outside and have been exposed to cold weather and damaging UV rays may have seen their rubber tyres degrade, while under-inflated tyres can blow-out at high speed, with potentially fatal consequences.

While TyreSafe advises caravan owners to have their wheels seen to by a professional, anyone carrying out the inspection themselves should make sure to check both the tread and sidewall. If there are any signs of cracking, bulges, lumps or cuts then immediately consult a professional.

TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson said: “Exposure to the elements for long periods without movement can be a real cause of rubber damage to caravan tyres, often seen by cracking or a drop in pressure.

“Therefore it’s vital to ensure that the tyres are properly inspected before use and correctly maintained.”

Morris Leisure caravan park hosts Betws y Coed fun run

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A five-star Morris Leisure caravan park nestled in the Welsh national park of Snowdonia is to play host to a one-mile children’s fun run this weekend.

The former Caravan Club affiliated site, Riverside Touring Park, has agreed to support the popular Betws y Coed half marathon by helping organise the fun run that will coincide with the main event.

Around 400 competitors are expected to take part in the 13-mile race, and the children’s race has been put together for young people who can’t compete in the longer version.

It will begin at 12.15pm on Sunday April 1st at the entrance to the Riverside Touring Park, taking a route through the caravan site and the golf course next door.

Managing director of Morris Leisure, Edward Goddards, said the company was delighted to support the Betws y Coed half marathon because of the people it would bring to the village.

“Thousands of people come to stay at Riverside because it’s a five star park close to the village and within half an hour of most attractions in Snowdonia,” he said.

“When we are busy, so too are the other businesses in Betws y Coed and surrounding towns and villages.”

VIDEO: Towergate Insurance explains what to do if a caravan gets blown over

Posted by

by Chris Jefferies

Towing in high winds can be very dangerous for caravan owners, and although it is rather rare, caravans have been known to get blown over from time to time.

It is important for caravanners to understand the steps they need to take in order to make the best of the situation, which would be a harrowing ordeal to suffer through.

Caravan Times paid a visit to Towergate Insurance recently to try to understand the process that takes place after a person recovers from their caravan getting blown over.

In this video Edward Cross, underwriting director at Towergate, gives some tips on what to do in the aftermath of the incident, and also offers some brief advice on how to avoid tipping your caravan.

Critics blast Southend caravan park’s plans to replace holiday pitches

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A Southend camping and caravan park’s plan to replace its holiday pitches with permanent-residence static caravans has been met with an angry reaction from locals.

Critics have argued that changing its licence will ruin the local tourist industry and prevent caravanners from enjoying the local area, the Southend Standard reported.

Tingdene, the owner of the East Beach Caravan Park in Shoebury, has been granted permission by the local council to press ahead with its plans, which will see it create 32 static caravan homes that can be lived in all year round.

Previously, the site was home to 35 touring caravan pitches, 15 statics and camping space.

Representing the voice of unhappy local residents, independent councillor Anne Chalk told the news provider it would spell the end of caravan holidays at the scenic seafront park.

“This decision will not leave the locals happy. Everyone I have spoken to since first hearing of the proposal has been against the idea,” she said.

Conservative councillor for Shoebury, Roger Hadley, said that the council had little choice but to grant the application as they could not afford to contest a court case.

Bailey Unicorn caravan passes punishing endurance test in Germany

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

Anyone who has driven Down Under will know that Australian roads can be gruelling, so with a Bailey Unicorn model hitting the Australian market, the Bristol-based manufacturer decided to ramp up the standard endurance test.

All Bailey models undergo rigorous examinations at the Al-Ko test centre in Germany, but if the standard test is a lap around the park, the test for the Australian model was a marathon.

The Unicorn Cabrera underwent a string of pushing endurance tests on the driving track – which includes potholes, Belgian pave and rumble strips – and passed with flying colours.

Having completed 1,000 laps of the one kilometre track, Al-Ko calculated that the caravan had endured the equivalent of 100,000 km of use, further reinforcing the strength of Bailey’s patented Alu-Tech bodyshells.

The only difference between the Australian model and the standard UK Unicorn is that it features the GRP outer skin seen on Orion and Approach SE motorhome models as opposed to the standard aluminium skin.

Scottish police searching for thieves who stole four caravans

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

Police in Scotland are on the hunt for a gang of caravan thieves they believe are behind four stolen vehicles, after two more vanished this weekend.

Caravans worth a total of £18,000 were taken between February 28th and Sunday March 18th with no clue as to where they are now.

The only lead so far is a white Ford Transit that was caught on CCTV near the scene of the first crime.

Police investigating the crimes believe that they may have been stolen to order or broken down to sell for parts, the Perthshire Advertiser reported.

The first theft occurred overnight at a Kinross industrial estate unit on Tuesday February 28th. The model in question was a red and cream Lunar Lexon valued at £6,000.
Then, sometime before March 10th a second caravan – a 2004 Elddis Odyssey – was stolen from a farm in Burrelton, between Perth and Dundee.

The news comes after police in Suffolk appealed for help catching thieves who stole a family’s Bailey Pageant caravan from an industrial unit in Newmarket.

“Caravans are an unusual thing to steal because they are so big and you’d have to be pretty brazen,” a police spokesman told the newspaper.

“And now that it’s coming into caravan season, there’s probably more of a market for them.”

The most recent thefts occurred on Sunday March 18th, with the culprits entering a shed at Westwood Darm in Bankfoot to hitch up and make off with a Hobby 650 Prestige tourer worth around £5,500.

A registration plate belonging to the van was uncovered at the scene, suggesting that thieves may have replaced it with fake plates to make their getaway.

“The owner is a 50-year-old farmer and his family, and they didn’t hear a thing overnight or on the Monday morning, but the shed was an outbuilding a fair distance away from the main residence,” the spokesman said.

While the family discovered their caravan was gone first thing on Monday morning, just quarter of an hour earlier a woman in nearby Balcairn had realised her Mardon Mystique had vanished.

Worth around £2,500, the brown and white ‘van had been parked near an outbuilding and at around 3am that morning the 46-year-old’s dogs had been disturbed but she had not got up to check why.

Anyone with any information is asked to call Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

ITV’s new drama Love Life films at Castlerigg Hall caravan park in Keswick

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

A caravan and camping site near Keswick is hoping to see a surge in visitor numbers after it was used as a set for a new ITV drama series.

The scenic Castlerigg Hall Caravan and Camping Park at the heart of the Lake Disctict features in Love Life, the latest drama series to hit television screens.

Filming at the site took place in November, with over 60 actors and crew members descending on Castlerigg for the shoot, which lasted around a week, the Times & Star reported.

Famous actor and comedian Alexander Armstong takes the lead role in the new show and was at the park alongside his co-star Andrea Lowe, causing much excitement among the park’s staff.

“The girls who work for us were excited that Alexander was filming here and were so pleased they got to meet him,” David Jackson, one of Castlerigg park’s partners, told the newspaper.

“I think we were chosen because the location manager had caravanned with us before and we’d also written into Cumbria Tourism’s media department to be considered as a filming location.”

Love Life, starring Alexander Armstrong, Andrew Lowe and Rob James-Collier can be seen on ITV on Thursdays at 9pm. For those of you who have missed it, catch-up episodes can be seen on the ITV Player.

Suffolk police hunt for thieves of family’s Bailey Pageant caravan

Posted by

by Tom Lowenstein

Suffolk police are on the hunt for thieves who broke into a secure compound before stealing a family’s Bailey Pageant caravan.

At some point after midnight on Wednesday, thieves broke into the storage facility at the Acorn Business Centre in Newmarket, cutting through a chain-link fence before driving off with the caravan. It has not been seen since.

Sue Gazeley, 50, branded the thieves who took her family’s caravan “stealing rotten scoundrels”, the Newmarket Journal reported.

To add insult to injury, the caravan had been equipped with nearly £1,500 worth of entertainment, including a television, DVD player and games.

“All they had to do was pop a pint of milk in the fridge and they were good to go,” she told the newspaper.

“I’m very sad and in shock because it was our family caravan.

Police are now appealing for information from the public in a bid to track down the thieves.