Caravan Tax: Budget rebels set up petition to scrap VAT rise

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by Tom Lowenstein and Chris Jefferies

The uproar caused by the Government’s decision to impose VAT on caravans shows no sign of dying down and now an MP has launched a cross-party petition against the policy in the House of Commons.

Diana Johnson, the Labour MP for Hull North, announced on Saturday (April 28th) that she was launching the petition against a policy she believes will damage jobs and put the successful caravan industry in jeopardy.

She says that it could potentially mean thousands of people will lose their jobs from the caravan industry, which employs many hundreds of people in East Yorkshire alone.

In a show of solidarity, Ms Johnson was supported by Hull East MP and former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott, as well as Hull West MP Alan Johnson and Karl Turner, MP for Hull East.

“We’re asking Hull people to get behind caravan workers and their fight for local jobs,” she said.

“This Commons petition against the caravan tax is part of our cross-party campaign, using every means at our disposal, to persuade Ministers to withdraw this unfair and destructive tax.”

However, even if the Government refuses to withdraw the tax, Ms Johnson believes that, because it was voted in by such a small majority of MPs, it could be thrown out if as few as 15 politicians change their minds and vote against it.

“It needs to be stopped as soon as possible,” Ms Johnson added.

How will the caravan tax affect tourers?

The proposed rise from 0% to 20% VAT would affect all static caravans, as well as the Bailey Retreat range of leisure homes and the Welsh-made Fifth Wheel touring caravans – as we reported on CaravanTimes earlier this week.

The National Caravan Council, the body that represents the UK caravan industry, has estimated that 7,000 jobs could be put at risk by the Government’s plans, both in caravan production and running holiday parks, while the direct cost to British tourism could exceed £120million per year.

John Lally, Director General of the NCC, said: “If people don’t buy caravans, a whole chain reaction is put in place and without a doubt holiday destinations across the country will feel the pain.”

To sign the petition online and lend your support to the caravan industry, click here.

Lincolnshire caravan site gets expansion green light

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by Tom Lowenstein

A leisure park in Lincolnshire is celebrating after getting the green light from councillors to go ahead with its expansion plans.

Grange Leisure Park in Mablethorpe had submitted two planning requests, one to expand its site and another to built a state-of-the-art cafe and the planning committee at East Lindsey District Council have given both requests the ok.

The old building will now be knocked down to make way for a striking new, contemporary cafe that will come complete with outdoor seating and a car park, the East Coast Target reported.

In a further boost for the local tourism industry, four new static caravans are to be added to the site.

Coastfield Leisure Ltd, who own the Grange Leisure Park, have also submitted plans for 55 new touring pitches, toilet and shower blocks and a new reception area.

The planning committee were very impressed with the new designs, and councillor Steve O’Dare went as far as to tell the newspaper that he wished there were more buildings of its kind.

Lincs Design Consultancy’s Andrew Clover, who drew up the plans for the cutting edge development, said that the design would bring the cafe back to life while contributing to the local economy.

“The regeneration of the site will reinstate an important tourist attraction, which is within the heart of the newly created Lincolnshire Coastal Country Park,” he said.

Meanwhile, a caravan park in Sussex has revealed it is shipping £17 million worth of rocks from Norway in a bid to prevent further coastal erosion of its neighbouring beach.

Tyre check tips offered for spring caravan holidays

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by Chris Jefferies

With half term fast approaching, families up and down the country will be considering dusting off their tourer for a caravan holiday.

And what with the dreadful weather of the easter period, there’s every chance that it could be the first caravan getaway of the year.

With this in mind, CaravanTimes has been talking to the insurance experts at Towergate to get some valuable advice for how to prepare for this first trip after winter.

There are many things to consider, but the state of your caravan’s tyres might be the most crucial part of your pre-holiday checks, since they are the only part of the caravan that is in contact with the road.

As Edward Cross from Towergate explained, “You need to maintain the tyres on your caravan in the same way that you do for your car. Some people do allow their caravan tyres to endure a longer life than perhaps they should.

“With caravan tyres, it’s important to make sure that they’re in good condition, not perished and at the right pressure.”

He added that poor tyre maintenance can lead to nasty accidents, such as a puncture or even a blowout while towing, which can lead to damaged wheel arches, as well as shredded tyres.

For more advice from Towergate on how to look after your caravan tyres, read their original article: Giving your caravan tyres a spring health check.

Fifth Wheel Company slams government over caravan tax

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by Tom Lowenstein

Welsh caravan manufacturer Fifth Wheel Company has added its voice to the growing criticism surrounding the Government’s so-called Caravan Tax.

While a section of the caravan industry currently pays a reduced sales tax, as of October VAT will be introduced to the industry and all static caravans and fifth wheel tourers will be subject to the levy.

Now the family-run company, which was only recently praised by the Government for offering quality apprenticeships to local youngsters, has hit out at the potentially damaging impact the move will have on its business.

Though the company has come through the recession relatively unscathed and is eyeing further growth, sales director Adrian Parry-Jones is concerned that the tax will ruin all their hard work.

“This year we are celebrating our ten year anniversary. We survived the recession and our business is going from strength to strength as we continue to grow and innovate,” he said.

“The government’s proposal to apply 20 per cent VAT is a big concern for us as potentially this levy could add thousands of pounds to the purchase price of our tourers and have a devastating effect on our business.”

For anyone considering buying one of the company’s caravans, Mr Parry-Jones advised that they place their order before the October 1st deadline to avoid the extra cost.

Friendly Club launches motorhome try-before-you-buy scheme

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by Tom Lowenstein

Have you ever thought you might prefer not having to hitch up your caravan before heading off on your jollies and quite like the idea of just hopping into your tourer and driving off instead?

If so, then the Camping and Caravanning Club’s new scheme could be perfect for you.

The Friendly Club has launched a new try-before-you-buy scheme that takes the risk out of buying a motorhome by letting you take one on a test trip to get a feel for it.

There’s no doubt that buying a motorhome is a major investment and not a decision to be made on a whim, so the Privilege Scheme hire service allows you to do the necessary research before you part with your hard-earned cash.

More than 100 companies in the UK have registered their motorhomes with the Club’s scheme so there are plenty to choose from, and each vehicle comes with a guide that entitles the user to discounts on pitches the Club’s sites with their hired tourer.

VIDEO: A closer look at the Bailey Orion Evo-4 electric caravan

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by Chris Jefferies

Bailey Caravans and the University of Bath have come up with a new type of caravan designed to suit people who prefer to stay on sites with electric hook-ups, the Orion Evo-4.

In this video we hear from Simon Howard, who explains how Bailey have managed to cut weight and cost whilst maintaining desirability. We also find out the effect this has on this caravan’s internal specification.

With environmental issues becoming a growing concern, the lighter weight of the Orion Evo-4 could make it appealing.

The Evo-4 weighs roughly 100kg less than the Orion 430-4 model that it is based on, giving it an MTPLM of 1,149kg, and this brings the cost down to the £12,500 mark, meaning it is also a good choice for those looking to save money.

CaravanTimes also caught up with some potential buyers at the London Caravan Show to get their thoughts on the newest addition to the Bailey family.

Film4 caravan movie Sightseers to premiere at Cannes Festival

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by Tom Lowenstein

Visitors to the Cannes Film Festival are more used to seeing multi-million pound yachts than caravans, but this year will be different.

British movie maker Film4 is set to give debuts to two of its latest creations at the event this year, and dark comedy Sightseers is set to be one of the stars of the show.

The film centres around young couple Chris and Tina, who set off on an English caravan trip in high spirits only for things to go badly wrong.

Starring co-writers Steve Oram and Alice Lowe as the ill-fated couple who find their dream holiday turning into a nightmare, Sightseers promises to give festival-goers a unique insight into the world of British caravanning – something not usually given much thought on the French Riviera.

It will makes its debut alongside Walter Salles’ eagerly-awaited movie adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s seminal beat novel On The Road, while another Film4-funded movie The Curse will also appear at the festival.

Film4 boss Tessa Ross said: “We’re really thrilled … On The Road, Sightseers and The Curse represent the incredibly broad range of wonderful talent and stories that Film4 works with – we’re so proud of the films.”

Strictly stars James and Ola Come Dancing at Caravan Club summer ball

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by Tom Lowenstein

This June is the Caravan Club’s 105th birthday and to mark the occasion a star-studded summer ball is being thrown.

Strictly Come Dancing stars James and Ola Jordan are on the guest list for the event and will be showing off their moves on the dance floor of the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.

This year, the event will be in aid of the Leukaemia Lymphoma Research, and the charity’s president Sir Ian Botham will be on hand to host an auction that will help raise funds for the organisation’s sterling work.

Along with these celebrity appearances, the Club have arranged a night of spectacular performances in the vein of Last Night of the Proms.

Silks Aerial Ballet will put on a stunning show and the British Military Band are also set to appear, before the group Mixed Feelings turn up the volume for an evening’s dancing.

Grenville Chamberlain, the Caravan Club’s chairman, said that although the evening will be a wonderful celebration of the Club and caravanning, it also has a serious purpose.

“The Club and I would like to take the opportunity to raise money for a very deserving chosen charity, Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, whose mission statement is ‘Beating Blood Cancer’,” he said.

VIDEO: What makes Alde heating a must-have for Dunster House Concordia?

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by Chris Jefferies

Alde heating has been a must-have for luxury caravans for some time but what sets it apart from other brands?

In this video CaravanTimes sits down with Dunster House to find out why they have chosen to use Alde heating systems across their new Concordia range.

Marc Millard explains how Alde is different from other caravan heating systems and points out it is the closest you can get to a home heating system, as well as being the most energy efficient.

We also find out how this system makes it comfortable to go caravanning all year round, even in the winter months.

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

NASA architect creates ‘camping machine’ with the Cricket Trailer

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by Maeve O’Donnell

Is the idea of a serious touring caravan a little much but the thought of sleeping in a tent horrifying? If yes, fear not, there is a solution and it comes in the form of the Cricket Trailer.

We present to you what could well be the future of caravanning and camping, as brought to us by no less than NASA designer and architect, Garret Finney. A man determined to at least half fulfil his childhood dream of owning a houseboat.

Garret, being a lover of the great outdoors but far from keen on camping with his family in tow wanted something lightweight and flexible to travel in and so the Cricket Trailer was born.

Click here to see more pictures of the Cricket Trailer

You may well be thinking that caravans have absolutely nothing to do with crickets. But, as Garret points out crickets can be found everywhere from deep inside caves to the mountain tops.

Since this trailer has been designed to travel pretty much everywhere it makes perfect sense. The alternative explanation was that one of the mechanisms resembled a cricket’s leg but that isn’t quite as poetic.

Now we have established what the Cricket’s purpose is and the story behind it, how does it fare for real life caravanning?

Custom built for you

The idea behind the Cricket is that you custom build the interior to suit your travelling needs so you choose either the Folding Couch or V-Berth layout, exterior colour, and then plan the inside selecting everything from appliances to soft furnishings.

The exterior is eye catching to say the least, its angular shape immediately establishes it as a caravan for the future and the orange of the pop up roof reinforces that this is not your usual white ‘van.

Made from stress-skin aluminium, the lightweight frame is available in either green or blue and has dual access, including one extra wide door, making the caravan easy to get in and out.

Each window is fitted with mosquito nets and privacy blinds so you can get the mix of ventilation and privacy that suits you.

So far, so good but for those used to fully equipped, full sized touring caravans Cricket living may take some adjusting to.

Back to basics

For instance, if we move on to the interior, the kitchen area contains a sink, space to have a camp stove inside and adequate storage for both food and kitchen equipment. All the necessities are there, but it might not be for those who enjoy a home-from-home holiday.

Also found in the kitchen is the adjustable shower, which can stretch outside to wash off people and/or animals (in a similar way to the design on the Elddis Xplore 302) or be used inside alongside a rubber mat and shower curtain.

Not forgetting the camping toilet, which is not everyone’s favourite but may come in handy if you join the real crickets at the top of a mountain.

Sleeping arrangements are dependent on the frame you choose, but generally these caravans are suitable for either two or four people. There is a futon-style bed for the adults and for children weighing up to 130lbs a bed unclips from the ceiling.

Though it doesn’t exactly look sturdy Garret assures children will sleep in “comfort and style”.

A camping machine for the future

The size and weight do mean that the Cricket is far from offering all mod-cons, but what it lacks in luxuries it makes up for by bringing you as close to the outdoors as possible, without actually being outside.

Garret is proud of his “lightweight, athletic camping machine” and hopes everyone will come round to, what he regards as, 21st century camping.

A real plus point for this caravan is that it is seriously lightweight, coming in at around 630kg for the Folding Couch model and 715kg for the V-Berth. This weight is calculated before add-ons but the equipment is so light even when full the Cricket can be towed by virtually anything.

Prices start at $14,300, which works out at around £8,600 before you kit it out, so the Cricket is more similar in price range to a trailer tent than a touring caravan.

Importing it all the way from Texas could be problematic but Garret and his team do take enquires here on their website.

If you are environment or money conscious but still want to have a caravan-style adventure then the Cricket Trailer could be just the thing, not to mention you will look pretty unique doing it.


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

How to make the Caravan Club Sandwich

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by Tom Lowenstein

Keen cook and Caravan Club member Samantha Haas was stuck in her tourer on a rainy day and determined not to visit the shops, so she rummaged around the fridge to see what she could whip up.

The inspired double-decker sandwich that followed was duly named a Caravan Club Sandwich and now sits pride of place on the website she devotes to her foody creations.

“I am not a trained professional chef, just an everyday cook with a passion for great food,” explains Samantha.

“This particular creation came about on a rainy day at The Caravan Club’s Sandrigham Estate site, I was just trying to utilise what we had in the caravan fridge so I didn’t have to go out to the shops!”

It takes just five minutes to make, here’s how:

Ingredients:

  • 3 slices white bread
  • 4 slices danish salami
  • 4 slices cucumber
  • A few slices of raw white onion
  • Seasoning to taste
  • 1 slice mature cheddar cheese
  • 1 tbsp low fat mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp mint sauce
  • Margarine
  • Crisps of your choice to serve
  1. Butter the bread
  2. Add salami and onion to the first slice and then place the next slice of bread on top, before spreading with mayonnaise and mint sauce
  3. Layer with the cheese and cucumber before seasoning with salt and pepper
  4. Finish the double-decker sandwich with the final slice of bread, before cutting into triangles
  5. Plate up with crisps on the side

Sussex caravan park importing rocks worth £17m from Norway

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by Tom Lowenstein

Bunn Leisure has embarked on a huge project to import 93,000 tonnes of quarried granite from Norway at a cost of £17 million, but they are not going to be used for fancy landscaping or any building project.

The leisure company is instead shipping the rocks across the North Sea to its West Sands caravan park in Selsey, West Sussex, as part of a project to protect its beach that is so popular with caravanners and holidaymakers.

As coastal protection projects go, this is the biggest of its kinds carried out by a private company in the UK, but Bunn is hoping that it preserves the future of its beach, preventing erosion and the ever encroaching sea.

In 2008, huge storms wreaked havoc on the holiday park, destroying holiday homes as a flood invaded the site. The new project is designed to stop that happening again.

The rocks are now being delivered by sea from Norway’s Larvik Quarry and will be piled up to make ‘breakwaters’ along the beach.

Once they have been put in place, Bunn Leisure will then spend time restoring the shore and a staggering 115 deliveries each of 3,000 cubic metres of sand and gravel will be pumped along the coastal strip to create a shingle beach worthy of the four-star holiday park.