Riddings village residents protest against caravan site plan

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by Cameron Bird

A plan to build a new caravan site between Ironville and Riddings has been met with written opposition from local residents.

Derbyshire County Council has received 19 letters of opposition, along with a 90-signature petition asking the council to preserve the area’s “open green spaces” and not allow the application, the Derby Telegraph reports.

Amberlea Developments Limited has the plan to build an 11-acre site consisting of 75 pitches in Bullock Lane, Riddings. The project application says the park would be “low key” and of a “scale appropriate to the rural/green belt surroundings”.

The biggest concern for Riddings residents is that the new site could lead to an increase in traffic.

One anonymous comment says: “South Street, High Street, Bullock Lane, and surrounding streets in Riddings village are not suitable for vehicles towing caravans.”

Another commenter cited a risk to children’s safety, as the proposed site is “on an already busy road”.

Roger Etchells, the planning consultant for the site application, said the development was “regarded as acceptable for the green belt, according to national and borough council planning documents”.

The council has yet to make a decision on the matter, but many Riddings residents will be anxiously awaiting the results.

Fifth Wheel’s new caravan park in North Wales will create 15 jobs

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by Cameron Bird

The owners of caravan manufacturer Fifth Wheel Company, have announced plans to transform the Rhuallt County Park into a caravan complex, creating 15 jobs in the process.

The park will include 36 touring caravan pitches, as well as 50 permanent lodges, while the plans also include the White House pub, which will be the main club house on site, according the Daily Post. It will be located on Holywell Road in Rhuallt, and it will be finished by the end of this year.

The husband and wife duo of Mervyn and Jenny Parry-Jones will run the site alongside their son Adrian, and their daughter Ceri.

Adrian, who is operations manager at Fifth Wheel, spoke to the local newspaper about the promising project: “The new country park will not only benefit holiday makers but the local community. They will have access to the new facilities and the opening will create 15 new jobs.”

This marks the first venture outside of caravan manufacturing for the Parry-Jones family, and it will be interesting to see how successful their site is.

Friendly Club survey reveals caravan owners are insurance savvy

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by Tom Lowenstein

When it comes to insurance, it seems that caravanners know how to make sure they are taking out a reliable policy that will give adequate cover in the event of an accident.

A recent survey commissioned by caravan insurance specialist Club Care, part of the Camping and Caravanning Club, found that more than half of caravanners believe that the benefits of having an insurance policy outweigh the cost.

Furthermore, 58 per cent were prepared to pay more if it meant they would be totally protected in the event of a mishap.

The vast majority of respondents (86 per cent) said that price was important to them, but other factors help determine which policy they choose, with 74 per cent saying that the reputation of an insurer also helped them make a decision.

Other important considerations were given to the price of the excess (58 per cent) and the length of time new-for-old cover lasted (45 per cent).

To read the full results from this survey, click here.

50 years later, joiner is reunited with self-built caravan

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by Tom Lowenstein

A joiner and caravan park owner from Lancashire has been reunited with the Silverlight caravan he built by hand, almost 50 years since it was first made.

Back in 1963 Frank Holgate built the 12ft, four-berth model from scratch after learning the skills while working for his father’s touring caravan company, before selling it for £540, the Daily Mail reported.

When a friend stumbled across an eBay advert for the caravan recently, Frank was only too pleased to buy it back, albeit for £700, around 30 per cent more than he first sold it for.

Frank still manages the Holgates Holiday Park in Silverdale, after his father decided to stop making caravans and focus on the caravan site back in 1956, and he is delighted to get his creation back.

“I never expected to come across any of our originals but it’s wonderful to have it back with us and we are excited to get some refurbishment plans underway,” he told the newspaper.

Open all year round, the Silverdale Holiday Park won AA National Campsite of the Year in 2011 and is set in 100 acres of stunning natural beauty.

Mr. Holgate’s wife with his caravan in 1963 [below]

Elddis Caravans makes Factory Preview weekend an annual event

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by Tom Lowenstein

Following the success of last year’s Factory Preview event, Durham caravan maker Elddis has decided to make the weekend an annual occasion starting from September.

Elddis was the first manufacturer to invite the public to its factory for tours with more than 1,000 people attending the UK’s second-biggest leisure vehicle production facility.

The popular factory tours will run once again so people can see how their caravans and motorhomes are put together and Elddis is also offering the special deals from this year’s shows to everyone visiting the event.

Rachel Moncrieff, marketing manager at Elddis, said that the company was so amazed at how popular the event was last year that they have drafted in extra staff this year.

“The Preview was a unanimous hit with children too, with face painting and a giant inflatable assault course,” she said.

“Children love nothing better than the novelty of caravans and motorhomes and relished the opportunity to explore unhindered.”

The Elddis Factory Preview takes place on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th of September.

Dometic phases out 4-series caravan refrigerators

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by Tom Lowenstein

Global caravan accessories manufacturer Dometic has announced that it will be phasing out its 4-series refrigerators and replacing them with the newer 5-series range.

Having given the 4-series a facelift, the latest range of fridges has undergone a redesign but will maintain the same features as well as the level of quality of its predecessor.

The compact refrigerators are typically used in smaller caravans with motorhomes and have featured in many manufacturers’ 2012 caravan ranges already.

Coming in the same dimensions as the 4-series, those replacing their old models will be able to do a simple switchover, as it is on the inside that things have been changed.

An interior LED light comes as standard while the compartments and shelving have been altered and now come in an ice-blue colour.

The thermostatic control will also work on both the 230v mode and the gas mode, and all models in the 5-series feature a foolproof battery ignition.

Caravan complaints could close Cornwall music festival

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by Tom Lowenstein

A caravan park that is situated next to the site of a popular music festival could force the organisers to abandon this year’s event after complaining about noise levels.

The Rock Oyster Festival in St Minerva, Cornwall, is under serious threat of closure after the local council put noise restrictions on its sound systems.

Cornwall Council has imposed a maximum limit of 65 decibels until midnight with a five decibel limit thereafter and organiser Charlie Anderson has said that this could force the festival to be abandoned this year, the BBC reported.

A neighbouring caravan park raised the complaint about the event, which is scheduled to run from June 22nd until June 24th.

Mr Anderson told the news provider: “I am concerned that whereas the licensing hours have not been changed from the original licence, the noise restrictions will mean festival goers will be looking for alternative sources of entertainment after midnight.”

Ticket sales have been suspended by the organisers while they wait for the council to publish the noise measures on February 29th.

Coachman Caravans positive after performance at London caravan show

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by Tom Lowenstein

Coachman Caravans has revealed it put in a “positive performance” at this year’s Motorhome, Caravan & Camping Show in the face of very challenging trading conditions at the moment.

The caravan maker from Hull was delighted with the level of interest in its latest 2012 range of caravans, with 14 per cent of all caravans sold at the show being a Coachman model.

Visitors to the Excel show praised the new styling of the company’s caravans, with the Amara range stealing the show ahead of the popular Coachman Pastiche, VIP and Laser ranges.

“While the event wasn’t as well attended as we would have liked, feedback from visitors was really positive, and our new caravans still performed admirably,” explained Jim Hibbs, managing director at Coachman.

Sales were good across the company’s entire range and Mr Hibbs commented that the manufacturer “punched well above our weight”.

This news comes less than a week after it was announced that the inaugural NCC Motorhome, Caravan & Camping Show attracted a grand total of 43,356 caravanners to the London Excel Centre.

Man jailed after drugs haul found inside Bailey Ranger caravan

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by Tom Lowenstein

A drug dealer is beginning a seven-year prison sentence after dealing heroin from a Bailey Ranger caravan in Cornwall and Devon.

After an 18-month operation, a raid on Garry Williams’ caravan in Hayle, Cornwall, uncovered heroin with a street value of £60,000 and a further £14,000 in cash, thisiscornwall.co.uk reported.

Appearing at Truro Crown Court, the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing heroin with intent to supply and two charges of possessing stun guns.

Following the trial, detective inspector Mike Treglown praised the hard work and dedication of his team in securing the conviction.

“By removing him from the streets, we have dealt a serious blow to those who deal drugs,” the news provider quoted him as saying.

“Williams was a significant player trafficking in drugs and lived very well out of the misery heroin wreaks.”

Police revealed that the 651g of heroine that was recovered by police officers from his caravan was one of the biggest-ever drugs busts in the history of the region.

VIDEO: Inside the Aspire 265, Elddis’ first four-berth luxury motorhome

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by Chris Jefferies
Launched at last week’s London caravan show, the Elddis Aspire 265 is the latest layout in this luxury motorhome range.
Boasting a fixed double bed to the rear and a well-appointed bathroom, this is a very tempting option for families who want a little extra comfort on their touring holidays.
In this video, we meet Alan Bateman, Research & Development Manager at Elddis, who explains the thinking behind this practical and easy-to-drive outfit.
Alan also explains how this particular motorhome layout ties in with the company’s Belts Equals Berths safety promise.
The Elddis Aspire 265 is built on the Peugeot Tempo Libero chassis and is priced at £49,999.

Subaru launches XV crossover to tempt towcar buyers

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by Chris Jefferies
Japanese carmakers Subaru have launched a new compact four-by-four called the XV, and with prices starting at under £22,000 and 56mpg possible, this makes for a very appealing towcar.
The name Subaru is more commonly associated with motorsport rallies than caravan rallies, as legendary Scottish racer Colin McRae dominated the World Rally Championship in the 1990s in his Subaru Impreza.
Some of this rallying pedigree has rubbed off on the XV, with the sporty bodyshell offering a very low centre of gravity, which should improve stability when towing, while the all-wheel drive system promises excellent traction on smaller, more remote caravan sites.
In terms of styling, Subaru has gone for a sporty yet restrained look, which should give this model wide appeal for towcar drivers of all ages and tastes.

Marketed as a ‘compact crossover’, this model will face direct competition from the Ford Kuga, the recently launched SsangYong Korando and the highly popular Nissan Qashqai.
With kerbweights ranging from 1,350kg to 1,415kg for the XV this crossover is fairly light on its feet, but nonetheless Subaru claims that it can tow up to a maximum of 1,600kg.
Even if you prefer to use the Caravan Club’s 85 per cent rule, then a Swift Challenger Sport 382 would make a suitable match.
Price-wise the XV is a fair bit more expensive that the equivalent Ford or Nissan, but Subaru claims that the standard specification is much higher.

For £21,295 you get a wide array of gadgets and gizmos as standard, including automatic air conditioning, daytime running LED headlights, 17-inch alloy wheels and an abundance of airbags.
Indeed the safety aspects of the XV should make it particularly popular with families, as it comes with a five-star Euro NCAP crash rating, making it the safest vehicle in its class, particularly with regards to child safety.
Plenty of power
Subaru haven’t skimped on the power either. There is a choice of a 1.6 or a 2.0-litre petrol engine or a 2.0-litre diesel engine, which they predict will prove the most popular.
The diesel option kicks out 149bhp and generates 350Nm of torque. The result is 0-60 in a rather respectable 9.3 seconds.
What’s more, Subaru has managed to deliver class-leading fuel efficiency – this thing will do more than 56mpg solo, they claim.
If you want to go for all-out luxury, you can spend the best part of £30,000 on the XV, but if you opt for the diesel version with the standard-level of kit, then it won’t cost much more than £24,000.
The Subaru XV compact crossover is due to reach showrooms across the UK next month.
Are you looking for a reliable towcar? Do you like the look of the Subaru XV? Share your opinion in our community forum


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Lunar and Venus Caravans notch up £2.4m sales at London show

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by Tom Lowenstein

Lunar Caravans has revealed its delight with the turnout at last week’s Motorhome, Caravan and Camping Show as sales topped the £2.4 million mark.

The Lancashire-based caravan maker chose the Excel show to launch its new Venus Caravans brand and was happy to see the latest models make up 12.4 per cent of total sales across the show.

“The Venus brand has so far achieved all of the objectives we set for it,” said Martin Henderson, sales and marketing director for Lunar.

“It has hit the right price points with extremely low weights, and has exceeded all expectations in delivering quality and specification at such a good value.”

Maintaining their reputation as Lunar’s most reliable performers during the show, the Clubman and Delta ranges made up 40 per cent of all of the company’s sales, while the Clubman SB came out as star of the show once again.

Despite more brands competing with their own fixed single bed models, the SB was still Lunar’s most popular model at this year’s show.

Lunar’s next appearance at a major show will come in October, when the company will be exhibiting at the NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show at Birmingham’s NEC.