Swift breaks the mould with four-berth Autocruise van conversion

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by Chris Jefferies
Swift Caravans is hoping to tempt caravanning families with the launch of their latest panel van conversion, the Autocruise Quartet.
The market-leading Autocruise range of vans already includes five different layouts, and the Quartet is the first van conversion from a major manufacturer to offer four berths, including two bunk beds.
This is all cleverly packed into the Peugeot Boxer / Fiat Ducato bodyshell, meaning that just like every other Autocruise van conversion it is just 6m long.

The layout is made possible by a clever convertible double bed arrangement in the front end, while the van also includes rear seatbelts, so you can safely take the kids along with you.
Swift insists that this van is also practical for day-to-day use, whether you want to pop to the shops or explore the local area during a touring holiday.
The front driver and passenger seats also rotate 180 degrees, and this makes for a comfortable living room area to enjoy a meal or just relax in the evenings.
Other practical considerations include the rear loading doors, which allow easy access via the washroom, meaning you can easily store bikes inside your van.
As well as all the functional features, the Quartet also boasts plenty of style; from the sequin lights that line the main entrance to the well-appointed kitchenette area.
Power and performance
Driving this 3.5 tonne van is a 2.2-litre Peugeot Diesel engine, which delivers 130bhp via a six-speed gearbox. Swift claims this provides “the ideal combination of economy and performance”.
Alternatively, there is an automatic version, based on the Fiat Ducato and powered by a 2.3-litre engine. Both options are Euro 5 engines, which offer a 7 per cent reduction in carbon emissions, when compared with the previous version.
Nick Page, Commerical Director at Swift, explained that “the Quartet is the result of a constant demand for a four-berth van conversion that can compete with lower priced coachbuilt models.”
Indeed, with the price set at £42,135, the Quartet will be just as affordable as the popular Autocruise Accent and Alto layouts.
Caravan enthusiasts looking to scope out this brand new four-berth van can see the Autocruise Quartet on display at the Manchester Caravan & Motorhome Show, which runs at Event City on 19th from 19th to 22nd January.
Tickets are on sale now for £7.95 for adults, or you can enter our latest reader competition and be in with a chance of winning one of 50 pairs of tickets.


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2012 promises to be a great year to take a caravan holiday

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by Tom Lowenstein

The year ahead looks set to be one of the best ever for people looking to holiday at home and caravans are sure to play a big role.

While the economic downturn helped the trend for home holidays to grow, with so much going on in 2012 many people may opt to stay in the UK instead of heading abroad out of choice rather than necessity.

According to the national tourist board VisitEngland, there is so much going on in 2012 that it is guaranteed to be one of the best years to holiday at home.

Some fantastic events are taking place up and down the country, with the London 2012 Olympics at the forefront of a lot of people’s minds.

Laura Smith, destination public relations manager at VisitEngland, said: “It’s going to be a fantastic year to holiday at home, with events and exhibitions taking place up and down the country. There are so many ways to get involved in this special year.”

As well as the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Torch Relay and Cultural Olympiad events are happening, not to mention the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

For caravanners looking to hitch up and head out for a holiday in 2012 that takes in the Olympics, the Camping and Caravanning Club has a number of sites which sit in prime locations for the games.

“We are offering a choice of four Summer of 2012 Event Campsites in prime locations across the capital for campers to soak up the Olympic atmosphere,” said Jon Dale, PR manager for the Friendly Club.

Of course, some people will want to escape the Olympics, and with so many special things going on throughout the year it will be easy to pick a perfect caravan holiday which takes in an exciting event.

According to Ms Smith, an exhibition of James Bond Vehicles at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu and an annual husky race at Lincolnshire’s Grimsthorpe Castle will both be great to visit.

She also recommends a trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall or the Butterfly Farm in Stratford-upon-Avon.

“Here in England we’re very practical about the weather – we’re always prepared for it and we also have a huge array of activities and things to do indoors,” she said.

Manufacturing innovations drive caravan industry, says Friendly Club

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by Tom Lowenstein

If the Camping and Caravanning Club is anything to go by, the future of the caravan holiday is likely to be preserved by the increasing innovation of ingenious manufacturers.

According to Jon Dale, the Club’s PR manager, caravan manufacturers and continually developing their products to keep them up to date with 21st century technology.

This constant evolution in the industry will help maintain the popularity of caravanning trips, he argues.

“Caravan manufacturers are continuously seeking to develop their products to keep in line with 21st century consumer expectations,” he said.

These developments will contribute to the continuing popularity of caravanning, Mr Dale believes, helping to build on the huge successes of the industry in 2011 by encouraging more people to hitch up and head out for some time outdoors.

Finally, the industry expert advised people who want to cast their eye over the latest developments to visit one of this year’s caravan shows to find out more.

Fifth Wheel Company praises Nissan Pathfinder as towcar of choice

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by Tom Lowenstein

The north Wales caravan company Fifth Wheel have endorsed the Nissan Pathfinder 4×4 as the number one towcar for their caravans.

Having spent the last six months putting the vehicle through its paces, Fifth Wheel has revealed that the Nissan Pathfinder impressed them in every respect.

Using the 4×4 to tow their Inos caravan, the caravan maker’s team found that it dealt with everything they threw at it and they revealed they were impressed with its fuel economy as well as the raft of hi-tech features boasted by the towcar.

Adrian Parry-Jones, sales director at Fifth Wheel, described that Pathfinder as an “excellent” model that was ideal for towing the hefty Inos.

“It is a smooth and quiet drive which meets all the safety requirements. It is very spacious and comfortable and with seven seats it is ideal to take the whole family out in,” he said.

In other news, Fifth Wheel recently announced that they were looking for apprentices to begin training at their newly improved centre in Wales.

Seafield caravan park revives expansion plans

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by Tom Lowenstein

A Northumberland caravan park has revealed that its expansion plans are back on track following a year-long delay.

The Seafield Caravan Park at Seahouses, on the beautiful Northumbrian coast, had originally planned its extension in May last year, but after planning officers asked for more environmental information from the developers, plans were put on hold.

Now the park, which offers pitches for both touring caravans and statics, has resubmitted its application with the full environmental statement, the Berwick Advertiser reported.

If approved by the planning committee, Strathearn Leisure Parks, which owns the site, will build an additional 188 plots for static caravans and also construct a new sports facility.

Sandra Thompson, the regional director at Signet Planning, the agency acting on behalf of Strathearn Leisure, said that the development will be completed in three phases.

She told the newspaper that should the go-ahead be given, they hope to complete the first phase of the work in time for the beginning of the 2013 season.

The announcement marks yet more goods news for the North-East caravan community, after nearby Glocorum Caravan Park owned by Northumbrian Leisure recently announced a £500,000 renovation project.

Bailey Caravans ends 2011 on a high by announcing turnover of £90 million

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by Chris Jefferies
Bailey Caravans has announced an impressive turnover for the 2011 calendar year of £90 million, topping off a busy 12 months for the Alu-Tech ‘vanmakers.
In a statement, the company argued that this achievement is all the more impressive, given that the caravan industry as a whole has contracted by 15 per cent this year (according to NCC figures).
What’s more, Bailey adds that their order book is now full up until Easter 2012, so those hoping to own a new Alu-Tech caravan next year may face a little wait.
Looking back on the year just passed, the Bristol-based company hailed the launch of the lightweight Orion range and its first ever motorhome, the Approach SE, as it main achievements.
However, it wasn’t all plain sailing, with a number of luxury Unicorn caravans suffering from wheel detachment problems, resulting in a nationwide product recall for all Seville, Madrid, Valencia and Almeria models.
Finally, the company continued to expand overseas by entering the New Zealand market and appointing a local dealer to help them break into Australia as well.
Looking forward to 2012 and Bailey fans can look forward to more details on the eagerly anticipated Retreats range of seasonal pitch caravans.

Cat’s caravan adventure takes her a long way from home

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by Tom Lowenstein

A stowaway cat who ended up 250 miles away from home after taking an unwitting caravan trip managed to make her way back to her Sussex owner in time for Christmas.

After apparently climbing into a caravan destined for Wales, Banjo the cat ended up living rough in a field for months, the BBC reported.

The ginger moggy went missing back in April and her owner, Paul Martin, had long since given up hope of finding her, before a response to his online missing cat advert came out of the blue.

“After a few weeks of looking for her every night, I just thought she’d gone,” Mr Martin told the BBC.

“There was some kind of incident with some anti-freeze poisoning locally and I thought that might have been what got her in the end.”

Luckily for Banjo, a kind-hearted woman in Ceredigion had spotted her living in the nearby field throughout the summer months and gave her a warm place to stay once winter closed in.

With the help of the RSPCA, the local lady tracked down Mr Martin and the pair were reunited, providing both of them with the most welcome of Christmas presents.

New Coachman Pastiche and VIP layouts to be launched in the New Year

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by Chris Jefferies
Coachman Caravans has announced two new layouts to be added to its popular Pastiche and VIP ranges in the New Year.
The VIP 565/4 and Pastiche 565/4 will both come with two fixed single beds in the rear end, and presumably a convertible double in the nose end.
This makes for a spacious layout that is ideal for families with larger children who will no longer put up with having to sleep in a bunk bed.
Prices, weights and even a launch date are yet to be confirmed, but this is clearly a case of Coachman following in the footsteps of Bailey, Elddis and Swift.
All the other three major manufacturers have announced new mid-range ‘vans with this particular layout over the past three months.
The Bailey Pegasus Rimini and Elddis Avante 574 both made their debut at the NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show at the Birmingham NEC back in October.
Meanwhile, the Swift Challenger Sport 564 is due for a January launch at the Manchester Caravan and Motorhome Show at Event City.
Caravan enthusiasts hoping to compare these highly similar ‘vans can expect to see them all at the NCC Motorhome, Caravan and Camping Show, which takes place at the London Excel Centre from February 14th to 19th.

Details of the new Bailey Retreats begin to emerge

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by Tom Lowenstein

Though details on the ground are still a little hazy, the folk over at Bailey HQ in Bristol have offered a little teaser of information about their latest caravan range.

Named the Bailey Retreat, the new line is aimed at caravanners who like to go touring with their ‘van but also like to have a more permanent base at their favourite park.

As a result, the new retreat will have features which make it more suitable to being pitched at the same site all year round, without losing the flexibility of a tourer that can still be hitched up and taken to pastures new.

Recognising that many people know where they are headed and would like to be able to leave their caravan at their favourite park on a more permanent basis, Bailey have designed the Retreat for extended stays in one location.

The exact nature of these features is yet to be revealed, and the caravan maker is keeping details under-wraps until February, when the brand new Bailey Retreat website goes live.

For those hoping to catch a glimpse of the all-new caravan, Bailey will unveil it for the first time at the Motorhome, Caravan and Camping Show at the Excel in London on February 14th.

Northumbrian Leisure caravan park to get £500,000 renovation

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by Tom Lowenstein

A caravan park in Northumberland is set to undergo a face-lift after its owners confirmed plans to invest £500,000 improving facilities.

The picturesque Glocorum caravan park near the idyllic Northumbrian seaside town of Bamburgh is set in stunning surroundings, overlooked by the town’s fantastic castle and gazing out over the region’s expansive coastline.

But the park itself currently doesn’t live up to its fantastic environment so owners Northumbrian Leisure have committed to invest in a major renovation of the caravan site, the Northumberland Gazette reported.

As part of the refit, the existing temporary pitches will be replaced by 42 state-of-the-art touring caravan pitches.

Since Northumbrian Leisure took over the caravan park four years ago the husband and wife team have been working on improving its facilities.

Nigel Thompson, who runs Northumbrian Leisure with his wife Sandra, told the newspaper: “Glororum has to have one of the best locations of any caravan park in the north-east and we are keen to create facilities which match its unbeatable surroundings.

“The improvements mean we will have one of the best sites for touring caravans, which play an important part in north Northumberland’s tourist trade.

“This is helping to create a much needed tourist resource which will attract more visitors and their spending power into the area.”

The company currently owns two sites further along the Northumbrian coast at Walkworth and Creswell, with a third at South Shields close to the mouth of the Tyne River.

Now, the company, which is based at its five-star Golden Sands Holiday Park in Creswell, is hoping that be improving the Glocorum park it will bring it into line with the high standards of its other holiday destinations while simultaneously providing a boost to the local area.

Either way, the work being carried out at the holiday park will certainly make the picture postcard destination all the more attractive for caravan owners taking their tourer to the north-east.

11 million Brits enjoy festive trip away

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by Tom Lowenstein

Almost one-quarter (23 per cent) of all adults Brits are enjoying a festive break away this Christmas and New Year, according to figures from the VisitEngland tourist board.

Some 11 million are making an overnight stay during the two-week holiday period, with many hitching up their caravans to enjoy a trip away.

Nearly 10 million of us will make this break in England, which marks an increase of two per cent from 2010. Around 15 per cent of these trips will be made to visit friends or relatives, VisitEngland said.

With so much to enjoy throughout England, from countryside walks, to stately homes, theatre and even extreme sports, VisitEngland chief executive James Berresford is not surprised that so many people are heading off on a festive break.

He said: “A visit to another part of England, whatever the purpose, is a great chance to experience something new, so why not make it your New Year’s resolution?”

Salop Leisure praised for employing apprentices at its caravan centre

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by Tom Lowenstein

An award-winning Midlands caravan dealership has been praised for the apprenticeships it is providing to young people from the local area.

Salop Leisure in Shropshire has eight apprentices currently learning on the job and Peter Greco, who works for the Caravan Industry Training Organisation, has congratulated the company on the good example it is setting.

In conjunction with Kingston Maurward College, Mr Greco is currently helping the teenagers achieve their intermediate and advanced apprenticeships in Active Leisure.

As part of their qualification, four of the trainees, Thomas Hancock and Josh Davenport, who are both 18, 17-year-old Jack Clark, and 19-year-old Dan Thompson, are working with Mr Greco as they specialise in retail and workshop procedures.

“Salop Leisure deserves great credit for taking on local young apprentices and investing in their training and qualifications,” Mr Greco said.

“It will obviously benefit the company in the long run to bring through these youngsters, who are the future of the business.”

“In return, these young apprentices really do appreciate the opportunity that Salop Leisure has given them.”

Chairman of the 45-year-old caravan dealership, Tony Bywater, said that taking on apprentices is a great way to benefit the local economy while providing young people with skills and the business with its workers of the future.

He is encouraging other local companies in Shropshire to recruit young people from across the county in a bid to give youngsters a job opportunity and advocates learning on the job from experienced members of staff.

“Young people are our future and they will play a major role in the success of our businesses for years to come,” Mr Bywater said.

Every young person has a skill that is waiting to be discovered, he added.

Meanwhile, not far away in north Wales, the Fifth Wheel caravan company is currently on the look-out for apprentices to begin work at its Denbighshire facility.