Police warning as woman loses £4,000 to online caravan fraudsters

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan buyers in East Riding have been warned by police to approach online sales with caution following news that a local resident was conned out of £4,000 when trying to buy a caravan on eBay.

After seeing the caravan for sale on the internet auction site, the 63-year-old woman from Beverley made an enquiry and was then contacted with a view to purchasing the caravan.

After transferring £4,000 to their eBay account, the woman had her money returned by eBay who said that the transaction was not possible.

She was then contacted again by the company who requested she transfer it to a different account, which she did.

Following an email informing her that the money had been received, the lady has received no further contact and no caravan has been delivered.

Detective Sergeant Mark Ormiston of Beverley CID said: “This woman appears to have been the victim of a fairly sophisticated and professional scam.

“We believe the money has been transferred to an account in Europe, possibly Spain.”

Elddis Caravans lets Discover Leisure customers pick a new dealer

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by Chris Jefferies

Elddis owners with outstanding Discover Leisure warranties have been offered a helping hand by the Consett-based manufacturer.

After the UK’s largest caravan dealer network went into administration earlier this month, many caravanners were left out of pocket and struggling to get the aftersales support they sorely need.

In reaction to this, last week Bailey Caravans were the first ‘vanmaker to step in and offer customers a list of alternative dealerships.

But now Elddis has gone one better, offering customers their choice of dealership to transfer their warranty to. Elddis customers can find their five nearest approved dealerships by using the ‘Find a Retailer’ tool on the company’s website.

Anyone wishing to discuss their parts, servicing or warranty situation with Elddis is advised to call 01207 699 000, while all other Discover Leisure customers are advised to contact the administrators KPMG on 0845 617 1490.

“Elddis would like to take this opportunity to assure customers that this development is in no way indicative of the state of the leisure vehicle industry as a whole,” a company spokesperson added.

The news comes after Elddis recently announced a winter price freeze on all its touring caravan ranges, including Xplore, Avante, Odyssey, Crusader and the luxury Buccaneer collection.

REVIEW: Can the Dyson Hot work as a portable heater for a caravan?

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by Marcus Dubois

When the space-age looking Dyson Hot landed in the Caravan Times office, there was a collective buzz as staff rushed over to have a play. Like all Dyson products, the object is visually arresting with a futuristic and intriguing design.

There are no obvious elements such as ceramic plates or fan blades; just a large purple oval ring atop a slim base. So how does it actually work as a heater? And most importantly for us, can it be taken away on a caravan holiday?

The heater follows on from Dyson’s Air Multiplier by using the same system to warm a room evenly. So rather than simply moving around the air, the Hot can change the climate of a room.

Air is drawn in and then accelerated through an aperture which is the thickness of a £2 coin. This creates a powerful jet, while surrounding air is drawn into the airflow, amplifying it six times.

While most portable heaters use a rotary dial as a basic thermostat, the Dyson Hot uses a digital system to select the exact temperature and maintain it. If you fancy some cool air, choosing the 1 degree setting turns the Hot into a fan.

Meanwhile a rotary base allows it to rotate up to 180 degrees to spread the air. All functions can be controlled using the ultra-slim remote, which docks neatly on the top of the heater using a magnetic system.

Is it any good as a heater?

The controls on the Dyson Hot are thankfully minimal and easy to use straight from the box. A pair of two-way toggles control the thermostat and fan speed, while either side is a power button and the rotate button. A digital display shows the current temperature, while the Hot can be tilted upwards or downwards for better spread of heat.

Those with families will appreciate the safety aspects of this new Dyson. The firm claims the heater cannot burn you, because none of the exposed parts get hot enough. Additionally, the Hot automatically shuts down when knocked over, and pauses when rotating if you make adjustments using the buttons on the base.

Can it be used on a caravan holiday?

This is where things get potentially tricky. While the Dyson Hot is innovative in a number of areas, power consumption is not one of them. A 1500kw output is fairly typical for a heater such as this, but in the caravanning world this can automatically rule it out for holiday use.

Most campsites tend to have restricted supplies ranging between 6A and 16A, with only the upper end of the scale being suitable for the Dyson Hot. Earlier this week a warden from the Hilhead Caravan Club site spoke to Caravan Times and advised against using high output heaters with other devices such as toasters or hairdryers, claiming such devices have previously tripped the power circuit.

Our verdict

It’s hard not to be intrigued when first setting eyes on the Dyson Hot. The firm are known as the Apple of household appliances, yet in the same way, customers pay a premium for design. The Hot retails at £270, putting this beyond the reach of all but the fashion-conscious.

As a heater the Dyson Hot is excellent, using the digital thermostat and Air Multiplier technology to give a quick and even spread of heat. Most caravanners however will be wary of using such a high output device on holiday unless hooked up to the largest of power supplies. As such, the Dyson Hot may be best left at home, where the beautiful design and impressive efficiency can be enjoyed from the comfort of a sofa.

What do you make of the Dyson Hot? Would you take it on a caravan holiday? Share your thoughts in our community forum

Camping and Caravanning Club collects conservation accolades

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by Tom Lowenstein

The Camping and Caravanning Club has seen four of its parks honoured with the highest award in the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Awards.

The Club’s Asbourne, Corfe Castle, Charmouth and Folkestone sites were all awarded the coveted gold rosettes in recognition of their exceptional commitment to the enhancement and preservation of the natural environment.

Last week, the family-run Hackings Holiday Caravan Park in Billington was also awarded the top gong for its sterling work.

Conservation Award assessors were impressed by the Lauder Club Site, which achieved a commendable silver rosette. Barnard Castle and Dunbar Club Sites meanwhile were awarded the bronze level of certification.

Bob Hill, the Club’s sites director, acknowledged the importance of the Club playing its part in helping to protect the beautiful British countryside.

“As we continue to expand and develop our site network, conservation is very much at the forefront of our minds and we will endeavour to continue to practise and promote green tourism,” he said.

The Conservation Awards are presented to sites that show clear steps taken to support the local community, manage their land as a wildlife habitat, reduce their consumption of resources and reuse and recycle their waste.

Scottish caravanners promised price freeze by new park owners

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan owners who feared the worst when their beloved park was taken over by a new company have been assured that fees will not increase next season.

Regulars at the Silver Sands leisure park in Lossiemouth, Moray, were anxious that they would be forced out with price hikes when Lifestyle Living Group took over their site.

When it was revealed that the owner of the new company was Tony Barney, a former director at one of the site’s previous management companies, it was expected that similar events to 2007 would unfold in which more than 50 caravans abandoned the site as prices rocketed, STV reported.

Moving to assure residents at the park, which has been in administration for the past two years, general manager Grant Kerr told the news provider that fees and ground rent will remain the same for the coming season.

“Even though the Retail Price Index is at 5.6 per cent [inflation] there will be no price increases for the coming season,” he said.

“There hasn’t been any money spent on the site while it has been in administration for the past two years so we are hopeful that this will be welcomed,” he added.

Mr Kerr did however acknowledge that fees may go up the following year, but promised to keep owners well informed about any changes that may happen in the future.

Police hunt arsonist who torched a caravan in Burnley

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by Tom Lowenstein

A suspected arsonist who torched a caravan while it stood outside its owner’s home is being hunted by police.

Neighbours called the fire brigade after they woke at 4.30am on Sunday (October 23rd) morning to find the caravan ablaze on the driveway of the property in Marsden Road, Burnley.

By the time fire crews arrived the mobile home was engulfed in flames and firefighters had to force entry as they attempted to prevent gas cylinders from exploding, the Burnley Express reported.

Dominic Fallow, watch manager at Burnley Fire Station, told the local news provider: “The motor home was parked in the driveway and when we got there it was fully alight. The fire just ripped through it. We had to go in with breathing apparatus.”

With gas cylinders inside the caravan the fire crew had to put the flames out with foam before they could remove them.

The caravan completely destroyed by the fire while a nearby garage was also damaged by the flames.

Police believe the fire to be suspicious and have launched an investigation.

Somerset caravan park raises money for rescue charity

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by Tom Lowenstein

A dedicated caravan park has presented a charity with a much-needed cheque after a string of successful fundraising events run by holidaymakers at the site.

Following a summer of charity events at Diamond Farm caravan and camp site in Brean, Somerset, the generous team of fundraisers donated a whopping £2,275 to the Burnham Area Rescue Boat (BARB) charity.

BARB runs Burnham-On-Sea’s rescue hovercraft and the donation will go towards helping them with their running costs after the cheque was handed to the charity’s crew at Diamond Farm on Saturday (October 22nd), Burnham-on-sea.com reported.

Jayne Collins from the Diamond Farm Fundraisers told the news provider: “We are delighted to have raised such a big sum for BARB, which does a fantastic job in Brean and Burnham in helping to keep our beaches safe.”

Mike Newman, cairman of BARB, thanked the caravan park for its generosity, saying his crew were hugely grateful to the “fantastic support” they had received over the years.

COMPETITION: Win a copy of new book the Story of Sprite Caravans

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by Chris Jefferies
Update: Thank you for your entries, this competition is now closed
For over 60 years, Sprite Caravans have been building some of the cutest and most fondly admired tourers in Britain and now the tale of this remarkable company has been told by the UK’s leading caravan historian.
The History of Sprite Caravans tells the story of Sam Alper OBE, who came up with the idea to produce a lightweight, practical and affordable caravan in the years immediately following World War Two.
Sam built the company up from scratch into a major international success, with the compact tourers selling all across Europe in the 1960s and 70s.
Whilst the history of Sprite is by no means over, following a modern revamp by Swift Group just last month, caravan expert Andrew Jenkinson has painstakingly retraced the history of this well-loved brand to tell the story so far.
This new book, due to be published in November, features over 200 classic caravan photos from Andrew’s personal archive and places the development of Sprite in its social and historical context.
The Story of Sprite Caravans will be priced at £15, while Amazon.co.uk is now taking pre-orders at the discounted price of £12.74, but the cheapest place to get a copy is right here at Caravan Times.
For our latest reader competition, we are giving away one copy of this new book for free – just think of it as an early Christmas present from us.
To be in with a chance of winning this prize, all you need to do is enter your full name and e-mail address and then answer one simple question.
The competition will close on October 31st and the lucky winner will be chosen at random and then notified by e-mail.
Update: Thanks for all your entries, this competition is now closed

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
1. To enter a Caravan Times competition you must be:
(a) UK resident; and
(b) 18 years old or over at the time of entry.
2. Competitions are not open to employees (or members of their immediate families) of Caravan Times, or any other subsidiary of Adfero.
3. No purchase necessary.
4. Only one entry per person.
5. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost or delayed, or which are not received for any reason.
6. The winner will be selected at random by the editor of Caravan Times, whose decision is final.
7. The closing date is as specified in each competition, and we reserve the right to amend the competition details at any time.
8. If you win a competition, we will notify you by e-mail. The organiser’s decision will be final, and no other correspondence will be entered into.
9. No part of a prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize.

North Yorkshire caravan park gets extension go-ahead

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by Tom Lowenstein

Planning authorities have given a caravan park the green light to carry out an extension to its site, despite the local parish council’s objections.

The park at High Hawsker in Whitby, North Yorkshire, had made an application to use one of its fields for the extension.

The application has been approved by the planning committee at the North York Moors National Park, the Whitby Gazzette reported.

Now, the York House Caravan Park will be able to expand its four-acre site, adding to the 59 pitches and 41 static plots that it currently offers.

Objections were raised because the parish council at Hawsker-cum-Stainsacre was fearful that sewers would be overloaded if the site grew further.

However, a new treatment plant is proposed as part of the application so the park’s application was granted approval.

Planning Officers commented that the extension would be a sizeable distance away from existing residential properties and would not impose visually or have any detrimental impact on the area.

The York House Park holds a David Bellamy Conservation Award Silver Medal.

Caravanners fear new owners will force them out of beloved park

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by Tom Lowenstein

Residents at a Scottish caravan park have expressed concern that they could be forced off the site if its new owners hike up prices.

The Silver Sands park in Lossiemouth, Moray along with its sister site, Riverview in Forres have both been taken over by Lifestyle Living, STV has reported.

Living Lifestyle owner and chairman Tony Barney concluded the purchase this week and when discussing the deal said that the Moray park represented a “potential five-star development”.

Following a statement announcing the purchase on the Silver Sands website, some of the caravan owners on the site have expressed anxiety about the future, with fears that prices would rise beyond affordable levels.

Speaking to STV, one site regular said: “We can only wait and see what his proposals are for the site, but if he repeats what has happened here and at other sites in the past then we might be in deep trouble.”

Caravan park wins coveted award celebrating green credentials

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by Tom Lowenstein

An eco-conscious caravan site has found recognition for its environmental credentials with news that is to be awarded a prestigious conservation award.

Hackings Holiday Caravan Park in Billington, Lancashire, has been awarded a coveted David Bellamy Conservation Award in acknowledgment of the work it has done to protect and enhance its surrounding natural environment.

The park claimed a Gold Award in view of its newly-installed solar energy system, innovative signage, woodland trail, butterfly garden and its recycling scheme, the Lancashire Telegraph reported.

Linden Hacking, proud owner of the caravan park, told the newspaper: “We are delighted our contribution to the local environment has been recognized.”

This year some 620 holiday parks have been acknowledged by the Awards, which Professor Bellamy set up in conjunction with the British Holiday and Home Parks Association in 1996.

The Hackings Holiday Caravan Park is to be presented with its award by Professor Bellamy next year.

The Camping and Caravanning Club joins forces with the Woodland Trust

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by Tom Lowenstein

The Camping and Caravanning Club along with Forest Holidays have announced a new partnership with the Woodland Trust which aims to inspire caravanners to tour around some fantastic sites in the UK’s woods and forests.

Showing their commitment to the leading woodland conservation charity in the UK, the Club is hoping the partnership will nurture interest in the country’s natural beauty-spots across both organisations.

Robert Louden, The Club’s Director General, said: “We are always striving to create an environment which enables tourism to blossom.

“We look forward to working with the Woodland Trust team to encourage more people to visit the country’s beautiful wooded areas.”

Members of The Club will now be able to take advantage of an offer to get 20 per cent off the price of adult Woodland Trust membership and 25 per cent off the Nature Detectives Club for children.

There are currently five UK sites run by The Club in woodland areas. Cannock Chase, Delamere Forest, Thetford Forest, Veryan and Culzean Castle, along with 20 Forest Holidays caravan and camping sites, all allow caravanners to enjoy a holiday under the trees.