Silver Bullet Caravans relocates to Kidderminster

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by Chris Jefferies

Bespoke caravan manufacturer Silver Bullet Caravans has moved into a new home in Easter Park, a prominent industrial estate in Kidderminster, it has been announced.

Previously based in the nearby town of Stourbridge, the company makes fifties-style polished aluminium caravans and commercial trailers based around the original Airstream designs. According to Insider Media, the size of their new plot totals 9,200 square feet.

Silver Bullet’s retro Americana styled tourers start at just 16-feet in length, in a design based around the iconic Airstream Bambi caravan. Each model is hand-built to the buyers’ specification.

The company prides itself on its lightweight models, some of which weigh less than 900 kg, while the insulation is made from lambs wool and the internal lighting is provided by energy efficient LEDs.

Prices in the Silver Bullet range start from just £16,995, and whilst the American diner style interior won’t be to everyone’s taste, these vintage looking models will certainly help you to stand out from the crowd.

Why Matthew McConaughey, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie all chose Airstream caravans

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By Marcus Dubois

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are not the first people one would associate with caravanning. Neither is critically acclaimed actor and director Sean Penn. And while former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson is famous for many things, owning a caravan is not one of them.

Yet all of the above are united by their professed love of the Airstream caravan. Since the first Airstream was made over seventy-five years ago, the camera fell in love with the iconic silver bullet. Now it seems that stars of the screen have also fallen for the distinctive aluminium trailer. Here we take a look at how Airstream Caravans have become part of Hollywood culture.

When one Airstream is not enough

The undoubted king of celebrity Airstream owners has to be Hollywood actor Matthew McConaughey. The Texan reputedly owns three Airstreams including an Ocean Breeze model, a refurbished 1958 classic, and a 2010 “Timeless” version which has been fully customised to the star’s tastes.

In 2008 McConaughey was permanently living in the $80,000 Ocean Breeze model with his pregnant girlfriend Camilla Alves at a Malibu caravan park. The large four-berth trailer boasts a queen sized bedroom as well as a full-sized washroom. A well appointed kitchen and roomy dinette made this the perfect home for the free-spirited star.

Batchelor pad

Brad Pitt is said to have a special fondness for his Airstream, a vintage 345 model which he nicknamed the “Luv Sub”. Yet when love hit the rocks in 2005 after separating from wife Jennifer Aniston, the actor was reported to have taken refuge in the Airstream for comfort and sleep. He may need an awning now, as the six berth caravan will not be enough to accommodate him, partner Angelina Jolie and their six children.

Whenever playboy Colin Farrell is filming in the US he likes to take his own accommodation in the form of his $120,000 Classic Airstream. The well-appointed caravan features a queen-sized bed, a full bathroom and shower, and a kitchen with its own pantry.

Three years ago Sean Penn had a scare when his Safari Airstream survived a fire at the house in Malibu he used to share with ex-wife Madonna. Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington are also reported to have owned and enjoyed the Airstream trailer.

The Airstream in pop culture

Perhaps the Airstream is so beloved by celebrities for the durability of its exterior, meaning vintage models can be brought right up to date and customised to the owner’s taste. And one owner recently pushed the boundaries of taste when she refitted her trailer to include a vibrating bed and stripper’s pole. Step forward Pamela Anderson, owner of an Airstream painted in custom white.

Finally, directors seem to turn to the silver bullet during filming. When Paris Hilton took a cross country trip with Nicole Ritchie in “The Simple Life” she towed an Airstream with a pink pickup truck. Two years ago leading music video director Anthony Mandler practically made an Airstream the co-star alongside Rihanna and Justin Timberlake in the promo for song “Rehab”. And last week Airstreams were seen on the set of Guy Ritchie’s latest film Sherlock Holmes 2.

With an ever-growing band of admirers, the Airstream seems to be the classic choice for stars needing a home from home.

If you would like to join the Airstream Group in the Caravan Times Community please click here.

Caravan owners urged not to leave dogs in the car

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by Chris Jefferies

Leaving your dog in a car on a hot day for anything more than five minutes could be dangerous to their health, caravan owners have been warned.

Richard Allport, holistic vet and principle of the Natural Medicine Centre, has said that, even when cars are parked out of direct sunlight, it can quickly get too hot for a pet.

“Dogs don’t sweat like humans do, they can only lose heat by panting. But of course, when they’re panting it puts more heat out, so they are warming up the car even more,” he explained.

Furthermore, Mr Allport advised tow car owners that leaving the window open a crack “doesn’t work” and added that dogs should always have an easy-to-reach supply of water on hot days.

His advice comes after a caravan owner was recently rebuked by animal welfare services for leaving his dog in an overheated tourer near the coastal resort of Brighton.

The canine, a border collie named Robbie, was taken into care as a result.

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Driver fined for towing 40-foot caravan on M62

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravans are often derided for taking up too much space on the UK’s roads, but one driver has taken it one step too far and now faces a nine-month suspended prison sentence.

A motorist from Accrington was sentenced by the courts after he was spotted attempting to tow a 40-foot American-style caravan along the M62.

The mobile home was roughly twice the length of a normal UK touring caravan and even though the driver opted to use a Land Rover as his tow car, a police officer still described this as “the worst combination” he had ever seen on the roads.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the police approached the driver after he stopped just before a bypass where there was a significant danger of vehicles jack-knifing.

It was feared that if this journey had continued then there would be a significant risk of an accident.

The judge handed down the suspended sentence yesterday (June 27th), which included a fine of £2,000 and 250 hours of community service.

Camping and Caravanning Club add third Olympic site for 2012

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by Marcus Dubois

With a little over a year to go until the Olympic Games begin in London, fans will have already began to look at the options for accommodation. And while the prices for renting hotel rooms and apartments are guaranteed to be eye-watering, caravanners have a number of more affordable alternatives.

The Camping and Caravanning Club has now added a third site to its portfolio of event campsites on offer for the London 2012 Olympics. Westland Playing Fields in the London Borough of Havering is located close to Romford Train Station, giving a journey time of around 15 minutes to Stratford Station (located next to the Olympic Park and Olympic Stadium).

The event campsite will run from Tuesday July 24th until Monday August 20th and boasts 430 pitches on what has been described as “a state of the art facility”. Amenities include showers and toilets, catering and entertainment facilities, and changing areas.

Olympic fever

After a surge of interest in the campsites at Old Gravesendians Rugby Club in Gravesend (which offers 247 pitches) and Culverstone Recreation Ground (221 pitches) the Club moved to partner with the Borough Council to increase the range of accommodation for caravanners. Membership Services Director Paul Jones was “delighted” to add another Olympic campsite to the Club’s expanding collection, and spoke warmly of the area.
“Havering really does have something for everyone and is a great place to live and visit with a thriving community and a prosperous economy.

“The demand for Olympic tickets has been incredible and now that successful applicants are discovering which events they’ll be going to, I’m sure accommodation in and around the London area will be high on their list of priorities to organise and confirm.”

Things to see or do

As one of the largest boroughs in Greater London, Havering includes the town centres of Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster. Half of the borough is in the Green Belt and according to Councillor Andrew Curtin the area has “much to attract visitors during the Olympics and Paralympics”.

“From history and exhibitions at Havering Museum to the arts and drama at the nationally-renowned Queen’s Theatre, as well as historic villages at Havering-atte-Bower and Rainham and the chance to relax in our award-winning parks and sports facilities.

Councillor Havering added “We will be working hard to minimise disruption for residents during the Games, and hope that those visiting us enjoy our arts, history, parks and sports facilities.”

South Tyneside caravan site re-opened after £1.2m revamp

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners have a new reason to explore the South Tyneside region this summer, after a local caravan park was re-opened with some new facilities.

Sandhaven Holiday Park has been landscaped and new pitches, complete with mains water, gas and waste facilities, have been added, the Shields Gazette reports.

The family-owned and operated site was bought from the local council three years ago and £1.2 million has been ploughed into improving the seven-acre park.

Nigel Thompson, the owner, said: “We wanted to add Sandhaven to our portfolio of parks, which includes three sites on the Northumberland coast, because of its fantastic location yards from the beach.”

The caravan park’s upgrade is part of an ongoing regeneration of the local area, which will include a new £18 million leisure centre, due to be opened in 2013.

Furthermore, the nearby South Marine Park has had a £5.4 million revamp, and £2 million worth of improvements have been carried out at Sandhaven Promenade.

Peak District caravanners offered new walking and biking trails

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by Chris Jefferies

Holidaymakers in the Peak District are being given the chance to leave their caravans behind for the day and follow in the footsteps of one of the region’s most notorious outlaws.

While nothing like as infamous as Robin Hood or Dick Turpin, the highwayman Black Harry is nevertheless something of a local legend within the Peak District National Park.

As such, visitors will now be able to see for themselves where he preyed on travellers, with the park authorities having officially opened up a new series of trails for walkers, mountain bikers and horse-riders.

In addition, outdoors enthusiasts will also be able to enjoy a pint of locally-brewed Black Harry beer at several pubs dotted along the new trails, with the authorities confident that this will attract even more people to the already-popular protected area of natural beauty.

“Black Harry is part of our local heritage who is still with us in the names of Black Harry Lane and Black Harry Gate,” commented National Parks access officer Sue Smith.

“We thought it was a memorable name for what we hope will be a memorable project.”

This comes just days after the Buxton Mountain Rescue Team took ownership of a new minibus that will better enable them to help walkers who get into trouble in the Peak District.

North Somerset caravan site given green light to expand

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by Chris Jefferies

An up-and-coming caravan site in Somerset has been given the green light to expand over the next couple of years.

At present, the site at Stonebridge Farm, located in the village of Banwell, in the north of the county, can welcome a maximum of 15 caravans.

However, with demand soaring as more Britons look to enjoy affordable ‘staycations’, both in the south-west and elsewhere in the UK, the owners applied to North Somerset Council to significantly expand their business.

Now, having looked into the proposal, council chiefs have given the green light to plans to make 55 caravan pitches available over the peak summer season, noting that the expansion plans would not have a detrimental impact on the local ecology or landscape.

Announcing the decision, Councillor Tim Marter told the Weston Mercury: “This is an example of a successful caravan site which is using land well and bringing extra trade to the nearby village.”

At the same time, however, the Scotland Courier newspaper has reported that a caravan park in Brechin, Angus, could be forced to close for business on the back of a long-standing row with local officials over flood alleviation measures.

Miss the old Caravan Channel? Presenter Chris Gosling teams up with Caravan Times

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by Marcus Dubois

Missing the old Caravan Channel already? Many readers will fondly recall the enthusiasm of caravanner Chris Gosling who presented the fortnightly programme for almost five years until the end of 2010. And following the success of the show, one of the best known names in caravanning started to plan for a quieter life of touring and fishing.

Yet we knew he just couldn’t keep away from his love of filming the great outdoors. And so a few months ago, Chris began to document his trips around the country in a series of regular video diaries. From personal insights on the latest models to reviews of caravan sites, if it’s happening in caravanning then Chris is on the spot to tell us his thoughts.

This week we’re proud to announce that you can now watch Chris Gosling’s Caravan Diary right here on Caravan Times. The presenter has teamed up with the UK’s fastest growing caravan community to bring you fresh videos each month from across the touring lifestyle.

To start us off, this week Chris takes a trip to Braggs Lane Farm Caravan and Camping Site near Herne Bay in Kent. Situated only three miles from the town centre, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in one of the more remote parts of the county, such is the rural beauty on display. Yet all the attractions of this picturesque seaside town are only a short drive away. Follow Chris as he takes you on his personal tour of the campsite, before showing you the sights of Herne Bay itself.

Click the image below to watch the latest edition on Caravan Times. And if you’d like to see the newest episodes first, Chris’ most recent outings are featured in our email newsletter. Sign up to Caravan Times to receive your copy once a week.

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VIDEO: Chris Gosling’s Caravan Diary – Herne Bay and Braggs Lane Farm

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by Marcus Dubois

If you miss the anecdotes and insights of former Caravan Channel presenter Chris Gosling, then fear not – you can now watch his new Caravan Diary here on our website. The presenter has teamed up with us to bring new videos each month from around the UK as he tours the best campsites and attractions.

In this week’s episode Chris takes a trip to Braggs Lane Farm Caravan and Camping Site near Herne Bay in Kent. Only three miles from the town centre, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in one of the more remote parts of the county.

Yet all the attractions of this picturesque seaside town are only a short drive away. Follow Chris as he takes you on his personal tour of the campsite, before showing you the sights of Herne Bay itself.

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Good news for caravanners: British beaches near cleanest ever levels

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravan owners looking to take a coastal holiday this summer will be glad to learn that the UK’s beaches are currently near their highest ever levels of cleanliness.

This is according to the Good Beach Guide 2011, which was published today by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

In the guide, 461 UK beaches are recommended for having excellent water quality, the third-highest number in the past 24 years.

This surge in beach standards comes in advance of a new EU directive, which will come into place in 2015 and set new standards for water quality and beach cleanliness.

Rachel Wyatt, coastal pollution officer at the MCS, said: “Instead of viewing these new standards with dread, our coastal communities and water companies should welcome them as an opportunity to attract more people.”

Monitoring of UK beaches will begin next year, with signs due to be erected to warn swimmers of where the water quality is below acceptable levels.

European authorities cracking down on foreign motorists

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by Chris Jefferies

Caravanners taking their motorhomes to the Continent should take extra care when driving on European roads.

In March this year, an EU directive came into force allowing European countries to share information on driver offences.

As a result, authorities have become stricter and unprepared motorists could end up facing large fines if they fail to follow the rules.

For example, a penalty of more than 90 Euros (£80) awaits anyone not displaying a GB sticker in their vehicle, or failing to carry a high visibility vest.

Not having a warning triangle or spare bulbs can also cost British drivers 90 Euros if they’re pulled over, while in France, licence and vehicle confiscation is possible.

EU transport commissioner Siim Kallas pointed out that although foreign drivers make up just five per cent of the traffic on Europe’s roads, they account for 15 per cent of offences.

“If you are that driver, I have bad news. It’s about to stop,” he remarked.