Caravanners follow their dreams to success

Posted by

by Chris Malone

A couple whose goal it was to own their own caravan park have followed their dream to fruition and enjoyed their first successful season.

According to the North Devon Gazette, Ray and Carol Legg opened Hidden Valley in West Down with their son Andy after Mr Legg was forced to retire from the automotive electrical business due to health reasons.

He explained to the newspaper that it was always their dream to run a five-star site such as Hidden Valley.

“When we decided upon a change of direction, it was no surprise that we began to look at holiday parks, especially as we could include other members of the family and plan some kind of succession,” Mr Legg said.

He added that the couple did their research to ensure they were successful, taking more than three years to do so.

Clydesdale Bank partner Steve Tyers explained that the family have “already developed a very personal touch” at the site and that the park has a lot of potential.

In other news, the Crewe Chronicle recently revealed how travellers pitched up their caravans in a council car park in a protest over the lack of facilities in the area.

Caravan fan Julia Bradbury named Travel Personality of the Year

Posted by

by Chris Malone

Camping and caravanning advocate Julia Bradbury has been named Travel Personality of the Year for 2010.

The TV presenter was recognised in the recent HolidayExtras.com Customers’ Awards, which saw 24,000 votes cast as travel enthusiasts looked to reward their favourites.

Ms Bradbury is a fan of caravanning and recently appeared at the Camping and Caravanning Club’s New to Camping event at Warwick Castle.

She beat Monty Python star and general travel expert Michael Palin to the title, with Stephen Fry coming in third.

“I am really touched that HolidayExtras.com customers have voted for me as Travel Personality of the Year,” she said.

“And, it’s wonderful that people are enjoying my travel programmes, and that they inspire people to explore new places.”

The New to Camping event was held in June and also had the backing of Camping and Caravan Club president David Bellamy.

It was designed to raise the profile of caravanning by getting people to stay in the grounds of one of the UK’s most popular landmarks.

PREVIEW: International Caravan and Motorhome Show

Posted by

by Holly Tribe

See the largest selection of touring caravans and motorhomes at the International Caravan and Motorhome Show which will run from October the 12th to the 17th at the NEC in Birmingham.

Visitors to the show will get a first chance to have a look around many of the new products from leading caravan and motorhome manufacturers. And this year, the show will welcome even more new models for the 2011 season from the likes of Lunar, Coachman, Elddis, and for the first time Auto Sleeper will bring a range of caravans to the market.

Last year Caravan Times spoke to industry leaders Bailey as they unveiled their impressive new Alu Tech constructed Pegasus models. Bailey will be at the show again this year to showcase their brand new luxury range of Unicorn caravans.

There’s a whole host of events throughout the week, including a cookery theatre where renowned celebrity chef and a regular on BBC’s Ready Steady Cook, Lesley Waters, be preparing some delicious ‘Recipes for the Road’.

Experts from the Camping and Caravanning club will once again be offering fifteen minute sessions on how to tow a touring caravan safely and economically offering valuable advise to both newcomers and seasoned professionals.

We’ll be there throughout the week, so why not come and say hi. You can find us in Hall 19 – stand 36 near the Coachman and Marquis Caravan stands.

Buy your tickets now from www.caravanshows.com or call the ticket hotline on 0844 4124639. Don’t forget to enter our promotional code CART01 to receive a £5 advance booking discount.

Two new models added to Bailey Unicorn range

Posted by

by Holly Tribe

Leading caravan manufacturer Bailey Caravans have announced the addition of two new models to their luxury Unicorn range.

Bailey-of-Bristol have been very busy over the last couple of years, bringing a new method of caravan construction to the market. First came the Bailey Pegasus launched at the 2009 International Caravan and Motorhome Show, followed but the entry level Bailey Olympus the following year.

And last month, the firm established a hat-trick of Alu Tech ranges with the introduction of the top end Unicorn series which has been met with widespread critical acclaim.

Click here for more on the Bailey Unicorn series.

Reacting to encouraging customer feedback, Bailey has announced it will be adding two new layouts to the range. Named as the Madrid and Almeria, the additions will bring the choice of Unicorn models now available to five.

Like the Pegasus and Olympus, the Unicorn series is constructed using Bailey’s pioneering Alu Tech technology, which incorporates an interlocking…

Surf’s up for caravanners

Posted by

by Chris Malone

A great number of the UK’s coastal caravan sites are located just a short distance from some of the country’s best surfing spots.

According to the Daily Mail, Britain has some fantastic surf of its own and there is no need to “fly all the way to California to make like the Beach Boys”.

Travel journalist Jenny Coad wrote in the newspaper that the UK offers some “powerful waves” that are just waiting to be ridden and pointed to beaches in Cornwall, Devon, Northumberland and the north of Scotland as being excellent surf locations.

Having a touring caravan could be the perfect idea for surfers, who often travel for miles in search of the perfect swell or beach break.

Ms Coad tipped Cornwall’s Sennen Cover, Devon’s Croyde, Caithness’ Thurso East, Wales’ Hell’s Mouth, West Sussex’s the Witherings and Northumberland’s Alnmouth Beach as great spots to enjoy the surf.

Check out the top five caravan sites in Cornwall, from our roving Cornish reporter, Adam Shaw.

In other news, ABTA – The Travel Association has urged Brits driving abroad to make themselves aware of any differing regulations.

Caravanners could avoid costs by paying in cash

Posted by

by Chris Malone

Savvy caravanners already know that their way of holidaying is often more cost effective than travelling abroad.

However, they could save even more cash by being careful about using plastic to pay for goods and services.

Research from Which? Money found that using a debit or credit card can add as much as 200 per cent to the cost of a transaction.

It gave the example of buying a £1.70 ticket on thetrainline.com, which would see the purchaser pay an extra £3.50 in charges if paying by card.

Most retailers cite their own costs for adding surcharges, but the study found that the typical charges for credit and debit cards – five per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively – are much higher than the merchant service fees charged by banks, which are usually 0.8 per cent and 0.1p respectively.

Brits hate paying these extra costs, especially when they know that the retailer is actually profiting, explained Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith.

“There can be no justification for high card surcharges as all too often they just seem to be an excuse for ramping up costs,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Sun has revealed that EastEnders character Kat Moon is to get a fright this week when her caravan is lifted into the sky by a crane with her still in it.

Caravan drama in EastEnders

Posted by

EastEnders fans will soon see some high drama on the street involving a caravan, it has been revealed.

Loud-mouthed Kat Moon is back on Albert Square and living in a mobile home with husband Alfie.

However, viewers watching a week from today (September 28th) will see local nosey parker Zainab Masood take exception to Kat’s return, the Sun has revealed.

According to the newspaper, she arranges for the caravan to be taken away. However, she does not realize that pregnant Kat is still inside.

The mother-to-be is then hoisted into the air inside the caravan and looks terrified as she opens the door in her underwear, only to realise she is stranded in mid air.

Meanwhile, EastEnders has enjoyed a successful week after picking up six trophies at the Inside Soap awards.

Lacey Turner, who plays Stacey Slater, picked up the best actress gong, making it five in a row for the show.

Banwell caravan site welcomes tourism minister

Posted by

by Chris Malone

A small caravan site in the village of Banwell recently welcomed tourism minister and Weston MP John Penrose, it has been revealed.

According to the Weston Mercury, the government official was there on business as part of his study into the tourism economy.

Joined by Nick Lomas and Mark Betambeau from the Caravan Club, the MP chatted with Geoff and Lesley Stimson, who own Cottage Farm caravan site.

The five-pitch facility is located in Churchlands Way and Mr Penrose explained that he was “delighted to visit Cottage Farm”.

He noted that it is one of the area’s successful caravanning businesses and that he enjoyed seeing how well it was doing for himself.

“Caravanning is extremely important to Weston and the villages, contributing a significant amount of money to our local businesses and boosting our local economy and tourism industry as a result,” he told the newspaper.

In other news, the Northern Echo has reported that a local MP has backed residents complaints over changes to the Hazelgrove Holiday Park in east Cleveland.

Caravan owners voice concerns over park changes

Posted by

by Chris Malone

Residents at a northern caravan site are reportedly unhappy with plans to build 50 park homes and log cabins on what they believe is their recreational land.

According to the Northern Echo, more than 40 people at the Hazelgrove Holiday Park in Cleveland’s Saltburn area are upset with site owner Tingdene’s development plans.

They have managed to recruit the influence of local MP Tom Blenkinsop, who told the newspaper why he believed the residents are concerned.

He said: “The occupiers complain they are finding themselves living in the middle of what is effectively a large building site, and feel the dust, noise, and environmental nuisance that is being brought right up to their doorsteps is another way in which the owners are bringing pressure to bear on them.”

Caravan owners have told the newspaper that they are not being allowed to speak to the park owners directly about their concerns and have been told to send any questions in writing.

Tingdene hit back by stating that it has procedures in place to deal with such enquiries and has them there to help it interact with customers at its parks all around the UK.

In other news, the Weston Mercury recently revealed that the tourism minister John Penrose visited a local caravan park.

Nigel Mansell’s love for caravanning

Posted by

by Chris Malone

A British sporting legend has spoken of his love for caravanning, explaining how his family have been enjoying holidays at a Welsh campsite for five decades.

Nigel Mansell was giving a speech at a reception at Islawrffordd Caravan Park near Barmouth, BBC News reported.

The former motor sport star wrote himself into the history books by becoming the only driver ever to win the Formula One and Indy Car World Series championships in successive years.

He was at the campsite to help it celebrate being awarded five stars from Visit Wales and five pennants from the AA.

Mansell described how he loves to play golf at the nearby Harlech and enjoys going for walks and relaxing on the beaches close by.

“My family likes the total freedom that caravanning offers. You don’t realise the hustle and bustle in your life until you come to this part of Wales, which is so quiet and beautiful,” the BBC reported him as saying.

In other news, the Caravan Club has struck a deal with Roadchef that will see its members get a 20 per cent discount at restaurants around the country.

Camping and Caravanning Club shortlisted for award

Posted by

by Chris Malone

The Camping and Caravanning Club is celebrating after one of its campaigns was shortlisted in a prestigious contest.

Its New to Camping scheme is in with a chance of winning at the CIPR PRide Awards, which will take place in Birmingham’s Hilton Metropole on December 3rd.

The project is up for awards in the Not-for-Profit and Consumer Relations categories and has backing from TV personalities Julia Bradbury and David Bellamy.

The Club recently held a two-day event at Warwick Castle to help get Brits interested in camping and caravanning.

It also joined forces with Volkswagen to give away a £40,000 campervan on GMTV to promote the event.

PR manager Jon Dale explained that being shortlisted is great news for the Club.

“Our New to Camping campaign has been judged by leading PR experts to be amongst the best in the UK and that is a great morale-booster for our team,” he said.

In other news, the Club recently opened a new backpacker facility in honour of former director-general David Welsford, who sadly passed away in 2007.

Caravan Club strikes deal with Roadchef

Posted by

by Chris Malone

Caravanners around the UK are set to benefit from a new deal struck between an industry organisation and a chain of roadside eateries.

The Caravan Club and restaurant firm Roadchef have agreed a deal which will see the latter make its sites more accessible to those with motorhomes and tourers.

It has committed to providing safer access and parking, as well as offering Caravan Club members some tasty discounts.

With caravanners recommended to stop for a break after every two hours of driving, the deal could have reciprocal benefits.

Caravan Club members are to get a 20 per cent discount when using any one of the 19 Roadchefs across the country.

It can be accessed by downloading a voucher from the Caravan Club website and presenting it with a membership card when paying.

Club membership marketing manager Tony Lewis praised Roadchef for taking members’ concerns on board.

“It’s important to take a proper break when you’re on a long journey and we want to make sure wherever possible that Club members can do so in comfort and safety, so they return to the road refreshed and replenished,” he said.

In other news, the Club recently named the Skoda Superb Estate Elegance 2.0 TDI CR as its towcar of the year for 2011.