Caravan occupant rescued after vehicle blown into river

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Three occupants of a caravan had a lucky escape recently when their wind-and-rain-battered mobile holiday home was blown over a wall and into a river.

The incident on the A4086 at Afon Nant Peris occurred as harsh weather pounded north Wales, the Daily Post revealed.

It explained how one of the trio was unable to scramble to safety and had to rely on the efforts of the local fire service to rescue him.

The men were all taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital, Bangor, to be medically examined but there were no injuries.

“The three men were staying in the caravan in a lay-by on the pass. It was blown over the wall by the wind and into the river below,” a spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue explained.

She added that there had also been a landslide in the area, which was causing problems with the roads.

The Met Office warned on Friday (November 13th) that the UK should expect heavy rain and gale-force winds this week.

Coastal caravan guests could try diving

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Caravan enthusiasts staying at one of the UK’s many coastal resorts could have world-class sporting facilities within easy reach without even knowing it.

That is because the 11,000 miles of coastline offer scuba diving that is equal to any destination in the world, according to the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC).

Spokesperson Alison Dando said that those taking part in diving experience a “completely new environment”.

“There are so many places and, for UK divers, we all have our favourite and I think you will never run out of places to dive,” she said.

A BSAC members’ poll in 2008 found that Scapa Flow in Orkney was the favourite site among British divers.

Visitors to the area can see a fleet of around 12 German vessels scuttled during the second world war.

Meanwhile, the organisation recently revealed that its Try Dive sessions in September and October attracted almost double the number of people they did last year.

Five-star caravan clubs on the rise, Visit Britain figures show

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Nearly one in five of the sites run by the Camping and Caravan Club (CCC) have now been given five stars on the Tourist Board ratings from Visit Britain.

In another successful year for the club, both its Delamere Forest site in Cheshire and its Cannock Chase site in Staffordshire have been given five stars, taking its number of top-rated caravan holiday destinations up to 19, out of a total of 109 across the UK.

At the same time, Bakewell, Dartmoor Barley Meadow, Derwentwater and Tavistock have all been given four stars by Visit Britain, meaning 83 per cent of the CCC’s network now boasts either a four or a five-star status.

Welcoming the news, director Bob Hill said: “This is not just great news for the individual sites but also for the club as a whole, which is continuing to move from strength-to-strength.

“These ratings provide the reassurance campers and caravanners need about what to expect before they arrive.”

Other five-star sites include Hereford, Barnard Castle, Scarborough and Windermere.

This comes soon after the CCC announced that 24 of its sites are to remain open over the Christmas and New Year period.

APD to reduce foreign holidays

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The number of Brits deciding to take a caravan holiday in the UK could rise as a result of an increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD) – a tax that some claim is stifling growth of the country’s travel industry.

According to Euromonitor International, the levy is inhibiting the sector, with its effects worsened by the recently increased rate which came into place on November 1st.

Global travel and tourism manager for the firm Caroline Bremner explained that other nations have realised that the tax is costing them and decided to ditch it.

“For example, the Netherlands abandoned the APD this year because it saw that it was losing revenue,” she said.

Ms Bremner added that the internet was becoming a major tool for holidaymakers, with online bookings rising by four per cent this year.

However, the market as a whole is expected to shrink by one per cent during 2009, the expert noted.

Her comments follow a World Travel Market survey which found that 52 per cent of Brits are likely to reduce their overseas holidays as a result of the increase in APD.

Brits urged to give caravans winter clean

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Caravan and motorhome enthusiasts have been urged to prepare their units for winter by performing some maintenance and taking preventative steps.

According to Greentrees Adventure Store, British winters can be harsh on mobile holiday homes and owners should take care of them to help keep them in tip top condition for as long as possible.

Those who have travelled a lot this year might need to put a bit of extra effort in to ensure wear and tear is taken care of.

Everyone should start off by washing the caravan’s exterior, ideally with a flow-through brush that extends to help reach hard to get to places.

Some may decide to invest in overwintering protection to help prevent the build-up of green algae and moss.

“Additional caravanning accessories such as awnings and gazebos also need maintenance after surviving a year on the road,” explained spokeswoman Anneka Barker.

She added that these too are vulnerable to algae build-up over winter and should be thoroughly cleaned and dried before storage.

Finally, the firm suggested that a water-resistant cover could be a good idea for the caravan, providing an extra layer of protection, while allowing the vehicle to breathe.

Meanwhile, the Guardian has lavished praise on TV show Top Gear, which is set for a new series featuring an airship made out of a caravan.

Caravan owners left waiting on court decision

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A number of caravan owners who bought their mobile homes on the understanding that they could live in them all year round have been left hanging by the court.

According to the Daily Gazette, residents at Haven Village in Brightlingsea were not made aware that the site closes for the winter between December and February.

London high court judge Mr Justice Jack elected to reserve his final decision on the matter and the owners must now await written judgement.

In order to win the right to stay at the site from December to February, the residents must apply for planning permission from Tendring district council.

However, the site’s operators said to grant them permission would be a breach of local planning policy.

“We are still where we were before. The judgement leaves it open for us to apply for planning permission,” residents’ spokeswoman Jacqueline Morris told the newspaper.

“We are disappointed. The uncertainty continues and it is very stressful.”

Meanwhile, Newbury Today revealed that police are treating a fire in a disused caravan as suspicious – the fourth suspicious blaze in the town in five days.

Brits ‘still enjoying caravan breaks’ in record year for membership

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Christmas may be just around the corner, but some Brits are still enjoying caravan breaks, it has been claimed.

According to the Caravan Club, six million people have taken a break at one of its sites – representing a half-million year-on-year rise in popularity.

“Our season has been terrific with many hundreds of thousands of happy caravanners,” explained Caravan Club director of marketing Nick Lomas.

The organisation revealed that a record number of new members joined the club at last month’s International Caravan and Motorhome Show, which took place in Birmingham’s NEC.

Meanwhile, those who missed the Birmingham event could head to the Manchester Central Caravan and Motorhome Show, which takes place from January 21st to 24th.

The Scottish Caravan and Outdoor Show is also earmarked to take place in Glasgow from February 4th to 7th, while the NEC will host the National Boat, Caravan and Outdoor Show later in the same month.

Caravanners can make use of ‘industry changing’ internet

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The internet has transformed the way the travel industry works over the past two decades, it has been claimed.

According to the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA), in the 20 years he internet has been operating the landscape has changed from one that favours tourism companies, to one dictated by customer demand.

It suggested that while in 1989, when ETOA was initially founded, holidaymakers conformed to what the industry offered them, consumer habits now influence the behaviour of tour operators.

Executive director Tom Jenkins suggested that the internet had more than a passing influence on the changing trend.

“We are now seeing impulse buy like we’ve never seen it,” he said. “People were talking about impulse buying ten years ago – now people just log onto the internet, shop around on the internet and largely buy on the internet almost by whim.”

Caravan fans are now able to use the internet to browse thousands of campsites around the UK, meaning details of facilities, prices and availability are just a click away.

Caravan enthusiasts to benefit from improved London transport

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Caravan enthusiasts who choose to take a break near London could soon make use of the capital’s new and improved transport infrastructure.

Mayor Boris Johnson suggested that the work being done across the city could herald a “new Victorian Age” for London.

Speaking at the opening of World Travel Market 2009, the former Conservative MP told travel professionals from around the globe that the changes to transport in the city would be of great benefit to all.

“These are the biggest changes in London’s mass transit infrastructure for the last 70 years,” Mayor Johnson said. “They comprise not just of Crossrail but also of the upgrades of the tube which will increase capacity by 30 per cent.”

He explained that the 2012 Olympic Games were a driving force behind the investment, adding that the competition is set to transform the east of the city.

Caravan enthusiasts using the London transport system to do their sightseeing could visit Big Ben, the Imperial War Museum, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and the Tate Modern, among other popular attractions.

Hampshire caravan blaze brought under control

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A static caravan at a Hampshire caravan site was left in tatters after a fire ripped through it in the early hours of this morning (November 10th).

According to the Southern Daily Echo, fire crews spent 45 minutes dousing the flames after being called to the campsite shortly after midnight.

The Hardley and Hythe brigade members remained at the scene for almost two hours after extinguishing the fire, the newspaper revealed.

Those planning a caravan holiday in Hampshire could consider the Kingfisher Caravan Park near Gosport’s Stokes Bay.

A short walk from a pebble beach, the site boasts 14 acres of grassland, shrubs, rivers, trees and flowers.

An indoor games room will provide entertainment for kids, while dogs are welcome, so long as they are kept on a leash.

Touring caravans and tents are both welcome, with families able to enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant or a pint of real ale at the pub.

Caravan refurbishment firm strikes deal with insurer

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The Car Medic International Group has launched a new franchise deal that could interest owners of mobile homes in the UK and across Europe.

Caravan Medic has signed a deal with AXA Insurance to provide its good-as-new repair service to those with cover from the firm.

The service replicates textured panels, allowing caravan owners to have their units repaired without the need for excessive costs.

The eco-friendly service can also repair plastic, scratches, paintwork and dents, while stains and discolouration can also be dealt with.

Carpets and upholstery can be touched up, removing any cigarette burns or tears, while the firm also has the capability to refurbish alloy wheels, getting rid of any scratches.

Car Medic International Group managing director Andrew Hack explained that the agreement with AXA is a big step forward for the firm.

“The contract to repair all of their caravan damage claims will save caravan and mobile home owners a fortune and means a huge swell in demand for services for all our operators as well as serving as a great trade reference for the system itself in order to secure other work,” he said.

Meanwhile, popular TV show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here… is set to incorporate a “caravan of love” into this year’s episode.

Elderly couple forced out of caravan

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An elderly couple who wanted to see out their days living in a caravan on their own land have been forced to move out.

Randall Plested told the Burton Mail how he and his wife have been moved to a house in Horninglow, despite wanting to stay in the rented mobile home they have lived in for the past decade.

The pair were moved when it emerged they could not affording the planning permission that would allow them to continue living in the caravan.

The former owners of Byrkley Garden Centre used their land around the caravan to grow fruit and vegetables, but will now have to commute to harvest them.

“We were so desperate to stay we slept in the greenhouse, but we were told we couldn’t stay there either. All of our friends are in Yoxall,” 74-year-old Mr Plested told the newspaper.

Both have lived in the country all of their lives and said they had no wish to move to an urban home.

Meanwhile, a man who chose to live in a caravan and shun cash entirely was recently featured in Caravan Times about his reasons for doing so.