Member Benefits With The Caravan And Motorhome Club

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By William Coleman

Caravan and Motorhome Club members saved more than £3m in 2019, thanks to the wide range of money-saving deals the Club offers.

Many people know that Caravan and Motorhome Club membership offers access to over 2700 quality sites in the UK and overseas. However, not everyone is aware of the range of offers specially created to reduce the cost of the ultimate holiday adventure that are included in the membership fee of just £54 per year.

The Club is constantly launching new offers, covering a wide range of interests and activities, and one of the most popular offers in 2019 was a Fuel Card that saved members over £240,000 helping drive down the cost of touring. The Club also has some exceptional car offers with a number of manufacturers inspiring members to embark on their next road trip with the very latest make and model.

Here are just some of the great deals to choose from:

Save on average £5,598 on brand new Volvo vehicles including Towcar of the Year winners XC40, XC60 and V60

Save over £5,600 on a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe Premium SE Automatic

SsangYong offers a free fixed towbar and electrics on selected models and for a limited time only is offering up to £3,000 off the popular Korando which was the Caravan and Motorhome Club Towcar of the Year 2018 winner (in the under £24,000 category)

Save up to 24% off the stylish Jaguar XE and XF, plus up to 10% off capable towcars Land Rover Discovery and Discovery Sport

Other examples of the Club’s offers include:

Save 10% on a caravan motor mover. Witter Towbars and Westfalia Automotive UK have partnered with leading manufacturer Purple Lines to offer this discount to Club members

Purple Lines’ enduro and e-go caravan motor movers come with a five year warranty and are fitted to the highest standard by a professional installer

Members receive a free remote control worth £200 when purchasing a motorhome kit from E&P Hydraulics. The self-levelling system enables you to get your motorhome perfectly level and stable at the touch of a button

Save up to £40 on a TyrePal Tyre Pressure Monitoring System which continuously monitors the pressure and temperature of your tyres whilst you are driving and gives clear visual and audible alerts should anything start to go wrong

Outdoor adventurers can re-style their holiday wardrobe and save up to 15% off with both Cotswold Outdoor and Mountain Warehouse

Save up to 10% on car hire with Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Save 10% on Raleigh bikes

Save 25% off your final bill Casual Dining Group restaurants Belgo, Bella Italia and Café Rouge

Save 4% with Sainsbury’s Everyday Shopping Card

Save an exclusive 20% at Roadchef including Costa, Fresh Food Cafe or Restbite

Harvey Alexander, director of marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “We are delighted that our members saved more than £3m in 2019 and we’re proud of the wide variety of great deals that Club membership offers people access to for just £54 per year.

“From helping members get out on the open road with the Fuel Card and average savings of £4,247 on new cars to offering money off clothing, equipment and food, membership of the Caravan and Motorhome Club enables people to have amazing and affordable outdoor experiences.”

See The World With Tours From The Caravan And Motorhome Club

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By William Coleman

With both escorted and independent worldwide tours including motorhome hire, pre-booked campsites and personalised road books packed with local travel tips, there has never been an easier time to enjoy an international road trip with the Caravan and Motorhome Club.

USA

The Club has recently launched three new tours in the United States. Each tour covers some of western America’s very best national parks, highways and cities, with different tour lengths meaning that there is something for everyone.

The Big One sweeps through California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah, cruising along some of the US’ most iconic highways, including Route 66 and California Highway 1. This 38-day independent tour covers some of the USA’s best-known natural attractions, from the infamous Yosemite National Park to the incredible Grand Canyon.

Kick things off in glamorous Los Angeles before winding down through some of the world’s best national parks – Joshua Tree for stargazing and the epic Grand Canyon. The route then travels through the desert to Lake Powell, a shimmering man-made reservoir that cuts through the landscape. Continuing the exploration of canyon country, the tour crosses Bryce Canyon National Park and Boulder Mountain and on to Zion National Park, the oldest national park in Utah.

After exploring the beauty of Zion, it heads to the bright lights of Las Vegas before venturing back to nature to explore the giant trees at Sequoia National Park and monoliths of Yosemite. The trip finishes with three nights in San Francisco to check out the Golden Gate Bridge, before cruising through one of the world’s most scenic driving routes – the Pacific Coast Highway and the Big Sur, known to many now as the home of Big Little Lies.

As it’s an independent tour, holidaymakers have the flexibility to choose their stops between sites – from stopping at the awe-inspiring Antelope Canyon, laid back Santa Cruz or the wineries of Santa Barbara.

Prices start from £4799 per person, with departures between April and October 2020 and 2021.
California Calling is perfect for those looking to explore the very best of the Golden State and beyond, but have a little less time to explore. This 25-day independent itinerary winds through Californian highlights, with a little time exploring Arizona and Nevada for good measure. As with the Big One, holidaymakers will hit all the top spots, including the stunning nature at Joshua Tree, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, and the thrilling cities of Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Prices start from £3599 per person, with departures between May and October 2020 and 2021.
Those who are seeking more time with nature will prefer America’s National Parks, a 22-day independent tour starting in Las Vegas. Following a similar route to the Big One, the tour passes through some of the USA’s greatest national parks. Stops include the Grand Canyon National Park, Lake Powell, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park.
Prices start at £3179 per person with departures between April and October 2020 and 2021.

Canada
The Maritimes is a 23-day long independent tour across Canada’s Maritime Provinces, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, taking in some of the very best of Canada’s coastline.

This Canadian adventure begins in Halifax to check out the Citadel before taking the Lighthouse Route past beautiful beaches and rugged coastline, stopping at The Old Town of Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The route then moves through some of Canada’s most stunning landscapes, firstly through the wilderness of Kejimkujik National Park, to the National Historic Site, Fort Anne and then Five Island Provincial Park. The trip then heads over to Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island. After exploring this quaint island, the route winds across the Ceildh Trail, with the chance to stop and go whale watching, then on to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park for moose spotting.

The tour finishes off with visits to the historic sites the Fortress of Louisbourg and Sherbrooke Village, before returning back to Halifax.

Prices start at £3999 per person with departures between May and September 2020 and 2021.

Australia

The Club has launched two new Australian itineraries for 2020 and 2021.
Tasmania – The Wild Island State is a new 24-day independent tour around Australia’s smallest state, Tasmania.

Starting in the capital city, Hobart, to visit the unique MONA gallery the tour then passes through Tasmania’s picturesque east coast to Freycinet National Park. After taking in the stunning wildlife, the drive continues to St Helens with its many parks and dunes – an ideal spot for walking.

Looping round into Launceston, known as the garden city, visitors can explore this beautiful valley before heading to Cradle Mountain. Cradle Mountain is renowned for its abundance of wildlife, with wallabies, potoroos and parrots all to be found.

The itinerary finishes back in Hobart after a stop at the lush Tasmanian rainforest at the South West World Heritage National Park.

Updated itineraries for 2020 and 2021

The Club has recently updated some old favourites to include new stops:
Vancouver Island & the Sunshine Coast is a 20-day escorted tour exploring Western Canada. Building on the popular Vancouver & the Sunshine Coast itinerary from 2019/ 2020, this itinerary now includes stops in Nanaimo, Ucuelet and Sechelt so that adventurers can see the very best of Vancouver Island.

Highlights also include driving along the Sea-to-Sky Highway along the Pacific Coast to Whistler and Burnaby, with stunning fjords, waterfalls and beautiful landscapes as far as the eye can see.

Prices start from £3899 per person, departing on 11 September 2021.

New Overseas Tours With The Club In 2020

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By William Coleman

The Caravan and Motorhome Club is proud to be offering its members more options for overseas adventures than ever before, with the addition of 16 new campsites taking the total number of its European campsites to more than 340.

The new campsites are located in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain. They offer something for everyone across Europe, including a campsite in a beautiful valley in Ireland, a lakeside campsite in Belgium, seaside campsites in France and campsites in the very South of Italy in beautiful Gallipoli and in the hills of Sorrento for the more adventurous.

Plus, a number of existing campsites in France, Germany and Austria have been renovated, with many revamping outdoor facilities including swimming pools, aqua parks and gyms – perfect for a break during the summer months.

Harvey Alexander, director of marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “We are thrilled to be offering even more great European campsites to our members. It’s also wonderful to see a number of our current European sites upgrading their facilities, ensuring that we’re maintaining the Club’s high standards no matter where our members choose to stay.”

Members travelling to the Club’s European sites can also take advantage of some great combined deals and ferry offers. The Club works with all major ferry operators – Brittany Ferries, Stena Line, DFDS and P&O – to bring its members discounts on combined deals throughout the year and great value rates across popular holiday sailings including Dover to Calais, Hull to Rotterdam and Portsmouth to Caen.

Current offers include 10 percent off Stena Line economy fares, with caravans going free on selected routes, as well as 10 percent off Dover crossings with P&O all year. Members can also take advantage of discounts of 10 percent off fares from Folkestone to Calais with Eurotunnel. All offers are subject to availability.

For members who haven’t ventured across the channel in their caravan or motorhome vehicle before, the Club can give them confidence to become real pioneers with its ‘First Time Abroad’ guide, which includes a three-step process for planning an overseas trip with a caravan or motorhome including where to stay, booking a ferry and getting insurance.

Tips include scheduling your arrival time to be before or after lunchtime, as many campsite receptions shut for two hours from midday. Other advice includes packing toilet roll, as some campsites don’t supply it, and bringing extra cash as many campsites don’t have an ATM.

Members of the Club (membership costs £54 per year) can also purchase a range of quality cover and insurance policies designed with touring in mind including motoring and personal, single-trip, annual multi-trip and long-stay cover options, as well as breakdown roadside assistance, vehicle and passenger repatriation, continuation of holiday travel and/or accommodation, medical and ski cover.

Experience Freedom In 2020 With The Club

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By William Coleman

Experience Freedom from the Caravan and Motorhome Club offers glamping, camping and motorhome hire for all and new motorhome pick up location opening in London in March 2020.

Experience Freedom from the Caravan and Motorhome Club offers a choice of glamping accommodation, motorhome hire and tent camping, so there are options to suit all tastes and budgets.

Experience Freedom currently has glamping units in the Cotswolds, Brighton, the Lake District, London, the Surrey Hills and Kent, and it is planning to announce further locations later this year. The units range from glamping pods and Airstream caravans to yurts and camping pods, and prices start from £39 per night.

Experience Freedom also offers camping at over 50 campsites plus motorhome hire via its partner Swift Go. Customers can currently start their motorhome hire adventure from Manchester or Edinburgh and from March this year they will be able to pick up their motorhome from London too.

Motorhome hire starts from just £100 for three nights and customers have access to over 2,700 quality campsites in the UK and Europe via the Caravan and Motorhome Club along with exclusive discounts on ferries.

You don’t have to be a Caravan and Motorhome Club member to book an Experience Freedom break, but members and their friends and family do receive a 15 percent discount on motorhome hire plus free collision damage waiver. Members and their friends and family also receive a 10 percent discount on glamping bookings.

The Caravan And Motorhome Club Paws Of Approval Scheme

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By William Coleman

Over 23,000 dog-owning Caravan and Motorhome Club members have taken part in the Club’s Paws of Approval scheme so far, with 92% rating Club campsites as ‘excellent’, ‘very good’, or ‘good’ for dog friendliness and facilities when surveyed over a six-month period.

Two of the three highest rated campsites with a score of 4.7 out of 5 are in the West County and these sites are the Treamble Valley Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Truro, Cornwall and Ilfracombe Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Devon.

The other highest rating site is Thetford Forest Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Norfolk. All these sites were praised for the number of good dog walks from the site, a good dog exercise area and welcoming staff, as well as facilities such as dog bins.

Three other campsites that are snapping at the heels of the top scorers are geographically well spread, each with a rating of 4.6 out of 5. These are Rookesbury Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Hampshire, praised for its agility equipment and accessibility to the adjacent forest.

Stamford Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Northamptonshire was praised for its dog shower and proximity to the woods while Yellowcraig Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in East Lothian is popular due to the nearby forest, beach and dog wash area.

Harvey Alexander, the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s director of marketing, said: “Dogs stay for free on all our campsites and with forty percent of our members owning dogs, it is important that we provide the right facilities.

We know that being able to travel with the family pet is a major motivator for many of our members and thousands have responded to our survey; it is great to see that so many of our campsites rate very highly with accessible dog walks, facilities and exercise areas.”

The Caravan and Motorhome Club launched the Paws of Approval scheme early in 2019, asking members to rate campsites on dog friendliness and facilities.

With some forty percent of Club members owning dogs, the Club was keen to get their opinion on the facilities available at its campsites. The Club was also keen to recognise those campsites that go the extra mile and ideal and make it easier for members to identify the most suitable campsites for a holiday with their dog.

The Caravan And Motorhome Club Site Investments

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By William Coleman

The Caravan and Motorhome Club is delighted to announce exciting redevelopments across four campsites on its UK network this year. The redevelopments include a number of new facilities at some of the Club’s most popular campsites, as well as a new selection of glamping units at one campsite, making it easier for Club members to bring friends and family to the great outdoors.

Cayton, North Yorkshire

Cayton Village Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is currently in development to produce an incredible multi-million pound transformation. The updates will see a brand new, high quality campsite kitted out with two new large facility blocks, play areas and equipment, and new pitches, including some with electric vehicle charging points.

The campsite will also be home to a number of new glamping units – perfect for Club members with extended families who want to stay in this wonderful seaside location but don’t have their own leisure vehicle.

The site will be re-opening in August 2020 and will stay open until January each year.

Penrhos, Anglesey

Penrhos Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite in Anglesey is in the second phase of its half million pound redevelopment. New serviced pitches were introduced to the campsite in the winter of 2018, and the Club is building on these developments to add more new facilities for the 2020 touring season.

The campsite’s redevelopments will include a new accessible facility block including an accessible bathroom, as well as dish-washing area, laundry room and family washroom. The site reception is being redesigned and a new information room is being built that will help provide guests with plenty of facts about Anglesey and the surrounding area.

A new motorhome waste point will be put in a convenient location, and finally, there will also be a small number of additional pitches added to the site, so that even more guests can enjoy the area. Work is due to be completed by July 2020.

Brighton, East Sussex

The popular Brighton Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is currently undergoing a project to de-compact the hardstanding pitches it has available, so that visitors to the site are able to peg in awnings. There will also be an additional 23 serviced pitches introduced to the site, so that even more visitors can enjoy all that Brighton has to offer.

Brighton remains open whilst re-developments take place. The works will be completed by the end of March 2020.

Battle, East Sussex

Battle Normanhurst Court Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite is undergoing work to improve and preserve the historic retaining walls at this former grand estate. In addition, essential work to improve some of the roads is taking place, a new style motorvan waste point is being introduced and some playground equipment is being replaced.

Some new serviced pitches are also being installed while some grass pitches being converted to hardstanding. The works will be completed in time for the main season starting again in March 2020.

Many other sites across the network will also be undergoing smaller scale improvements over the winter period to ensure that the sites are in great condition ready for the 2020 touring season.

Caravan and Motorhome Club Launches Its 2020 Professional Driving Courses

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By William Coleman

For new caravanners and motorhomers, or those who feel they need a refresher in
driving their leisure vehicles, the Caravan and Motorhome Club has launched its 2020 practical
training courses across 13 locations in the UK.

The Club has over 40 years’ experience running training courses that have been designed specifically to give tourers additional peace of mind before they head off on their adventure.
Running from February to October, each training course provides professional safety instructions and techniques.

Sessions include:
– Manoeuvring advice
– Hitching and towing safely
– Straightforward safety checks
– Understanding the laws that affect caravanning and motorhoming
– Practice in manoeuvring an outfit forwards and backwards
– Understanding loading and how it affects towing

The training courses are split into: Practical Caravanning; Caravan Manoeuvring; and Motorhome Manoeuvring. The caravan and motorhome manoeuvring courses both take under seven hours, whilst the Practical Caravan Manoeuvring course for people who are completely new to caravanning is completed within 10 hours split over two days.

The Practical Caravanning Course was devised in co-operation with the Road Transport Industry Training Board. Each training centre is staffed by professional instructors and the courses are designed to be as enjoyable as they are informative.

Harvey Alexander, director of marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club said; “We are delighted to be able to offer these important courses to tourers. The courses provide excellent value for money and mean that people have the confidence to relax and enjoy their touring adventure with real peace of mind.”

The courses are priced as follows:

– Practical Caravanning Course – £185.00
– Caravan Manoeuvring Course – £155.00
– Motorhome Manoeuvring Course – £185.00

Participants also benefit from the opportunity to save five percent on Club caravan cover, motorhome insurance and car insurance for a new policy or at the next renewal – evidence of course completion is required. They also receive the Club’s Essential Guide to Touring for free, which is jam-packed with plenty of useful information and normally costs £16.00.

New Website Launched For Travelworld

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By William Coleman

Erwin Hymer Centre Travelworld has announced the launch of a new website offering impressive new levels of content and delivering an intuitive user experience for motorhome customers.

The world of technology is moving at a rapid rate, so much so that it is sometimes difficult to keep up. Not to be the ones left behind, Travelworld have kept ahead of the curb and have kept their online presence new and fresh with a brand new site aimed at keeping their visitors and customers up to date.

Visitors to the site can now find up-to-date information on upcoming industry events, including all the latest UK motorhome shows and exclusive Erwin Hymer Centre events.

Also available are in-depth travel guides with topics as varied as what to do in Yorkshire when it’s raining, where to taste wine in Devon and details on days out for couples in Scotland.

Users can now glide seamlessly from desktops to mobiles and the new system intuitively pulls data from the new sort and search mechanisms, helping to find vehicle information and resources more quickly and easily.

New model brochures for all HYMER Group vehicles are available on the site, along with help guides, providing advice on dealing with gas and LPG, making pre-trip check lists, practical suggestions on mobility camping and much more.

Comprehensive videos on specific motorhome models also form part of the website’s resources, and members can keep themselves regularly informed by signing up to the new Club Travelworld newsletter.

Managing director Ross Edwards, said: “Our new platform is not a simple refresh, it’s launch has been preceded by two years of solid effort and input from all our internal departments at the Erwin Hymer Centre, we think the hard work has paid off and we’re excited for new and existing visitors to use it.”

Customer Research
The website structure and emphasis on content arose following research into what motorhome enthusiasts want and search for on the internet, as well as information gleaned from the company’s 10,000 Facebook followers.
“We found that now more than ever, users are seeking a much more content-rich experience, as well as fast and simple on-site navigation.” Ross said.

He added: “Motorhome and caravan customers are an extremely informed audience; we needed our new site to cater for this, along with a mounting new wave of first-time motorhomers.”

The HYMER motorhome specialists, who moved into their new state-of-the-art premises in February last year, believe the new website mirrors the quality and range of services its contemporary showrooms include, and the launch serves as a continued commitment to becoming the ultimate one-stop shop for motorhome customers.

Having grown up in a world both with and without the internet I can safely say that a good site can make the world of difference when dealing with a company. There was a time when trying to book any kind of caravan trip online was just a chore so it is good to see the industry moving with the time.

With the world moving so quickly do you think the caravan world is moving too slowly?

Holiday Park Sector Boosted By Multi Million Investment

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By William Colemman

The world of the caravan holiday is getting a multi million pound investment boost as a motorhome investor has entered the holiday park world from across the pond in the US.

Cove Communities, the specialist long-term investors and operators of manufactured home and motorhome communities and resorts in the United States and Canada, announces the completion of its first UK-based acquisition, Bunn Leisure, 116.58 acres in Selsey, West Sussex.

This acquisition reflects the Company’s belief in the long-term growth prospects for the UK holiday park market and the opportunity to further enhance the broad appeal of the Bunn Leisure site and proposition, offering residents and guests an appealing lifestyle in a unique and accessible coastal location with world-class amenities.

Cove Communities’ UK business is led by UK Managing Director, Mark Seaton and the Bunn Leisure team is under the leadership of Geoffrey Smith, Director of Finance and Operations, and Danny Kaye, Resorts Director. Between them, the UK management team has over 80 years of UK tourism and leisure experience.

Mark Seaton, UK Director for Cove Communities, said: “Bunn Leisure is a fantastic holiday park, which we believe offers a truly unique proposition to families looking to enjoy a staycation or purchase a caravan vacation home on this beautiful stretch of accessible coastline.

“We see immense potential for the UK’s caravan, holiday and residential park sectors, supported by appropriate investment and careful strategy, and as such we are excited by the long-term prospects for Cove Communities to further invest and enhance the unique aspects of exceptional parks, such as Bunn Leisure, as part of a wider UK caravan and residential park portfolio.”

Bunn Leisure provides self-catered family accommodations, incorporating three Holiday Village areas and one Camping and Touring Park area, all graded from 4 to 5 stars, along with resort-style entertainment leisure facilities and amenities.

Cove Communities is currently undertaking a £23m investment programme at the site, started under the previous owners, and is in the process of developing a further five-year capital investment programme to include investment focused on environmental management and new sea defenses.

The business is intent on building on Bunn Leisure’s strong reputation in the marketplace and ensuring the business is well positioned to serve guests, residents and the local community for years to come.

During peak season, the business will employ over 600 people and host 11,000 guests and residents, generating significant income for the local economy. The business is also exploring options to introduce an apprenticeship scheme for young adults once the integration of the site into the Cove Communities business is fully complete.

Cove Communities was founded in 2017 by industry experts, focused on the long-term investment and operation of manufactured home and motorhome communities and resorts. The portfolio has since grown to include over 9,250 sites across the U.S.A, Canada, and the UK.

The Company has a robust pipeline of deals internationally and is looking to grow its portfolio in the UK through acquisition of further exceptional caravan, motorhome and residential park sites.

Swift Confirm Factory Closure And Redundancies

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By William Coleman

Some sad news has come from one of the UK’s most popular caravan manufacturers who have been forced to cut staff numbers and even close down production due to a rocky year and some negative political decisions.

Toward the end of last year CaravanTimes reported that Swift were taking some staff into consultation to
reduce staff numbers but nothing had actually been publicly, or officially announced, until now.

Due to a “turbulent political and economic climate” Swift have made the difficult decision to cut the production of their touring caravans and motorhomes, which has sadly had a knock on effect for their staff numbers.

Following this very bad news for the staff Swift actually took employees into consultancy and made redundancies in December for staff at certain locations.

The caravan manufacturer has confirmed it has made a series of redundancies at their East Yorkshire facility. The Cottingham based firm have 1100 people under their employ.

On top of reducing the headcount Swift have also totally closed the Mexborough manufacturing facility in South Yorkshire. But in some good news from all the bad, staff that have been affected at this site have been transferred to East Yorkshire location.

So it seems that Swift are still very much in a position to continue business and do want to retain as many staff as possible to ensure they can still run and produce an amount of vans that will be healthy for the company to maintain.

A spokesman said: “Due to the prolonged turbulent political and economic climate which has impacted on consumer confidence, the company has found it necessary to reduce its production volume of touring caravans and motorhomes.

“As a responsible manufacturer, we actively respond to market changes and the challenges they present, constantly reviewing our cost base to ensure the company is as fit as it can be today and into the future.

“In November, the company entered into consultation process with its employees to consider options for streamlining the business in line with the reduction of production volumes.
“As a responsible manufacturer, we actively respond to market changes and the challenges they present, constantly reviewing our cost base to ensure the company is as fit as it can be today and into the future.

“In November, the company entered into consultation process with its employees to consider options for streamlining the business in line with the reduction of production volumes.

“Through collaborative working during the consultation with employee representatives, we worked together to agree a fair and transparent process for those affected by the review.””

For quite a while we have seen both the positive and the negative impacts of Brexit on the caravan and motorhome world. There has been a huge volume of UK holidaymakers opting to stay at home for their holidays but this unfortunately has not been reflected in the sales numbers of new vans.

Some say Brexit has been a good excuse that has been thrown around quite a bit to deflect some poor decisions but I feel that there are genuine cases where the uncertainty of the future has caused major issues for companies in England, Scotland and Wales.

Another concern that has lead to issues within the industry, and has been a major factor in Swift’s recent decisions, is the new road tax prices for motorhomes. The new VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) will see buyers pay a fee of up to £2,135 when they first buy a motorhome. This is an issue that has faced such a tremendous backlash as it could be quite a blow to sales figures across all dealers and manufacturers.

This downsizing has come as a bit of a shock as Swift had reported in May that the company turnover had gone up to £287.8m due to a boost in sales. It just shows what a difference 7-8 months can make.

In a recent update Swift announced that some of the staff opted for voluntary redundancy whereas others were transferred their roles from the Mexborough facility to Cottingham. Despite the best efforts around 50 people have now been made redundant. Very sad news indeed.

A spokesperson from Swift spoke to Hull Live and said “Unfortunately at our Mexborough site we were not able to identify any viable business solutions to maintain production.

“As a result the site will not operate past 2019. A small number of colleagues will be transferring to our Cottingham site in the New Year.”

Midlands Football Manager Scores At Salop

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By William Coleman

The year is kicking off with a bang over at Salop Leisure as they appoint a brand new area sales manager who has quite the background within the West Midlands football world.

Richard Brown, who celebrated his 46th birthday on Christmas Day, is the new area sales manager for caravan holiday homes and luxury lodges at the Shrewsbury-based caravan and motorhome dealership.

He will be liaising with holiday home park managers across the Heart of England and Mid Wales and is looking forward to the new challenge.

During his sales career, he has worked for Coca Cola, British American Tobacco, Philip Morris Tobacco, SMKD and Dunlop Agencies.

“In all the sales jobs that I have had to date, I have focused on customer service and building relationships and I am looking forward to meeting caravan park owners and managers,” said Richard.

“I believe a lot of people with disposable income have been holding back on investments until Brexit is decided. Hopefully, 2020 will see a big uptake in caravan sales.”

Away from work, Richard has a passion for football, having been a YTS trainee at Walsall Football Club for two-and-a-half years as a teenager. He played 12 times for the first team in the former Division Four of the Football League and captained the club’s youth team before moving to play non-league football.

He played for Paget Rangers in Birmingham, Rushall Olympic in Walsall, Lye Town. Romulus, Market Drayton and Shifnal Town before stepping into management at Wellington Amateurs, AFC Wufrunians and Ellesmere Rangers.

Having managed Ellesmere Rangers twice, he is now in his third spell at the club as joint manager with Connor Courtney, whose grandmother, Jean, is a long-serving receptionist at Salop Leisure.

If you are popping to Salop anytime soon keep your eyes open as you may just walk away with an autograph, the signature not the Bailey Motorhome. Sorry bad joke.

Caravanning New Year Resolutions

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By William Coleman

The New Year is here and it is time to set ourselves some goals and challenges for 2020. As touring folk we can sometimes endulge or get stuck in our ways so why not combine some new year resolutions and holiday making?

Hands up if you may have overdid over the Christmas period…. I am sat here with both hands up in the air. Now that all the cakes, biscuits and selection boxes have been consumed its time to put the cookies down, start prepping the van and get active once more.

I have already set myself a couple or targets for 2020 but I can already feel myself slipping, and I always do when I am in the van and on the road. I do tend to snack a lot when I go away and stopping that is at the top of my resolutions list.

The way I look at it, we all just want to spend more time in the van which means more upkeep and more munching, if you’re me.

So aside from the “new year, new me” health kick what bad habits can we do away with and what good habits can we introduce to our touring lifestyle in 2020?

Find Two New Locations

A lot of the people I speak to across the sites I visit all over the UK are repeat visitors. Families and couples that tend to find an area or specific site and that then becomes their destination of choice for a lot of their future visits. One older couple I met in Battle have been using that site for over 15 years and do not want to go anywhere else.

This year don’t just pick two new sites, pick two entirely different parts of the UK to visit. If you usually go away in the South West why not try Scotland or even pop across the pond and find a nice site in France.

Make 2020 the year of freedom and new experiences. I would always recommend Scotland if you’ve never been caravanning their, or if you want to try something really different take a week off and travel to Italy and spend a few days in the South. You may just find your next favourite destination.

Books Not Phones

It was not that long ago that people used to look up when they walked, read books and find things out for themselves instead of burying their faces in mobiles. It seems that the youth of today are the worst at doing this. And dare I say some parents actually use iPads as a form or parenting, which is something I never had when I was younger and I still knew how to behave in public and in restaurants.

One target I have set myself is to put the phone down when I am away, unless I need some directions or perhaps a cheeky photo of where I am staying. Instead I am opting to read books! Something I used to do a lot before the lure of the phone screen became too much.

Recent studies have shown that too much screen time is actually very bad for your mental and physical health, so reducing your time on the phone or tablet will make you feel better.

Reading is also a very good for mental stimulation and gives your brain a much needed rest while actually strengthening it at the same time. I would also suggest doing thirty minutes of reading before you go to bed and see how much better your nights sleep it. You may be very surprised.

Get Active And Keep Fit

You can be a little bit tricky and tie this one in with finding a new location to visit. Why not pick somewhere new that is surrounded by activities to get the heart racing? Two birds one stone.

There are a lot location all around the UK that have amazing walking trails, swimming lakes and even on site activities like canoeing.

One such location that has a ton of fun and healthy activities to try is Salop Leisure’s Love2Stay site in Shrewsbury. They are very much about keeping you fit and healthy while you’re away.

On site they have kayaking, yoga, fishing, swimming and even a gym! Not to mention massage and beauty treatments.

If you spend your leisure time outside seeing the world you will be a lot more healthier both mentally and physically which are two things we all need.