New Storage Facility Welcomes 400th Customer

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By William Coleman

One of the UK’s most popular caravan, motorhome dealership and accessory shop have recently opened up their very own leisure vehicle storage facility and they have quickly seen swift success.

Finding a good and trustworthy storage facility for your caravan or motorhome can be a bit of a pain, especially if you don’t want to spend a fortune. A company that has a very strong reputation who you can trust is Salop Leisure.

Salop have invested £750,000 to expand the storage facility at its Emstrey headquarters last year because the existing space, which had a capacity of 250 touring caravans and motorhomes, was full

Now customers have filled up more than half of the expanded storage space in 10 months, as strong demand for motorhomes and touring caravans continues.

The 400th customer was Claire James from Stafford who has decided to store their touring caravan in Salop Leisure, Shrewsbury. She and her husband, Stuart, have used it four times this summer by using the Tow On Tow Off scheme run by the adjoining Love2Stay resort ready for their stay.

“The storage facility is so convenient for the family and us to use the caravan,” said Claire. “We wanted somewhere where we could keep our caravan and have it towed to a campsite for us to use. I can’t tow the caravan on my driving licence, so this is a marvellous solution and Love2Stay is a great place to stay.”

Salop Leisure attributes the popularity of the storage facilities to the growth in staycationing, as many British people no longer holiday overseas.

The facilities, which have achieved a gold award from the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA), are covered by monitored circuit television, have alarmed fence line security beams and are governed by an electronic entry system.

Salop Leisure offers dedicated pitches and improved services for existing customers, daylight hours access, on-site servicing of touring caravans, power washing facilities including a high level platform, waste disposal point services and, new this season, a tyre pressure station.

“The expanded storage area is helping to cater for strong demand from customers, particularly from the increased numbers who have purchased motorhomes this year,” said Mike Harris, Salop Leisure’s operations director.

“Many people tolerate having a touring caravan on their drive, but motorhomes are bigger and owners often opt to keep them in a clean, secure storage facility which is easily accessible.

“It’s one of the UK’s most modern, secure storage facilities for touring caravans and motorhomes and we provide a one stop shop for owners. By storing their touring caravans and motorhomes at Salop Leisure, owners can have them serviced on-site and use the award-winning facilities at our Love2Stay resort.

“Increasingly popular is ‘store and tow’ whereby we are able to tow a touring caravan to the neighbouring Love2Stay resort when the owners wish to stay there overnight.

“Owners can come and go as they wish knowing that their caravan or motorhome is safe and secure when not in use. The storage facility is conveniently located alongside Shrewsbury bypass and there is an accessory shop onsite just in case owners need anything.”

Do you use caravan storage, or do you have the space to leave it at home?

Anyone requiring more information about the secure storage facility should contact Sian Rees at Salop Leisure on Tel: 01743 282400 or sian.rees@salopleisure.co.uk

Caravan Guard And Partner Swoop Award

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By William Coleman

In a recent award show one of the top caravan and motorhome insurance companies and their touring holiday partner have taken home the gold for their customer-focused claims handling service.

The Halifax-based company collected the Claims Team Award at the 2019 UK Broker Awards – the leading platform for national recognition within the insurance broker market.

Judges said Caravan Guard really outlined its high pedigree in its entry this year. Managing Director, Ryan Wilby, said he was delighted the company had been recognised in the industry for delivering an excellent claims handling service to its customers.

“Strong teamwork between our internal and underwriter claims teams has helped to simplify the customer claims journey and lead to quicker settlements,” he said.

“Customers often say that a test of a good insurance company is the way they handle their claim. So to have the work of our Claims Team recognised with this award is fantastic and a testament to our passion to deliver brilliant customer experiences.

Caravan Guard claimants are extremely satisfied, on average rating their overall claim experience nine out of 10, when responding to their customer satisfaction survey.

The Claims Team also has strong links with specialist repairers, manufacturers, dealerships and holiday parks. Their specialist product knowledge allows them to deliver a tailored claims service to customers.

The Caravan Guard team also made the shortlist for the Customer Service Award and Personal Lines Broker of the Year. Whilst they didn’t win in these categories it was a fantastic achievement for their team of positive people to be recognised.

To find out more about Caravan Guard and their great value, highly rated caravan or motorhome insurance visit www.caravanguard.co.uk and for static caravan or holiday lodge insurance visit www.leisuredays.co.uk

Holiday Park Raise Funds For Air Ambulance

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By William Coleman

A family run Teeside holiday park has pulled off an amazing charity windfall to help support the ever important Air Ambulance with the support of local residents.

Did you know that there are only two Air Ambulances for the entire city of London and the surrounding areas, both of which are totally funded by charitable donations. It is mad to think that such a life saving scheme it totally dependant on the good will of the public.

Generous visitors to a fundraising party at Drovers Way Holiday Park in Elton, Stockton-on-Tees, have provided a £2,200 lift for the Great North Air Ambulance Service.

Almost 200 guests, including local residents and holiday caravan owners, packed the park for an evening of fun and entertainment which included live music.

The event was the inspiration of park owners Helen and Chris Brown who wanted to celebrate the recent move of the Air Ambulance headquarters to nearby Eaglescliffe.

Drovers Way’s new neighbours now have a sizeable boost to their life-saving work, thanks to donations from party guests and a charity auction on the night.

Top of the lots were a number of impressive statues donated by local wood sculptor Lukas Beben which he creates using a skilfully-wielded chainsaw.

Timber for Lukas’s statues is sourced by Helen and Chris’s son Steven from local sustainable woodlands which also provide fuel for the biomass boiler on the couple’s farm.

The farm has been in Chris Brown’s family since 1952, and the park’s name remembers the original drovers road to Yarm which was the only place farmers could cross the Tees.

Drovers Way provides 68 luxury holiday homes for private owners, and is a long-time winner of the annual David Bellamy Conservation Award for its many wildlife initiatives.

The park and the farm are run by Helen and Chris with the help of Steven and their other son Richard who featured among the musicians performing at the fundraising party.

They were joined by some of the music pupils Helen teaches in her spare time, helping to make the evening a “fantastic success”:

“Holiday home owners at Drovers Way are very much a community, and a lot made special efforts to attend and bring along their friends and family,” said Helen.

“Many enjoy walking in the surrounding countryside, and we are always conscious of that fact that if any got into difficulties, the air-ambulance would be a potential life-saver.

“Our guests also appreciate this, and their support of our evening was magnificent,” added Helen.

The cheque for £2,200 was officially handed over to Debbie Gibbs of the Great North Air Ambulance Service at a special ceremony held in the park.

It also coincided with the unveiling of an 8-foot timber statue created by Lukas Beben as a “thank you” to the park for the timber it provides for his work.

The statue depicts a drover who is modelled on a photograph of Chris’s father who originally bought the farm over 60 years ago.

drovesway.com.

Reasons To Carry On Touring Through Autumn

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By William Coleman

You know the time is coming to start the winter prep when the leaves start to turn brown and the sun starts to become a bit shy. As the years go on the numbers of holiday makers who tour all through the colder months keep. It seems that the turn in weather is not deterring holiday makers.

There are so many reasons to never put the caravan away when the winter months approach, and yes avoiding winter storage prep is one of the biggest there is.

As the numbers of winter holiday makers grow the industry are meeting the demand by extending their opening hours to winter and even hosting special events for occasions like Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Years Eve.

If you want to get extended usage out of the van and tour all year round then have a read of these positive excuses as to why you should holiday more.

Autumn Sun Lasts Longer

Not sure if this is a good or bad thing, environmentally speaking, but our summers are lasting longer and are a lot hotter. As of writing this now we face a late September weekend with temperatures set to hit 26 degrees centigrade.

With the weather improving so much during the autumn months you really can get away for that last minute sun. On top of this you get amazing sunsets which are perfect to just sit and watch with a nice mug of tea and a pack of chocolate digestives.

Not sure I would suggest swimming though, unless you have quite a good wetsuit.

The Quiet Season

As popular as it is spending weekends in the van during winter really is not for everyone. This leads to some sites being a tad more quiet coem this time of year.

This will lead as a shorter wait time at the wash block, which we all know can be a nightmare and a much larger choice of pitches on site.

If you favour a particular holidaying hotspot which usually has busy surrounding bars and restaurants then you should be able to walk in without having to make a reservation or being turned away.

Make The Most Out Of Your Investment

Whether you have a caravan, motorhome or campervan, I’m sure you’ve made quite a financial investment. So why not make the most of it and get your monies worth.

I have known quite a few people who will only use the van in absolute peak weather, despite having a grade 3 tested model. It is almost unfair on the van to leave it alone for 75% of the year. Not to mention it does the van no good either, both inside and mechanically.

The Modern Technology Makes It Easier

The modern leisure vehicle manufacturer put their vans through some quite rigorous cold weather testing, most use the cold weather chamber at Truma HQ.

Bailey have so much faith in their weather resistant vans they took two of their Pursuit caravans and an Autograph motorhome to the Arctic on an adventure to test how well they hold up in the extreme temperatures the world can come up with.

It would seem that every single caravan and motorhome is very well equipped to deal with the cold weather we face here in the UK, so make the most of it.

Winter Attractions

Come winter time there are so many things to do and see. I for one love going to a rural area and seeing the autumnal woodlands and just taking a relaxing walk with the camera catching some snaps.

During November and December there are a lot of Christmas markets all over the UK. Some of the best ones are Bath Christmas Market and Winter Wonderland in London. You can also see some great fireworks displays and Halloween events that are hosted on Caravan and Motorhome Club sites as well as many other sites and parks.

The best thing about owning a leisure vehicle is that you do not have to choose between one location or another. You can drive from spot to spot and see them all.

Taking In The Skies

During the autumn and winter months the skies can become extremely clear giving you an amazing view of the stars.

In October last year I went to Loch Lomond for a weekend and can safely say I have never ever seen the stars co clearly, genuinely breathtaking.

So if you into stargazing find yourself a very remote location with no light pollution and just enjoy the view.

I can personally voucher for the Scottish Highlands but also check out Exmoor National Park, Somerset and Devon, Brecon Beacons National Park, south Wales and Snowdonia national park, Gwynedd and Conwy

Cost Effective Touring

A lot of sites reduce their pitch rates and even do deals on week long stays. So when you think of it you can actually save money on taking holidays. Another solid reason to get out more come winter. You can get some down time before the big freeze on a budget.

Seeing A Different Side Of A Location

Once the weather turns the views can change accordingly. There are so many locations across England, Scotland and Wales that look totally different once the leaves have fallen. Same location two different holidays.

If you want some stunning autumn and winter views I would again recommend the Scottish Highlands, Peak District, and the Lake District.

Campingaz Celebrates 70 Year Of Fuelling The Caravan World

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By William Coleman

The gas cylinder really is the backbone of outdoor living, especially when it comes to caravans and motorhomes. From portable gas barbecues to running your onboard fridge, Campingaz has been helping us enjoy touring for 70 years.

Outdoor living seems like it would be impossible without a good gas bottle. If you have a small Cadac that can take a small screw in gas bottle of if you have space on board the caravan for 2 full has cylinders then I am sure you have used a Campingaz product.

In 1949, Gabriel Corlet, André Colomb and René Sillon, three engineers from Lyon, France, invented a portable, refillable gas cylinder, called the “bidon bleu”. This was launched across Europe under the brand “Camping Gaz” and revolutionised the way we enjoy the great outdoors, making cooking easier for campers.

An innovative success across Europe, Campingaz became instantly recognisable by its distinctive blue gas cylinders and gas cartridges that quickly followed, these are now readily available in 14,000 outlets across 22 European countries. Last year, Campingaz manufactured and refilled over 20 million cartridges and cylinders and the extensive availability makes Campingaz a great option for travelling across the Channel and beyond.

The initial purchase includes the cost of the cylinder, which encourages people to refill cylinders rather than discard them. When cylinders are no longer needed, Campingaz’s network collects the cylinders from waste centres, petrol stations and camping and caravanning stores where they are sent on for refurbishment reducing the requirement to manufacture new cylinders.

Andrew Noble, Commercial Director, UK, BNL and Nordics at Coleman EMEA comments on the lifetime exchange scheme, “Campingaz cylinders, when empty, are refurbished at our factory in France, refilled with gas and then will be back on the shop shelves, so wastage is kept to an absolute minimum. A Campingaz cylinder can be used, refurbished and refilled with gas for many decades. It’s an important environmental consideration.”

All this is done from the Campingaz site in Saint Genis Laval, Lyon, which has been the company’s headquarters since 1952. This is also where product development, testing and certification is carried out. From the first Campingaz two-burner stove which was developed the year the factory opened, to the introduction of Bleuet Stove pocket stove in 1955 and the hard coolers which expanded the range in 1975, Campingaz’s innovative products are designed to provide maximum convenience and safety to allow people to cook and eat outdoors anywhere and at any time.

In the 1990s, Campingaz invested in outdoor cooking closer to home by developing a range of gas barbecues and planchas, and in 1997 following the company’s acquisition by the global leader in camping equipment, Coleman, Campingaz Italia opened its factory doors, producing gas barbecues.

“We’re proud to say that over the last 70 years we have brought products to the market which have transformed our experience of cooking in the great outdoors,” Noble adds, “Our in-house development team continues to push the boundaries of innovation, with exciting new products due to launch in 2020, and we look forward to continuing to live up to the title of the Outdoor Cooking Expert for many years to come.”

Welsh Parks Toats Double Win And Two Decades Of Business

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By William Coleman

Running a holiday park is not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. Running a successful award winning one for 2 decades even harder. It seems the staff at this Pembrokeshire site are not afraid to put the work in.

Staff and the family owners of a Pembrokeshire holiday parks group are celebrating after scooping two top honours in two prestigious award schemes.

Celtic Holiday Parks, which this year is marking the business’s 20th anniversary, was the choice of judges in the annual Welsh Enterprise Awards.

Against a strong field of contenders, the group’s three Pembrokeshire parks took the overall top spot in the “best camping and caravan park” category.

The group then found itself under the spotlights again at the Pembrokeshire Business Awards where it was named as outright winner of the best local independent business trophy.

Huw Pendleton, who owns Celtic Holiday Parks along with his parents Vic and Ann, said the two awards were “the icing on the cake” of a hugely successful year:

“We are absolutely over the moon with these honours which have come as we mark two decades of welcoming visitors and holiday home buyers to Pembrokeshire,”,/i> he said.

“Both awards are particularly significant to us as a major part of the judging criteria was the quality of the hospitality which we provide to holiday guests.

“Maintaining a friendly and welcoming atmosphere at our parks has always been an important priority, and so we owe a big debt of gratitude to our staff for helping us deliver this,” added Huw.

Celtic Holiday Parks comprises Croft Country Park and Noble Court Park, both in Narberth, and Meadow House Park overlooking Amroth Bay.

The family’s parks variously provide caravan holiday homes and lodges to own and rent, and pitch facilities for guests bringing their own touring caravan or motorhome.

The group is also a major provider of glamping facilities, and last year saw the launch of a new £1 million super-luxury glamping and lodge development at Noble Court called “Celtic Escapes”.

Not that Celtic Parks is any stranger to being in the limelight, for it was last year crowned the best holiday park business in Wales at the National Tourism Awards.

All three of its parks are also holders of the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level, recognising their vital work to help protect wildlife and the natural world.

There is more information about Celtic Holiday Parks, and the accommodation and holiday home ownership opportunities provided, at www.celticholidayparks.com

Park £150,000 Bear Grylls Challenge Gamble

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By William Coleman

There is something to be said about sites that have great facilities to keep the kids happy. Knowing they are safe and having fun while you relax is worth its weight in gold. Well, now at this Ambleside park they can take fun a step further.

Guests, both young and old, have given two thumbs up tp the Skelwith Fold in Ambleside following a £150,000 gamble on crafting a series of adrenaline pumping experiences for children.

The park made the investment earlier this year when it commissioned a new play zone designed to bring out the inner Bear Grylls of younger guests.

The brand new action adventure area features a whole raft of challenges such a zip wires, climbing nets and towers. For the more adventurous youngsters there are multi level structures where kids can climb, crawl and balance.

The park’s action agenda also features a newly-created geocaching trail, an all-weather games pitch, and exploration paths laid out around the park’s 130 acres of woodland.

Skelwith Fold director Henry Wild said the idea of investing a six-figure sum on do-it-yourself outdoor fun was largely in response to comments made by visiting families:

“Mums and dads often say how much their children enjoy tiring themselves out in the fresh air, and that their staycation holiday was so unlike the experience of going abroad,” he said.

“I think many now realise that that youngsters like to get their thrills from being active, and not sitting under sunshades in the sweltering heat with nothing to do.

“That’s why we decided to create a raft of different active play opportunities, many of which involve problem-solving and decision-making skills, and encourage socialising.

“So many recent studies show that health and well being are massively improved from being out in nature, so it’s grown-ups as well as youngsters who benefit from this type of holiday.

“I think that staycations are providing a wake-up call for many parents who now recognise what their kids have been missing from overseas holidays,” added Henry.

All of the activities are provided at no cost to holiday guests, and staff can also advise about nearby off-park adventures such as wild swimming, ghyll scrambling, and sail boarding.

Skelwith Fold offers luxury glamping pods, safari tents, holiday homes to own, and touring pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes.

New Industry Site Directory To Make Trips More Varied

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By William Coleman

If there is one thing we that we have a wide range of here in the UK its caravan and camping sites. Some would even say we are spoilt for choice which makes the final choice of which one to choose a difficult task. With this new caravan industry directory you can browse at your leisure and maybe even find somewhere totally new.

If you struggling to find somewhere new to go or where to stay in a certain area www.UKParkfinder.com can do all the hard work for you. The new directory creators have covered every corner of the UK to bring you a comprehensive list of caravan loving locations.

The directory is the result of 15 months of research and detailed planning by two industry professionals, Scott Higgins and Paul Callingham.

Scott and Paul are former employees of Salop Leisure where they sparked a friendship that would then lead to a business partnership. Between the two of them they have almost 40 years of service in the caravan industry.

While working together they spotted a large gap in the market for an encyclopedic directory for all things caravanning. Seeing how this could be a success the pair took a leap of faith and invested in the site which has been designed and built by Welshpool-based Gloversure.

Scott and Paul are initially focusing their sales drive on the area they know best, Mid Wales and the Marches, targeting touring caravan and motorhome parks, holiday home and luxury lodge parks, residential park home sites and camping, glamping and yurt sites.

They are not stopping there though! They want to encourage leisure vehicle dealers, accessory shop and service specialists, caravan storage facilities, caravan shows, local attractions, days out and places to eat to join the directory. A touring online one stop shop as it were.

The ultimate plan is to expand the directory across the UK where there are 4,500 holiday home parks, 20,000 touring caravan and motorhome parks and 40,000 camping and glamping sites.

With so many booking/comparison sites out there, which are tricky to navigate round, UK Park Finder want to provide a site that is simple to use and has everything you need all in one place. Forget the days of having tons of tabs open on your web browser.

For customers seeking information relating to caravans, motorhomes, glamping, camping and leisure time activities. The directors say users can find what they’re looking for in three clicks.

“Statistics suggest that 94% of buyers research online when looking to make a significant, high ticket purchase,” explained Scott. “For businesses in the leisure sector, UKParkfinder.com is the ideal portal to showcase their products and services to customers who are actively in the market to purchase.

“The directory has the potential to make a real difference to businesses and we believe it will revolutionise the way customers unlock their lifestyle and leisure time dreams.”

Paul added: “It has been designed with the end user in mind to offer a sophisticated, real time platform that will become an integral part of businesses’ marketing strategies. To date, every business we have approached has signed up, some for three years, which is very encouraging.

“Scott has wanted to develop a user-friendly directory for the industry for the last 10 years to fill a gap in the market. Now we have made the investment and we think it has huge potential and can be a fantastic marketing tool for the industry.”

It’s the only online caravan directory that advertises local attractions, days out and places to eat alongside caravan businesses, which are exposed to holidaymakers looking to make the most of their leisure time.

Businesses have their own dedicated listing which they can manage themselves, upload images, videos and sale stock, promote special offers and discounts, provide full descriptions and contact information, receive customer enquiries by email and highlight special events.

Every registered business receives a quarterly report to show how the directory has been working for them and the directory is supported by a dedicated marketing strategy to drive new users to the website.

Tow Cars Are Safer Yet Incidents Are On The Rise

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By William Coleaman

The caravanner and motorhome driver contribute a hell of a lot of miles to the roads all over the UK and take up a lot of the road, does this lead to more incidents? In my opinion we are some of the safest and most self aware drivers behind the wheel, yet car incidents are still in the tens of thousands.

Halfords, a shop I use on quite a regular basis for my touring needs, have compiled and released quite an extensive report on road incidents over the past few years, and there are some shocking numbers in there. To view the full report you can Click Here

You do hear a lot about crashes and other road incidents involving leisure vehicles and it usually assumed that it is down the driver of the caravan or motorhome. When in reality it is more often than not mutual or the fault of the “normal car”. I have seen a lot of drivers do not know how to approach or drive safely around a caravan.

As I mentioned we are some of the safest drivers on the road, I mean we have to be in you consider what we need to be able to drive and the cost of our set up. Yet we still get branded as being “dangerous” for other drivers.

In 2017, which we now know was a the start of a golden boom for the caravan industry, UK drivers racked a whopping 254.4 billion driving miles, I’d love to know how much of that was from caravan tourism, so it is natural a lot more incidents occurred.

The report shows that the majority of incidents were caused by human error or negligence but the number of crashes due to vehicle defects would shock you.

So here are some things to consider when taking your next trip to avoid any incident or blame. I am sure most of us do this but I can help one person or set a few reminders then I’ll be happy.

Safety Checks

Getting ready to go away can be a bit of a fluster and it is very easy to miss something in the confusion. There is also a train of thought by some who feel that if it worked fine last time it will be ok this time. Please do not be that person.

Always make some time to go over everything and make sure that they are in tip top shape. Better that than finding out there is an issue doing 50 miles an hour on a motorhome or A road.

Services Regularly

In the past 12 months I have put 11,000 miles on my car and I have neglected taking it in for a service. I finally got around to it and was greeted with a rather lengthy and costly list of things that are in need of immediate attention.

Life is busy so one can be forgiven for not keeping the most attentive eye on things. In my case it was 100% my fault and I should have been a lot more on top of things, no excuses.

Always check the tyres, breaks, bulbs and anything else after extensive usage, it could be the difference needed to keep you and your family safe.

Make A List

You are never too old to go back to basics when doing your checks, especially when such a simple method can be so effective.

My basic checks include:

  • Car and caravan bulbs
  • Condition of tyres on both vehicles
  • Check brake pads and discs (if you know how to)
  • Check condition of breakaway cable
  • Check spare tyre is inflated
  • Thoroughly clean towing mirrors, dirty mirrors are a pet hate

Major Caravan Event To Move Location After 44 Years

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By William Coleman

One of the UK’s largest and most popular caravanning and leisure holiday events is to leave East Yorkshire venue after using the same area for almost half a century. Is this good news or bad news though?

The Caravan and Holiday Home Expo, which as long been held at the Lawns in Cottingham, just outside Hull, is now having to be moved and relocated to the Harrogate Showground. This year’s show was still held at the Lawns but that is it for the current location.

The show has been an extremely popular event since it first opened its doors over 44 years ago. Each year tens of thousands of caravan lovers from all over the UK would travel to the show, a lot of which would stay local and boost the local economy during show expo.

The expo is not just a hot spot for leisure vehicle lovers, it is also a major event on the calendar of almost 4000 park owners, dealers and various other vendors within the caravan world. At the show a dealer can make a large part of their yearly profit in just under a week.

David Ritchie, for the organisers, said: “It’s a major upheaval, the Lawns grounds are superb and it’s a lovely setting for the biggest show in Europe. We are very sorry to be moving but we had no choice.

“The move opens up a whole new catchment area, with over six million people living within an hour’s drive.”

James Harris, chair of the Cottingham Traders Association, said: “It’s been a big thing for many years and the loss of the caravan show will have an impact on the village.”

David Hooper, of the Humber Chamber of Commerce, said: “With so many caravans being built in the Hull area, it was fitting that the manufacturers showed off their latest products just a stone’s throw from the factories.”

Having had such a long and illustrious history in the area is is quite a surprise that the relocation is 70 miles away, what with there being so many big manufacturers in and around the Hull area. According to some the new location will actually open up more opportunities to a larger range of products to be shown.

When the event first opened way back in 1976 it was a trade event for industry folk only. It was not until 1982 that the public were invited to take part, which I am sure immediately boosted the money to be made by all those who exhibited during the week long show.

Peter Munk, CEO at Willerby, who are a major name that display every year, said: “We started discussions about this a number of years ago.

“Originally we had manufacturers in the north who would hold their own shows, and manufacturers in the south who would have their separate ones.

“Eventually, everyone agreed we would do a show all together, but everyone thought of it very much as a trade show.

“The reality is, at the end of the day, it is the consumers that are really important.”

This really is the end of a long lasting tradition for the entire industry. Each year the likes of Swift, Truma and various other big brands spend the week at the show wowing guests and customers.

It seems as though many of the companies that exhibit are not too worried and are actually excited about the prospect of the new location and new audience.

Sources: BBC News and Hull Live

Family Support For Site To Remove Plastic Pollution

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By William Coleman

There is no questioning the amount of work and effort that the team at Ladram Bay are putting into the war on plastic and the negative effects it has on the areas around the site. It seems that they have now influenced a lot of people to take action.

Guests at the Budleigh Salterton are taking time out of their holiday to lend a hand in retrieving a ton of plastic waste from the local beach.

The family owners of a Devon holiday park are involving guests in their bid to turn the tide on the scourge of plastic which is polluting West Country beaches.

Ladram Bay Holiday Park near Budleigh Salterton in East Devon is aiming to retrieve one ton of waste washed up on its private beach over the coming months.

The growing total of discarded plastics gathered will be shown by a rising column of sand on a special display board near the beach path.

The park is asking guests to bolster the efforts of their own staff team of litter pickers by collecting any plastics they find, and depositing them in a bin alongside the board.

Zoe House, a director of Ladram Bay and a member of the park-owning family, says the scheme won’t just help to make the beach more welcoming for families:

“Plastics can pose a very real threat to marine and land wildlife, as well as blemishing the beautiful natural environment of our coastlines,” she said.

“Guests here love to see the pods of dolphins which often swim in our bay, and they are a constant reminder of how important it is to protect our oceans.

“Throughout the year we have tens of thousands of people staying at Ladram Bay, so we have the opportunity to mobilise a whole army of beach cleaners.

“Our family has owned Ladram Bay for over 75 years, and we’ve witnessed the harm that plastics can cause, which is why we have decided to take action.

“Children especially are showing great enthusiasm to help us reach our one ton target, and that’s fantastic as their awareness is essential for the sake of future generations,” added Zoe.

A raft of other green initiatives at the park have helped Ladram Bay to win a series of conservation and sustainability accolades over the years.

They include the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level, with a special distinction given for the park’s efforts to protect honey bees and create new wild flower habitats.

To help draw attention to its one ton waste challenge, the park features on its display board a distinctive blue lobster which recalls an eye-opening incident at the park a few years ago.

It occurred when another of the park’s directors landed an actual blue lobster from one of the pots he was tending in the bay, sparking national media attention and a BBC TV report.

Lobster Blue is also now the name of Ladram Bay’s own-brand collection of summer clothing.

The five-star park provides a wealth of attractions including a swimming pool with splash zone, an indoor climbing wall and professional entertainment.

More information – and details of the different holiday options and holiday home ownership opportunities at Ladram Bay – is available at www.ladrambay.co.uk

How Many Ways Can Aircon Help Once You Have It?

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By William Coleman

Over the past few weeks we have seen Lee Davey using his new air con system from Truma and highlighting how it works and what impact an aftermarket fitting on your caravan. After some extensive usage Lee has discovered there is a lot more to it than just cool air flow.

You would be mistaken if you thought that all an air conditioning unit can do it keep is keep an area cold, something Lee Davey can attest to. The hidden benefits go way beyond keeping cool when the outside temperature goes sky high.

Nowadays the technology has gone way beyond what it was originally intended for. You can access them remotely, send them texts and even have an automatic climate control system.

You can use air con as a dehumidifier, clothes dryer and even a perfect way of keeping the pets cool when you want to head out for a day or night.

In this video Lee will go into detail of what other hidden benefits can be found when using a Truma air con unit while on your touring holiday.

To find out more about Truma and the wide range of services they offer you can visit their site directly, Truma’s main website.