How To Make Your Van A Home Away From Home

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By William Coleman

Your caravan is very much an extension of your home, hence the old say “your home away from”, but what are the creature comforts that make your leisure vehicle the ideal accommodation when you’re touring around the country?

There was a time where a lot of people that I knew would just use what came as standard with the caravan and not really spend too much more on making the van much more than just a roof to sleep under a few times a year. As time goes on people are spending a much larger amount of time each year in their vans, especially during the winter months so inevitably the needs for comfort has grown.

For those who are spending more time in their vans you can see some slight differences in their on board kit; real cutlery (not your basic travel set), electric kettle, luxury bedding sets and even espresso machines!

So what are the more “non traditional” items that are being added to vans to make them more homely?

The Modcons

A lot of sites have WiFi you can connect to, sometimes free and sometimes chargeable, but in reality it is usually not that good unless you are pitched within a few meters of the router and can just be a total waste of money.

In this day and age most information is now available on the internet, making print info slightly obsolete and harder to find. Yes we all have smart phone but how many times have you been on remote site with little to no phone reception? This is where on board internet comes in handy.

Onboard WiFi is something I never thought would become a popular product for the caravanner, yet here we are in 2019 and it is one of the fastest selling items in the leisure industry. When on site if you turn on your WiFi on either you laptop of phone you’ll be surprised just how many people have their own personal internet connections in the caravan or motorhome.

My first thought about the large influx of internet hubs in vans was one of confusion, I mean don’t we do this to escape from reality for a little while? But then when you think about it this is the new reality and the internet is very much ingrained into day to day living. Especially if you have children or teenagers with you on holiday.

The Entertainment Factor

Having spent a large amount of time in static vans when I was a child I was very used to having a TV with a built in aerial as standard. As I grew up and spent more time in touring caravans and motorhomes I realised that this is very much a non standard feature in this type of leisure vehicle

In today’s world a lot of vans are sold with, as standard, existing TV brackets, shelves, spaces and connections for aftermarket fitting. Depending on what van you buy some of the add on packages you can choose from will have a fully built in multi media system ready to go as soon as its delivered.

The industry for media fittings is humongous and the options are almost limitless. With systems from Oyster Sat-Tech you can go to pretty much anywhere in the UK or the European continent and watch all of your favourite shows totally uninterrupted. A lot of people even have Sky TV in their caravan or motorhome.

When you think about it having an on board TV/DVD set up is actually not a bad idea at all. The common opinion among the CaravanTimes team is that why would you have a TV when you can be outside exploring the world?

What about when its raining, snowing, night time or early morning? Yes you can sit and read a book or do some chores but why not relax and pop on a film or catch up with Coronation Street? It is your leisure time so put your feet up with a tin of biscuits and a large mug of tea and enjoy yourself.

Coffee Machines?

One thing that has always baffled me is why people still use a boiling kettle? It takes a lot longer to boil, needless use of gas and most boiling kettles hold nowhere near the capacity of an electric kettle, unless you’ve bought a giant one.

Yes it is traditional but people have on board internet so an electric kettle does not seem to far fetched. What about the on board espresso/coffee machine!?

While I was having a chat with the guys and gals from Travelworld motorhomes I noticed that one option they have is to provide a Nespresso coffee machine with their vehicles, it even has its own slide cover built into the kitchen. Something I was instantly a fan of as I do love to indulge in a Longo Espresso from time to time.

You can pick up a Nespresso or coffee machines for around £80-£90 now and have barista style coffee in no time at all. Why settle for an instant when you can have a cappuccino or a flat white?

The one drawback of having an extra bit of kit on the worktop is losing the space but it seems as though, like most modern technology, these coffee makers are getting smaller and smaller so what was yesterday’s issue is tomorrow’s solution.

Fully Furnished

One of the team, I won’t name names, changes the on board colour scheme around twice a year and even goes as far to buy matching colour candles! Some call him impulsive and some call him weird, I am still undecided.

But all jokes aside he does it to make it a much more comfortable living space for him and his family when they are away. It is also very much a family affair as each time a different member of the family get to choose the colour scheme and they then go out as family and try to find all matching sheets, covers and cushions. So what may seem impulsive to some soon turns into fun for all the family.

Certain companies sell matching sets for the entire van so you no not have to spend hours in Ikea bickering over what throw to buy. Prima leisure, along with Bailey of Bristol, released exclusive sets for their brand new 2019 vans so you can add them on without having to leave to house.

For me it is all about adding my own personal touches to the van to make it my perfect van. There are not on board WiFi hubs or external satellite systems, it is a lot more simple than that. The right bedspread and blankets followed by a fully kitted out kitchen with all my favourite cooking utensils and that is it.

Yes I did keep an old espresso machine and that has now found a new home in the van, what can I say, I love me an early morning double espresso.

2019 Touring Aspirations With Nick Lomas

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By William Coleman

Working in the touring industry is not just a job, it is actually a life choice. From site wardens to Director Generals they all actually go on caravan holidays themselves. We caught up with Nick Lomas this week at the Caravan and Motorhome Show in Manchester to find out what his touring plans for 2019 are.

From East Anglia to Scandinavia! Nick has the family really are making 2019 touring exceptional. That is exactly what touring is all about, pick a location, pack the van and off you go.

Where are you guys going this year? Make 2019 the year you travel further afield and use the Club to help you get there!

If you are visiting the show in Manchester this weekend be sure to swing by the Caravan and Motorhome Club stand and find out more the top UK destinations and where to go abroad.

Seeing More Of The UK With The Caravan And Motorhome Club

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This weekend The Caravan and Motorhome Club will be at the Caravan and Motorhome Show at Event City. While they are there they want to inspire and advice people on where to go on their next get away.

Nick Lomas, Director General of the Caravan and Motorhome Club, was on stand this week to tell you about some fantastic sites and location in the Clubs’ networks and how you can tour more 365 days of the year.

If you are planning to stay closer to home in 2019, there is no better way of exploring the great outdoors than with the Caravan and Motorhome Club. With over 55 Club and Affiliated Sites, as well as many more Certificated Locations, that stay open all year round there’s no reason to wait until the summer before enjoying the great British countryside.

For the best of the great outdoors, the Club has sites in close proximity to all 15 National Parks, from Scarborough West Ayton in Yorkshire to the Norfolk Broads and the Brecon Beacons in Wales there are boundless beautiful landscapes to explore. From climbing majestic mountains to gently passing the time away on the water there are countless activities to be enjoyed and even new skills to learn.

ABROAD TOURING WITH THE CLUB: Nick Lomas Talks About Going Further Afield

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By William Coleman

The Caravan and Motorhome Club is offering its members more options for overseas adventures than ever before with the addition of 37 new sites this year, taking the total number of its European sites to more than 330.

The new sites are located in Croatia, Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain, meaning the Caravan and Motorhome Club has the perfect site no matter what overseas adventures tourers are looking to have.

From wine tasting in France to relaxing on a Spanish beach, soaking up some culture in Croatia or exploring the delights of Denmark, the Club’s wide range of sites have something to suit all tastes across some of Europe’s most popular destinations.

Harvey Alexander, director of marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our members such a wide variety of excellent new sites across Europe. All of the sites have been inspected by us, so our members can expect the Club’s usual high standards, no matter where they chose to stay or what adventure they’re planning to have.”

Members travelling to the Club’s European sites can also take advantage of some great ferry offers available. The Club works with all major ferry operators – Brittany Ferries, Stena Line, DFDS and P&O – to bring its members discounts throughout the year and great value rates across popular holiday sailings including Dover to Calais, Hull to Rotterdam and Portsmouth to Fishbourne. Members can even take advantage of discounts of 10% off fares from Folkestone to Calais with Eurotunnel. Ferry crossing savings include taking caravans for free on selected crossings and reduced rates for motorhomes.

Member Offers And Savings With The Caravan And Motorhome Club

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By William Coleman

Caravan and Motorhome Club members saved more than £2m in 2018, thanks to the wide range of money-saving deals the Club offers.

In addition to providing access to over 2,700 sites in the UK and overseas, the Caravan and Motorhome Club offers its members more than 50 great deals, all included in the membership fee of just £52 per year.

The Club is constantly launching new offers, covering a wide range of interests and activities, and its most recent new benefit, the My Esso Card, is one of its best yet. The My Esso Card, launched in partnership with PK Fuel Limited, helps drive down the cost of touring for Club members by guaranteeing they can save on fuel at every Esso station in the UK.

Any new Club members joining between 14 January and 17 February will automatically be entered into a prize draw where five lucky entrants will each win 500 litres of fuel, loaded onto their My Esso Card.

The My Esso Card enables members to save on average 8p per litre on premium diesel or unleaded fuel and 5p per litre on standard diesel or unleaded fuel. That’s a typical saving of £5.60 per tank on premium fuel or £3.50 on standard fuel (based on 70 litre tank of fuel). Not only will the My Esso Card save members money at the more than 1,300 Esso stations across the UK, but it’s free – there is no sign-up fee, no transaction fee and no processing fee. Plus, members can earn Tesco Clubcard points when filling up.

The Club also offers 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.

The Caravan And Motorhome Club Talk Experience Freedom

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William Coleman

This week marked the kick off of show season as the Caravan and Motorhome Show opened its doors yesterday morning at Event City in Manchester. We were there and got a chance to talk to the Club about their Experience Freedom brand and how it can help you see more of the great outdoors.

The Experience Freedom brand is something the CaravanTimes team can personally recommend you try. If you own your own caravan you can still really benefit from what the Caravan and Motorhome Club have to offer and leave the fan at home for a weekend or two.

Try something a little different like glamping in a luxury yurt or spend a weekend in a £100,000 American Airstream Colorado all with Experience Freedom.

We caught up with Harvey Alexander at the Manchester Caravan and Motorhome Show to talk about what you can take advantage of with their new camping pods, motorhome rentals and luxury glamping getaways.

Harvey Alexander, director of marketing, the Caravan and Motorhome Club said: “We know the importance of spending time in the great outdoors, and Experience Freedom allows us to create outdoor adventures and offer them to everyone.

People who don’t own their own unit, and may be a little nervous of the whole concept of camping, are now well catered for with our fantastic selection of pods, yurts and Airstreams.

Alexander continued: “Motorhome hire, with our partner Swift Go, also provides holidaymakers with the opportunity to try their hand at motorhoming.

Camping is also a huge element of the Experience Freedom brand and we offer excellent facilities at over 40 tent camping sites; enabling as many people as possible to enjoy the great outdoors and build lasting holiday memories”.

The Club’s Brighton site, one of my personal favourites, which has some camping pods and 2 Airstream Colorados, is now getting 10 brand new stylish glamping pods which should be ready in a few short months time.

What is great about the Club’s other holiday service is that it is open to absolutely everyone, not just members. So do miss out and enjoy an all new holiday type in 2019.

Rare 1960s Retro Revamp

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By William Coleman

When Jeremy Clarkson, who ironically loathes to caravan, finds a vintage or modern classic car you can see hear and his passion for vehicles. Having looked at this amazing 1960 caravan you can see why Clarkson does not need a script to put his point across. I truly believe that this amazing tourer would convert the ex Top Gear presenter in a heartbeat.

When 60s caravanning pops into my head all I can see is that little fiberglass white and blue Penguin Vintage Caravan, yes that came out in the 50s but you get what I mean.

What I would have never thought of is the ‘Holiday House Geographic’ which looks more like a 60s big city office than a leisure vehicle. Following a recent restoration the caravan looks like a million bucks.

The rare and fully restored touring caravan is actually up for sale and offers a life of luxury, class and style of a bygone era. And I really bloody want it!

Way, way back in 1962 industrial engineer Chuck Pelly designed this work of art but only 7 were ever built. The fiberglass caravans were on the market for $8,500, I would not even want to think about how much that would be in today’s money. Now only 2 are thought to be in existence.

Chuck Berry also designed the Scarab race car and is a founder of Designworks USA which is BMW’s California Studio.

David Holmes, President of “Harry & David” fruit company, began producing the Holiday House travel trailers in November of 1959, in Medford, Oregon. These were aluminum and wood constructed trailers as many of their counterparts of this era, however, the Holiday House trailers stood out as distinctive due to their highly progressive and futuristic design.

This particular caravan was names “Model X” and was to be the “Trailer For The Rich”, something I cannot imagine would go down well in modern times. The high price tag follows the decision of making the series a super limited production.

Flyte Camp, based out of Oregon in the US, did the full revamp of this stunning 4 berth and the asking price is now a whopping $250,000. So if you have spare £194,633.75 burning a hole in your pocket this may just be for you.

Not long after they were built, in 1962, the Holiday House factory burned down and the molds for Model X were later discarded.

The modern revamp has spared no expense, hence the heft price tag I guess, and has been totally restored from the ground up.

The exterior was tastefully re-finished with Axalta finishing systems and coatings, in a two-toned champagne and moss green with bronze colored pinstriping. The entire running system was upgraded with new axles, brakes, wheels, and 10-ply Diamond Back white wall trailer tires. The exterior is completed with a vintage style fabric awning.

Once inside you will find a black walnut wall skin, cabinetry and black walnut hardwood floor along with custom aluminum detailing.

The bathroom/dressing room features Marmoleum flooring, Walnut & Marmoleum countertops and a Stainless Steel shower with a Teak hardwood shower floor insert. Throughout the coach original vintage light sconces are combined with LED lighting.

As you can see from the interior it is more a luxury lounge spot than a practical functioning caravan, not that this makes me want it any less. I could just imagine Winston Churchill sitting in one of these smoking a large cigar and sipping on his favourite mid morning tipple.

Photography: Hal Thomas via Flyte Camp

Show Season Is Almost Here

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By William Coleman

This week will mark the beginning of the 2019 show season with the Manchester Caravan and Motorhome show kicking things of on the 17th and lasting until the 20th. As we enter the show season we are going to have a look at what to expect and what we are looking forward to.

Within the next month or so we will be attending 3 caravan and motorhome shows, the Manchester Caravan and Motorhome, the Scottish Caravan Motorhome and Holiday Home Show 7-10th of Feb and then the Caravan Camping And Motorhome show at the Birmingham NEC which will be from the 19th to the 24th of February, busy few weeks for us!

We will be doing our best to get all the news and scoops from each show all while trying to get some video footage to deliver to you guys on our site and across the our Facebook and Twitter. But what are we expecting to see and do?

One of the joys for us at CaravanTimes is that we get to report on the things we are passionate about, which means that these trips are both work and leisure all rolled into on, and a big part of reporting is taking part in the fun activities. All purely for research purposes of course.

Each show has so many highlights that it can be a task in itself to get them all done in the time you have, and it is for this reason we stay for multiple days at a time. As I write this we are currently planning our “to do list” for the Manchester show as we are only there for 2 days.

The Manchester show is cram packed with so many experiences and activities for the the season caravanner and the newcomer alike. If you are new to the idea of leisure vehicle holidays I would suggest taking advantage of things at the show such as:

The Towing Experience

Get a hands on real life experience of what it is like to be on the road with a caravan attached to the back your vehicle, well not your own personal one car but a state of the art brand new model.

I have taken part in a few of these to get a bit of a refresher and see if I have adopted any bad habits while towing, which are usually pointed out and then explained why it is not good to do.

The instructors are always so friendly and helpful that you almost forget that you’re towing, it quickly becomes second nature once you’re behind the wheel.

Motorhome Maneuvering

The motorhome can be quite an imposing site, especially when you’re getting in the driving seat for the first time. So if towing is not for you but you want to get into the lifestyle the motorhome is the next best thing, and you really shouldn’t worry.

A maneuvering course, which is free, will soon wash away any nerves you may have. It may even be the deciding factor in making a purchase at the show.

Just think of a motorhome as a large car with no rear view mirror, and in some cases they even have a reversing camera which gives you a much better field of vision than a rear view.

Another great thing about shows that we get in here the UK is the amount of holiday inspiration you can find. I have taken several trips off of the back of meeting people at the show and finding site networks that I was previously unaware of. So I would make it your mission to find one of these hidden gems at the show.

If you do want to find new holiday destinations or go further afield into Europe I would always recommend visiting a Caravan and Motorhome Club stand, even if you are not a member. They have so much info about the caravanning world that they can both inspire and advise, which costs nothing at all. Their membership starts at £52 per year, which you can save on a ferry crossing if you’re a Club member, and opens up one of the biggest network of sights in the UK, and abroad. Not only that but you get a whole raft of discounts that can pay for your membership several times over.

As well as meeting the holiday networks, dealers and manufacturers you also get a chance to see what kind of technology goes inside the vans and what the future holds.

Having spoke to the general public it seems that the decision to upgrade a van, or buy a new one, comes off of the back of meeting the Like of Truma, Alde, Whale, Thetford and Dometic, to name a few. After All if you are going to invest in a leisure vehicle you are going to want to know what you are getting for your money.

What We Like At The Shows

I always keep an eye out for what stand has the most traffic over the few days that I’m at a show. It’s not exactly a surprise that companies like Swift, CAMC, Bailey, Elddis and Coachman are always going to have a heavy amount of traffic flowing through them, but keep an eye out for the smaller stands too.

A key example of a smaller stand that gets a fantastic amount of footfall are the accessory stands. Take for example the Prima stand, which is usually a fraction of the size of your dealer stands, but comparatively has an enormous amount of people on stand and actually buying their products, not just browsing.

At last year’s October show we did a short video for them and we genuinely struggled getting on stand to film the products let alone pulling one of the guys away to do a short interview.

For me it’s all about the smaller stands and getting to know the companies that are the backbone of the industry. Yes the manufacturers like Bailey and site networks like the Caravan and Motorhome Club are vital but you find that it is the smaller companies that really do make show like this so much fun.

One last thing that I want to touch on is the amount of demonstrations there are at shows. From celebrity guest speakers to live cooking demos. From one trip to a show you can find a new site, van, location and recipe to make your next trip the getaway of a lifetime.

If you are interested in attending you can get tickets for each show in these links, Manchester Show, Scottish Show, Birmingham NEC

Southern Motorhome Centre WildAx Weekend

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By William Coleman

Southern Motorhome Centre is hosting a WildAx Weekend on April 13-14, where it will highlight the latest products from independent specialist UK van converter, WildAx.

The event will also be an opportunity to meet the man behind WildAx motorhomes, Duncan Wildman. On display will be a line-up of new and used WildAx models based on Citroen’s Relay and Renault’s Master, plus the all-new Ford Transit-based four-berth Triton and an official debut Mercedes Sprinter-based Elara.

The Weekend will also see special offers on selected pre-owned stock from a wide range of manufacturers. Plus, there will be all-day refreshments and a barbecue.

Southern Motorhomes’ Owner Mike Graves says: “It’s an absolute pleasure for us to have Duncan Wildman with us for our WildAx Weekend. It’s great that owners – both current and prospective – can meet Duncan in person and find out more from the man himself about what makes WildAx conversions unique.”

He adds: “Events like this are also ideal for anyone contemplating owning a motorhome for the first time. Come along and see the vehicles, chat to our experienced team and even meet some of our customers. We promise “no pressure – just nice tea, hot sausages and sound advice”.

The WildAx Weekend takes place on April 13 and 14 at Southern Motorhomes’ new premises in Bracknell, Berkshire. Entrance is free to all-comers.

Southern Motorhome Centre is based at Brickfields Industrial Estate, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1NA. Our website is www.southernmotorhomes.co.uk.

A Little Bit About Southern Motorhome Centre

Mike Graves founded Southern Motorhome Centre back in 1999 after working in motorhome and manufacturing and retailing for most of his career up until that point.

One specialist area of Southern Motorhome Centre (SMC) is dealing in pre-owned vans ranging from £20,000-£80,000, all of which are carefully selected before being stocked They also offer a Guaranteed Buy-back Scheme, for those considering touring for three months or more.

As well as sales SMC offer a full workshop are servicing back up which use a team of highly qualified technicians . They also offer a mobile technician service that will travel to a customer’s home to carry out habitation checks as well as minor servicing works.

Top Tips And Hacks For Cleaning Your Van

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By William Coleman

Are you as excited about the upcoming season as we are? Although myself and the CaravanTimes team were able to get some winter breaks in, no winter prep for us, and we still have a few months left before the beginning of the new season so we have begun to spruce up the van in preparation for our next fully fledged holiday.

The cleaning of a van is a fine art and we all have our own methods of keeping things clean and sparkly but here are few little hacks that should save you time and even keep things cleaner for longer.

Fresh Lemons Not Lemon Pledge

If there is one part of the caravan I really dislike cleaning its the microwave, I just loathe the small gaps that never seem to ever get clean no matter how much effort you put into it.

I was on site during the summer and found myself in a bit of a huff trying to get those last bits out of the microwave when my neighbour noticed all the fuss. The concerned citizen came over and gave me a lemon and I have not looked back since.

Such a simple method with staggering results:

Step 1- Get a medium to large size lemon, 2 small will also work, and as fresh as possible will yield the best results. Firmly roll the lemon on a hard flat surface to the juice inside the lemon more active when you cut it open.

Step 2- Cut the lemon directly in half and place in a plastic bowl or tupperware without the lid, flesh side up. Fill the dish or container half way with cold water.

Step 3- Microwave on full power for 10 minutes and then very carefully remove the container holding the lemon and water. Be Careful as the water is going to be piping hot.

Step 4- Once you have removed the contents you should see that most, if not all, of the dirt inside and been lemon steamed off of the inner surfaces and will wipe away with minimal effort.

Not only does this totally clean the microwave but if you leave the microwave door open the smell will act as a natural air freshener and smell lemony fresh for 1-2 hours.

No Bleach & Non Toxic

The waste tank on a motorhome can sometimes produce some unpleasant smells and when it comes to cleaning you may need a hazmat suit to defend your nostrils.

You can buy expensive cleaning products, chemicals and fill up precious storage with bottle upon bottle of thick bleach.

A simple and cheap solution is to go to a £1 shop and buy a couple of large bottles of undiluted orange squash. Pour it down plug holes and say goodbye to those horrid smells and the lingering stench of bleach.

The Shower Screen Wiper

I have recently found that the shower screen wiper is the very best tool for cleaning pretty much every part of the caravan, bar your fabric covered areas like sofas and beds etc etc.

The blade completely wipes the surface without leaving parts of foods or water smears behind it, you will cut your cleaning time in half and the end result will be much better.

My best advice would be to use some of the leftover microwave lemon water and pour it on your work tops and then use that as a fresh lemon cleaner, it will smell nice and and leave your work tops absolutely spotless.

If you can get yourself one that has a detachable cleaning pole you will be able to get your floors gleaming and crumb free. Not only that but you will also save a fortune in dishcloths and sponges.

Save A Fortune On Air Freshener

When you’re away on holiday things can get a little stuffy inside the van, especially if there are 4+ people living inside.

One solution is to go through several bottles of air freshener, provided you do not mind breathing in all that synthetic chemical spray in such a confined space….

So dow do you keep the van smelling fresh without tons of spray, round the clock cleaning or spending fortunes of other nice smelling diffusers?

Do you have access to any lavender? One of nature’s most refreshing smells that last for days and days.

As well as keep an entire caravan smelling like a summer’s day, lavender also help to body to relax and can massively improve you sleep quality

Find yourself a mesh bag, a bit like the ones that use to come with certain washing machine detergents, and as many lavender bunches to fill the bag, a little goes a long way.

Place several bags throughout the caravan, especially on or around the sleeping areas, and within a few moments the lavender will engulf any musty smells lurking around.

Hopefully these tips will help you keep the van fresh for weeks on and and ultimately save you a few of your hard earned pounds of cleaning products.

Temperature Plummet On Its Way- Time To Thaw Your Van

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By William Coleman

So far we have had a relatively mild winter, which followed a very much extended summer, but it seems like the sunny mild days are about to come to a grinding halt as the Met Office warn of below freezing temperature over the next couple of weeks. So as winter touring is so popular here are a few tips on how to stay ahead of Jack Frost this winter.

We are due some very frosty mornings which will be followed by freezing cold cold days, made much colder by the north easterly winds that are set to batter parts of Kent and London.

A lot of people will still have their vans stowed away or tucked up under covers until things get a little bit warmer outside, and it is here where we need to really keep an eye on our caravans and motorhomes.

During my time on site or touring around the country I have seen some very good methods of defrosting and I have seen some absolute shockers. So if you have done your interior winter prep you will know the exterior upkeep does not stop until March/April time and you need to stay vigilant.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

Please do not shout at me for stating the obvious but I keep seeing it happen so it may be worth a mention. Do not use boiled water to defrost the windows of your caravan, motorhome or towcar!

I still cannot believe some people still think pouring boiled water directly on freezing cold glass is the best option, maybe they think it is the quickest and easiest?

But as we all know the heat from the boiling water makes the glass retract and then shatters leaving you with a rather costly repair bill and diminished holiday time.

If you really are in a rush to get the frost off I would strongly recommend taking the slower approach, as contradictory as that may sound. It will save you a lot of time stress and money.

Some Sneaky Defrost Hacks

If you do not fancy scraping away first thing in the morning and covering yourself in frost shavings I can suggest a very quick hassle free solution.

Some high alcohol volume gels mixed with some lukewarm water will eat through that ice in no time at all.

A light coating and let the window then a firm rub will not only remove pretty much all of the ice but will also get rid of any dirty, dust or grime. Two bird with one stone all thanks to a few steps if antibacterial gel and warm water.

Winter Touring Upkeep

For those lucky enough to keep the van out of hibernation and get some of those winter weekends away under their belt are at risk of facing some troubling times over the next week or so.

When you are between trips you do not exactly empty every single thing from the van, not unless this is part of your routine of course. So if you are home for a few days between trips you may want to think about think about actually doing some full on winter prep to avoid some frozen van drama.

If you have a more modern van with some of the new technology your van may actually do the hard work for you. The new Truma Combi blown air system has a facility to dump the water if the temperature drops below a certain level.

Not all vans will have this tech so make sure that over the next couple of weeks, if you are still touring, dump all the onboard water to make sure all the pipes are clear and cannot freeze.

Warming The Van Back Up

Once the incoming cold snap is finished the caravan is going to need to be warmed back and and you may want to check to see if the cold has done any damage. Despite best efforts there are sometimes things that are simply beyond anyone’s control.

I would suggest opening up all the cupboard doors whilst slowly increasing the temperature in the van. Some of the hot water pipes onboard can take an age to get warm and rushing the hot water can crack pipes so do be on the lookout for leaks.

New Park Board Member Investment Agenda

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By William Coleman

Park Holidays UK has signalled another year of major investment in its parks by announcing the appointment of Richard Ullman to the group’s main board of directors.

Since joining Park Holidays UK six years ago, Richard has led the company’s capital expenditure programme across its portfolio of 30 parks in southern England.

Last year alone, the group invested £28 million in a raft of upgrade projects from the building of new clubs and leisure facilities to the expansion of its holiday home rental fleet.

Richard, who now takes the title of Chief Operating Officer, says he will continue driving the programme forward with the emphasis on the development of customer-facing facilities:

“Our aim has always been to continually raise the bar on both the quantity and the quality of what our parks provide to guests and holiday home owners,” said Richard.

“Much of our business is generated by repeat sales and personal recommendations – and we achieve this by delivering experiences which people know can’t be replicated elsewhere.

“For that reason, our board is committed to a policy of escalating investment in new facilities both at our long-held parks and at those we have taken on through acquisition,” added Richard.

Formed just over 25 years ago, Park Holidays UK has its headquarters in Bexhill-on-Sea in East Sussex, and in high season employs some 1,600 full and part-time staff.

Prior to joining Park Holidays UK, Richard spent five years as divisional director of Enterprise Inns plc, Britain’s largest pub company with around 5,000 properties.

Richard, aged 45, and his wife Fiona are residents of Tring in Hertfordshire where Richard also manages the local football and cricket teams in which the couple’s two children play.

There is more information about the company on its website at www.ParkHolidays.com