By Chris Littley
Caravan dealerships in England have now reopened to the public, after the government made the decision that it was a safe move to make as it eases the country out of coronavirus lockdown.
The National Caravan Council (NCC) had lobbied politicians to ensure caravan and motorhome showrooms were opened at the same time as their counterparts for cars.
As the majority of the dealerships are open air, they are easier to manage in terms of social distancing than traditional shops.
There is certainly demand for leisure vehicles, with Swift Group seeing a 40 per cent increase in web traffic after the prime minister’s statement of May 10th.
Interestingly, much of this growth is represented by the 18 to 44-year-old age group, showing that a younger audience is being drawn to the idea of caravan ownership.
Caravan holidays are looking like a reality for many this summer, as the prospect of going abroad seems less attractive and tied up with bureaucracy, including 14 days of quarantine upon returning to the UK.
Despite this, caravan parks have not yet been given the go ahead to open before July, even though they are seen by many as a good social distancing option.
When they do allow guests, there will be a number of measures in place to protect visitors’ safety and restaurants and entertainment venues within sites are likely to remain closed.
Nick Page, group commercial director at Swift Group told Out&AboutLive: “We are seeing a really promising trend emerging, which after a hard few months for the industry, is welcome news to UK caravan and motorhome manufacturers.
“Holiday parks are a brilliant option to enable social distancing, and as caravans and motorhomes are self-contained, will be one of the safest holiday options for those looking to get out around the UK this year.”
When visiting a caravan dealership, prospective buyers can expect to follow certain rules, such as a limit of two people entering at a time, keeping to a one-way system and using sanitiser points.
Many showrooms are encouraging customers to book an appointment before they arrive to prevent waiting or coming into contact with other caravan shoppers.
