Parkdean: Things to do in Scotland

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Holiday resort operator Parkdean has suggested that caravan owners might enjoy a break in picturesque Scotland.

The firm has six caravan parks in the country, with destinations ranging from Dumfries in the borders to Nairn in the Highlands.

Situated close to some of the country’s most famous and interesting towns, cities and villages, Parkdean’s sites are ideally located for a summer staycation.

The company recently constructed a list of places to visit close to its Scottish parks, such as the shopping mecca that is Glasgow, which lies close to Sundrum Castle Holiday Park.

Meanwhile, those staying at Grannie’s Heilan’ Hame Holiday Park could visit the beautiful village of Brora.

“Scotland is a great place to enjoy a family holiday or a relaxing break, with so much to do in the area to keep everyone happy,” the firm said.

In other news, Parkdean recently drew holidaymakers’ attention to the child-friendly activities on offer in Wales.

NCC: Don’t jump into rule change

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The National Caravan Council (NCC) has stated its belief that the UK should not be too quick to agree to change the maximum width of caravans.

Government proposals could see the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 changed to allow normal cars to tow mobile homes with a width of up to 2.55m on Britain’s roads.

The current rules state that drivers must have a vehicle weighing at least 3,500kg in order to tow any caravan or trailer wider than 2.3m.

However, the NCC suggested that changing the rules this spring could put British companies at a disadvantage as they have so little time to begin manufacture of wider models.

European firms are already making the wider mobile homes as legislation on the continent has been different from the UK for some time.

“Whilst we acknowledge that the UK is currently operating contrary to European law in this area, the very short timescale for implementation won’t allow matters to be properly thought through,” said NCC director-general John Lally.

UK caravan manufacturers include Bailey, Swift and Elddis.

Warmest temperatures yet for Bank Holiday weekend

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The Bank Holiday weekend is set to be dry and warm, which is great news for us caravan enthusiasts planning on taking a trip.

According to the Met Office, temperatures could reach a balmy 28 degrees C over the next few days, which would be the hottest the UK has been this year. The dry and warm weather will continue into the bank holiday weekend, meaning that caravanners should enjoy the best conditions for a trip away.

And this Bank Holiday Caravan Times will be reporting from the Caravan Club’s National Caravan Rally 2010 at Weston Park in Shropshire. Over 3000 caravan outfits will be arriving at the grounds of the stately home where owners will enjoy a busy and varied programme of events and entertainment.

The tourism organisation VisitEngland said it was “delighted” to hear the forecast, which head of strategy and engagement Jenny McGee expects will see many of the country’s most popular attractions packed with visitors.

“England is, of course, an all-weather destination but there’s nothing like sunshine to inspire people to get out and make the most of all that’s on offer,” she said.

Haven recommends caravanners get travel insurance

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British holiday firm Haven Holidays has suggested that those caravanning or enjoying any other sort of holiday in the UK invest in travel insurance.

According to the company, people staying in mobile homes may need cover against unforeseen circumstances such as injury, theft, breakdown and loss.

Haven offers its own personal and car breakdown insurance that is designed to help holidaymakers avoid costs arising from such situations.

Guests at its parks can also benefit from the company’s HomePlan cover, which offers emergency assistance for their home while staying at any of its parks across the UK.

“Even though you are holidaying within the UK, you may still face unforeseen expenses if you are injured or fall ill on holiday … Haven’s great value personal and car breakdown insurance can help you to avoid any such costs,” the company said.

Haven has 35 sites around the country, many of which are located near to the seaside.

Parkdean praises Devon beaches

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A UK caravan park operator has suggested that its guests may have trouble choosing a beach to visit in Devon, due to the sheer number of quality seaside spots.

Parkdean
noted that visitors to its sites in the area will often find it hard to resist the lure of sun, seas and sand, but that they sometimes struggle to decide on which beach is best for them.

However, the company believes it has the answer and has made a list of its favourite locations, which are all in close proximity to its resorts.

Whether you prefer a relaxing day sunbathing and building sandcastles or riding the waves on a surf or body board, Parkdean believes that Devon has the beach for you.

“Devon is a great place to enjoy a family holiday so if you haven’t been yet why not check out one of our three family holiday parks situated across the region and enjoy some of Britain’s best beaches,” the company said.

Meanwhile, Parkdean recently showed its support for one of its entertainers, who is competing on Britain’s Got Talent.

Lunar Caravans model beats competition

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British leisure manufacturer Lunar Caravans is celebrating after one of its products beat two highly-respected competitors in a recent competition.

The Lunar Lexon SE took the Practical Caravan Editor’s Choice award ahead of Swift Group’s Sterling Eccles Ruby and Bailey Senator Series 6 California.

With prices starting from £15,595, the Lexon SE sleeps up to four people and is 7.19m long by 2.28m wide.

It features a number of great items as standard, including alloy wheels, two-piece entrance door, awning light and external gas/mains output.

Heating comes in the form of a Truma pump that is responsible for both the air and water temperature.

Cooks might enjoy using the 105-litre digital-control fridge, three-burner gas hob and separate oven and grill, which are aided by an extractor fan to remove any fumes.

The electric-flush Thetford C250 toilet and wheeled waste tank, as well as a separate shower, make using the washroom easier than ever.

Meanwhile, Lunar Caravans recently celebrated its 40th anniversary by renovating one of its early model vehicles.

Caravanners can enjoy walks in Cornwall

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Holiday park operator Parkdean is allowing caravanners to recommend walking routes in Cornwall, which will then be published on the firm’s website.

The company has made its own list of country and coastal trails that can be accessed from its sites in the area, but is keen to give its customers some input too.

“Cornwall is a great place to enjoy a family holiday or a relaxing break, if you haven’t been there before why not check out one of our eight holiday parks in the region,” it said.

Parkdean’s sites act as fantastic bases for a walking or surfing holiday in the area.

These include four close to Newquay, two near the Lizard, one in St Martins and one just outside Rock.

Each accepts caravans and also has a range of accommodation available, as well as free entertainment and kids’ clubs.

Meanwhile, Parkdean recently suggested that Brits looking for a family beach holiday should choose one of its resorts in Dorset, which grant access to 95 miles of Jurassic coastline.

Park Holidays UK mascot makes special appearance

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The mascot of a UK caravan park chain has made a special appearance at a London children’s hospital.

Park Holidays UK’s Loopy visited the kids of Great Ormond Street Hospital recently, after being invited by one of the company’s holiday home owners.

Deb Ballenger’s three-year-old grandson Tyler has been unwell and wanted to see his chum Loopy, so the friendly rabbit hopped to the capital at top speed.

He met Tyler and the other patients in his ward and shared news of everything going on at Park Holidays UK’s 23 sites around the UK.

The kids also enjoyed playing games and learning songs with Loopy and Tyler was reportedly “over the moon” at seeing his holiday buddy.

Meanwhile, Park Holidays UK recently suggested that its caravan sites offer the perfect place for a new mother and baby to spend their first vacation together.

It explained that the lack of flight delays, hassle over passports and worries about foreign illnesses made a staycation a great idea.

Caravanners should ‘take care of tyres’

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Caravan enthusiasts who plan to do a lot of driving this summer may be keen to avoid a tyre blowout and all the stress that comes with it.

Irish website joe.ie has given drivers some advice on caring for vehicles’ only point of contact with the road that extends beyond simply checking the tread depth.

It explained that debris on the road can often be damaging to tyres, but that motorists can reduce the effect by slowing down.

Driving at speed heats up the rubber, making it softer and therefore more susceptible to wear and tear, which can lead to nasty bubbles, bald patches and even blowouts.

Another tip is to rotate the tyres, moving the front ones to the back when they start to wear down.

According to the online resource those at the front will age quicker than the rear tyres as they generally have to support more weight.

It advised car owners to have their tyres checked and repaired by an expert on a regular basis as this can cost a fraction of the price of a whole new tyre or wheel.

Compass brand returns thanks to Elddis and Discover Leisure

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First-time caravan buyers looking for an affordable family vehicle will welcome the return of caravan brand Compass to the marketplace. Tomorrow (May 21st) a line of touring caravans developed with Elddis will be on sale under the Compass brand. The Compass Caravans are exclusive to Discover Leisure and available across all five of their dealerships across Britain.

The Compass brand was in operation in 1998 when the Explorer Group was formed with famous caravan brands Elddis and Buccaneer. Yet recently the Compass line of caravans has not been available to those looking for a well-equipped family caravan at a competitive price. All this is set to change through Discover Leisure’s collaboration with Elddis. The dealership are introducing the option of monthly payments on the Compass Ventures in order to make purchase easier for those seeking their first caravan.

The last year has seen the popularity of caravanning boom as families avoid the potentially harsh costs of travelling abroad to discover the British countryside. In addition last month’s flying restrictions caused by the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud will only add to the sense that staying in Britain for the summer may be the best option.

You can find the new Compass line at all Discover Leisure branches across the UK.

Could more caravan parks be an answer to boost ailing seaside resorts?

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Providing more locations for families to enjoy caravan holidays could be seen as one answer to spicing up Britain’s seaside towns.

According to Tony Clish, the director of Park Holidays UK, many seaside resorts are not moving with the times and are still reliant on old methods to pull in families, such as bed and breakfast accommodation.

However, he feels that the government have a large role to play if seaside resorts are to be turned around to suit current demands of those wanting to enjoy a week away in the UK.

He said: “It’s time to move our seaside towns out of the Victorian era when many of them were built, and to make them responsive to the needs and expectations of modern holidaymakers.

“Our seaside resorts have been shamefully neglected by successive governments, but they could hold a very important key to stimulating rural regeneration.”

Mr Clish added that better quality environments, space and freedom are what people are currently wanting from their breaks.

Meanwhile, figures from Which? Holiday magazine highlighted that 40 per cent of Brits headed to seaside destinations in 2009.

Elddis reaping the benefits of enhanced purchasing system

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Elddis is continuing to enjoy improved working relations with its supplier thanks to its innovative Vendor Rating System.

Forming part of the manufacturer’s ongoing attempts to enhance supplier performance levels, the scheme sees the firm receive instant feedback from all parts of the purchasing and supply chain.

This in turn enables Elddis purchasing professionals to draw up benchmarks for all areas of the supply chain, with this data used as the basis of future deals and thereby enhancing the quality and cost-efficiency of its caravans.

“The system has been designed to meet the specific objectives and priorities of the business with suppliers being evaluated on delivery and logistics performance,” explained Carl Peacock, Elddis’s purchasing manager.

“Ultimately this system increases efficiency and performance through our complete supply chain, which will have positive benefits for the customer and the business.”

In 2008, Elddis celebrated the awarding of the first qualification handed out through its Apprenticeship Scheme, aimed at training the next generation of caravan-makers.