Video Results- Caravan And Motorhome Club Motorhome Design Awards

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By William Coleman

Last week we brought you the results of the Caravan And Motorhome Club Motorhome Design Awards that were held at the National Motorbike Museum in Birmingham. We were there to film to event and speak with the winners of each award. So here are the winners and their thoughts on taking home the gold.

This year marked the 20th annual Design Award that at the National Motorbike Museum. For 2 decades the The Club have carefully selected judges to asses almost a 100 vehicles across the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show.

Each van is assessed on many levels. It is not just about how pretty the motorhome will look once pitched up, the judging go a lot deeper than that. Each judge will look into criteria including electrics and safety, comfort, kitchen/washrooms, air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems, technical aspects and stowage.

Although the judges did not drive the vehicles, the scoring of the vehicles still evaluated driving elements such as seating positions, handbrake positions, visibility, safety whilst travelling in habitation area, front seat comfort and driver ergonomics.

This year saw a staggering 19 entries in the Dealer Special categories. For those who do not know a dealer special is a motorhome that must be badged and named differently to the manufacturer’s model. You can only purchase the stand out models directly from the dealer, or network of dealers.

At the awards we had the opportunity to mingle with dealers and manufacturers and get to know the people behind the products and find out more about what goes into each van. On top of that we go to interview the winners just moments after they found out that they had won!

Hollywood A Lister Caravan Gets Pinched

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By William Coleman

We are all very aware of the risks that come with owning a caravan and we all take measures to prevent any harm coming to them. Despite our best efforts there are occasion where no matter what someone does something bad happens to our pride and joy. Even Hollywood Heartthrobs are not immune from this as one A list actor gets his vintage caravan stolen.

Late last year saw a lot people all across California suffer from the devastating effects of a wild fire that swept across the state leaving a lot of people homeless having lost everything. The fire burnt down hundreds of homes including Scotland’s very own, Gerard Butler.

Following the devastating news of losing his home and worldly possession Mr. Butler decided to buy himself a 1969 Airstream Silver Sovereign trailer which was going to be a restoration project. Something to cheer him up after losing everything in a fire.

Having recently purchased the trailer as a “fixer upper” it was basically a shell that needed a lot of work doing before it could be used. Not long after the purchase the Airstream was stolen and has yet to be recovered.

Local law enforcement have stated that the American classic was stolen from the parking area of a fabrication shop in the San Fernando Valley.

It just goes to show that no matter who you are or where you are leisure vehicles are always a target for criminals.

At least the theft took place before any real work had been done on the van. It was purchased by the Phantom of The Opera star for roughly $11,000 and had not had anything done to alter its current unusable state.

So as it stands the criminals made off with an aluminum shell which should be quite hard to find a legitimate buyer who would want to spend the time, money and effort restoring the Airstream to its former glory.

Always take care when storing your motorhome, camper or caravan. There are a few simple measure that can be taken to secure your vehicle such a good wheel lock, van covers and trackers.

2019 Set To Be The Year Of The Touring Holiday

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By William Coleman

There is no real doubt that the touring holiday is going through a new golden age. Since the rise of the caravan holiday in the 1950s the industry has changed dramatically, and it’s these changes that are bringing more people to the industry for both business and pleasure. Is 2019 going to be a stand out year for the caravan and motorhome holiday?

Since covering news in the industry I have noticed some significant changes, the main one being how sites, parks, clubs and other holiday companies are adapting the the rise is people opting to stay home for their holidays.

A lot of sites that I have visited have added renting options for caravans, statics, pods, yurts and all manner of “glamping” accommodation to their portfolio to help keep up with the way the UK holidays are trending.

Adding rental options is a great way to get more people involved in the “caravan” world who may not have the funds to purchase a van, thus improving the holiday, and overall, economy of the UK. Something we need in this uncertain time.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club have very much taken the new trends on board and feel that this year will be the ‘Year of the UK Touring Holiday’. As we are now very much in the new season the Club has seen some amazing booking numbers already.

According to their booking numbers they have had the most successful start to the year ever with bookings to UK sites up by 16% and summer bookings up by 17%.

They seem to be one of many holiday companies that have seen customers booking well in advance of the new season as well very strong ‘off season’ bookings. Winter touring in 2018/19 was a game changer for a lot of smaller companies during this typically quiet time.

There is a long list of things that have lead to the Club’s early 2019 success, from hundreds of sites all across the UK set on stunning scenery to every type of holiday accommodation available throughout their network.

A lot of their new Experience Freedom holidays are open to everyone, no membership required to experience your own taste of freedom courtesy of the Club without the price of a membership.

Early forecasts for 2019 seemed to have been blown out the water due to, as mentioned above, the new love for winter getaways. With vans being so well equipped for the harsh weather there really is no reason to not use them all year round, you have to get your monies worth after all.

Winter touring has become so popular that a lot of sites have now extended their operating times and some have even opted to stay open 365 days a year. Due to this bookings for January and February were well beyond expectation.

Sales figures also reflect the increase in the popularity of the touring holiday, Volkswagen’s Hannover factory produced its 100,000th iconic California campervan last May following a 50% increase in sales in 2017 and manufacturers at the February 2019 Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show reported buoyant sales figures.

A recent report also concluded health and wellbeing had improved for visitors who reported doing more exercise and feeling more relaxed while on a holiday park or campsite.

Club members are an active bunch; they like to take part in activities when away from home and cycling, walking and surfing are their most popular pastimes. The Club is very well placed to cater for this need for action and offers thousands of sites to choose from – both in the UK and Europe – that are perfectly situated near to beaches, country walks or great cycling routes.

The same report also confirms that holiday parks and campsites around the UK generate £9.3bn in visitor expenditure and support 171,448 full-time employees – so not only are touring holidays great for mind, body and soul, but they’re great for the UK economy too!

Harvey Alexander, Caravan and Motorhome Club Director of Marketing said, “We’re seeing big percentage increases in booking figures. Leisure vehicle holidays can give you the perfect day – waking up with no alarm in a room with a view of the sea, mountains, forests; hearing nature and being right in the middle of it, easy access to beautiful walks and beaches and quaint historic towns, then a safe haven to go back to at the end of the day to enjoy a barbecue – what’s not to love?! It’s no surprise 2019 certainly looks set to be the Year of the UK Touring Holiday.”

As well as the Club seeing great early success we have seen the openings of several new dealerships across the whole of the UK. If parks are being filled with bookings then more campers, motorhomes and caravans must be being sold.

So if the cold does not bother people then the warmer weather will certainly attract the masses. Last year saw an exceptionally long summer with some of the hottest days on record. With the warm weather comes a sense of needing to be outdoors more.

Early word from the weather experts indicates that we may have another record breaking summer that will be both very warm and a lot longer. So with this in mind I can see a lot more people flocking so sites, vans, statics, tents and any other form of outdoor accommodation.

Holiday Health Benefits For 4 Generations

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By William Coleman

Whilst many of us are busy planning our 2019 holidays, new research has revealed it’s not just parents and children who need a getaway. It turns out that there are plenty of benefits for our grandparents and great-grandparents too, especially when it comes to their health and happiness.

Due to an ageing population in the UK, there are now more great-grandparents than ever before. So, Parkdean Resorts, the UK’s largest holiday park operator, has teamed up with Dr James Brown, Biogerontologist from Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for 4 Year Old’s (OPHF4YO), to reveal why we should all consider a four-generation holiday.

James explains: “A four-generation getaway can kick-start the process of improving mood, enhancing memory, bettering physical function and reducing loneliness in older adults. All of these benefits can help to slow down elements of age-related decline.”

Sadly though, research by Parkdean Resorts revealed that just over one third (37%) of grandparents and great-grandparents have been on a multigenerational holiday in the past 12 months, despite over three quarters (78%) being open to the possibility in 2019.

A multigenerational holiday can give older adults something to look forward to, which James believes is crucial. He says: “We found in both series’ of OPHF4YO, that many residents felt socially isolated and had little to look forward to. We know that psychology drives a lot of biology, so without a sense of purpose, biological systems can start to shut down and you can literally die of a broken heart. That’s why it’s essential to give older adults not just a sense of purpose, but something to look forward to.”

The research also revealed that more than 70% of grandparents and great-grandparents feel happier after spending time with their grandchildren, with over half (55%) of respondents reporting improved mental health.

These results come as no surprise to James, who says: “Intergenerational studies have shown that spending time with young children improves mental health almost immediately.

Anybody who spends time around a happy child will feel happier, it’s infectious. And nothing makes you happier than a holiday!”

The good news is that you don’t have to venture abroad for a four-generation holiday either. With shorter travel times, familiar environments and picturesque locations, the UK is the ideal destination for a family getaway.

John Waterworth, Chief Executive of Parkdean Resorts, says: “A family getaway is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time together, away from the stresses of everyday life. It can remind older adults of the good old days, as many of them will have enjoyed UK holidays when they were younger, triggering a comforting sense of nostalgia.”

And prompting nostalgic memories can be fundamental to keeping the brain young and improving memory function. James continues: “Autobiographical memory contains the information you have about yourself, and for most older adults, a UK holiday will trigger nostalgic thoughts like ‘I can remember coming here when I was younger’ or ‘I can remember caravan holidays like this when I was a child.'”

And it’s not just mental and cognitive health that appears to improve when spending time with young children. Over one third (35%) of grandparents and great-grandparents believe their physical health significantly improves too.

James adds: “Children encourage their senior relatives to be more active and forget about their physical capabilities. It’s so easy as an older adult to define yourself by your inabilities and disabilities, but a family holiday is the perfect opportunity for older adults to remember just how much they can physically do.”

With more than 60% of grandparents and great-grandparents reportedly not planning a family holiday in 2019, Dr James Brown has collaborated with Parkdean Resorts, who offer a range of accessible caravans and lodges, to share some of the health benefits of a four-generation getaway.

Bailey Introduce 2 New Motorhome Layouts

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By William Coleman

Last week we shared with you the brand new caravan from the Bailey’s Unicorn range that we got a glimpse at during the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show. Another new addition to Bailey’s already strong portfolio are the 2 brand new layouts for their Advance and Alliance Motorhomes.

The Alliance and Advance motorhomes have both been award winners for Bailey since their introduction to the market. Now Bailey are pushing things even further with these 2 motorhomes as they introduce 59-2 layout to ensure further success for there entry level and mid range tourers.

The Alliance is now available in 7 different layouts, for those who like variety when they are shopping, which include fixed double beds and fixed single bed variants with or without dedicated rear travel seats.

Bailey saw great success in 2018 following the launch of several new caravans and motorhomes and decided to keep the momentum going they have expanded Advance range from 8 to 9.

The the new additions that both feature the 59-2 layout that features an end kitchen at the rear of the vehicle and large twin parallel seats at the front. Recognising the “youth movement” the industry is seeing Bailey have kept the weights at 3,500 kgs or under meaning, they can be driven by anyone with a full UK driving licence, without needing the Class C1 entitlement.

At first glance I was not overly keen on the rear kitchen, not for any reason other than it was something different that kind of threw me off. Once I got inside the van and got my head around the new layout I realised that it is actually quite functional to have the kitchen across the rear of the van.

The first major advantage of the rear kitchen is just how much space it frees up across the entire van. As I have mentioned before I do like a lot of space and freedom when cooking, something the 59-2 perfectly provides.

Also in the kitchen, in both models, you will find a Thetford Triplex combination oven and grill as well as a branded 800w microwave as standard.


The new layout also really complements the washroom area that come with a large granite stone effect shower cubicles with integral lighting and the more powerful yet efficient Ecocamel shower system.

Commenting on the launch of the latest Bailey 59-2 motorhome layout, Managing Director Nick Howard said “the all-new Alliance and Advance motorhomes are genuine go anywhere and do anything vehicles.

The unique combination of the Peugeot Boxer cab, AL-KO AMC chassis and Bailey Alu-Tech body shell means that these motorhomes are capable of taking on even the toughest of challenges as you enjoy your holiday, your way”.

“The two new sub-six metre models give you the freedom to use day-in, day-out, with no limitations”, he added.

If you want to see more of the 59-2 layouts and other vans Bailey have to offer visit them directly at baileyofbristol.co.uk.

Dorset Pet Loving Park

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By William Coleman

One of Dorset’s most pet-friendly touring parks, Shamba Holidays in the New Forest, has welcomed new managers on board who really know how to put pooches on a pedestal.

That’s because husband and wife team Graham and Tracey Daffern are also the proud owners a springer spaniel which will help them sniff out dog-friendly activities in the area.

Five-year-old Poppy will be taking the lead in discovering new Fido-friendly walks and nearby attractions which welcome dogs on behalf of the park’s thousands of annual visitors.

Graham (58) and Tracey (47) took up their new roles at Shamba in February this year, and will now be in day-to-day charge of the multi-award winning park near Ringwood.

The couple have been involved in park management for over five years after quitting their successful jobs in the vending industry to follow their dream of a career in the outdoors.

Keen caravan and motorhome fans, the pair lived for 17 years on a canal boat in Coventry before taking up various positions on parks throughout the country.

Now living at Shamba Holidays, they believe they have at last found the perfect location thanks to the park’s idyllic surroundings and endless opportunities to enjoy their love of walking.

Park owner Andrew Gray arranged a getting-to-know-you party for Graham and Tracey earlier this month when they got to meet the other staff they will be working alongside.

Open all year round, the long-established seven acre park has been in Andrew’s family for over 20 years. It was started by his uncle Tim, and then taken on by his parents Martin and Anne.

Over that time, the has family has invested much time and energy into creating a first-class setting for touring guests, including a 40-foot swimming pool with a retractable roof.

There’s also a modern clubhouse with professional entertainment in season, and a year-round activities for all ages – plus a bar, café-restaurant, shop, and relaxation areas.

The family’s reward has been to see a year-on-year rise in visitor numbers from Britain and overseas, plus a series of awards for its quality standards and environmental care.

Shamba is also a member of the Best of British group, a consortium of independent parks providing some of the UK’s best-managed surroundings and highest levels of hospitality.

Andrew said he was delighted to welcome Graham and Tracey on board, and says that news of their dog-friendly findings will be posted on the park’s website.

But although the couple can boast perfect canine credentials, they also admit to having a soft spot for Britain’s other four-legged friends – and in particular their cat Sox.

However, now in her twentieth year, Sox is quite content to let Poppy work out the best walkies while she welcomes guests to her purr-fect park home.

There is more information about the park at www.shambaholidays.co.uk

Kimberley Caravans And Motorhomes Expansion Plans

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By William Coleman

2019 is already shaping up to be a massive year for the caravan industry. Already we are seeing site selling out with pre bookings, new vans launched by manufacturers and lots of new dealerships and showrooms opening up all across the UK. One of these new locations comes to us from Kimberley Caravans And Motorhomes’ in the form of a new workshop.

Kimberly are one of largest leisure vehicle outlets in the North East and East Midlands and have recently opened their extensive new workshop at its Darlington site.

The new addition on site include another 6 days being added to ensure there is enough work space to meet customer demand. This most recent development represents the culmination of over £750,000 invested over the past 18 months and will almost double capacity while creating more jobs for the local area.

Kimberley Director, Chris Lowe, said “The investment in our Darlington branch is absolutely essential to keeping pace with demand across servicing and sales, which have enjoyed significant growth in our seven years of operation here.

“We will now be able to cater to over 3,000 service and repair customers per year while also offering comprehensive pre-delivery vehicle checks to over 2,000 customers who choose to buy their new or used caravan or motorhome with us.

We plan to continue expanding our branch network in the future, so this is a great showcase of our commitment to advancing existing sites.”

To ensure that the new facility runs at optimum efficiency Kimberley have installed specialist vehicle ramps and diagnostic equipment. With the future in mind and to ensure the company become almost future proof there has also been several charging points to prepare the arrival of electric powered motorhomes.

The development will make Kimberley’s 7-acre Darlington site one of the largest and most modern dealerships in the country.

A direct result of the development is the creation of new jobs for the area. 5 new apprentices have already joined the team, following the employment of several highly qualified technicians in 2018, to enable Kimberley to start 2019 on the strongest footing.

The Motorhome Design Award Results

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By William Coleman

This year marked the 20th annual Caravan and Motorhome Club Motorhome Design Award that were held on the 22nd of February at the National Motorbike Museum in Birmingham. The event was sponsored by Avtex Sat Nav and CaravanTimes were on had to film the awards and bring you the results.

The judging process, much like the caravan awards, takes place during the NEC Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show, which is no easy task. Dan, one of our caravanning experts was a judge in October for the Caravan Design Awards and it really is a full on experience not for the faint hearted.

While walking several miles each day at the show the judges had evaluate and grade 99 different motorhomes. I wonder how many steps each judge did over the 5 day show..

The aim of the Competition is to provide the best quality, and quantity, of information to members and buyers.

The judging panel is made of independent industry experts who have no allegiance to any one brand so that they can give a true and informed review of each van thus ensuring the public get the right key info.

Each van is assessed on many levels. It is not just about how pretty the motorhome will look once pitched up, the judging go a lot deeper than that. Each judge will look into criteria including electrics and safety, comfort, kitchen/washrooms, air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems, technical aspects and stowage. Although the judges did not drive the vehicles, the scoring of the vehicles still evaluated driving elements such as seating positions, handbrake positions, visibility, safety whilst travelling in habitation area, front seat comfort and driver ergonomics.

This year saw a staggering 19 entries in the Dealer Special categories. For those who do not know a dealer special is a motorhome that must be badged and named differently to the manufacturer’s model. You can only purchase the stand out models directly from the dealer, or network of dealers.

Grenville Chamberlain, Chairman of the Caravan and Motorhome Club, who announced the results commented, “This competition goes from strength to strength and continues to provide an invaluable source of data for consumers looking to purchase a motorhome or campervan. Ninety-nine vehicles were evaluated during the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show by our panel of independent judges. Huge congratulations to all the worthy winners.”

During Grenville’s award opening speech he actually gave the CaravanTimes team a mention as we were there recording the event for the Caravan and Motorhome Club. Very soon you will see a video of each individual winner talking about how important an award win like this is.

So without further adieu here are the winners of the 2019 Caravan and Motorhome Club’s Motorhome Design Awards:

Micro Motorhomes Winners
Winner Wellhouse Leisure Citroën Martello
2nd Lunar Campers Toyota Proace Lerina
3rd Hillside Leisure Dalbury S Tekna

Campervan Under £45k Winners
Winner Hillside Leisure Birchover Classic
2nd Wellhouse Leisure Hyundai i-Camperd Volksleisure Zermatt
3rd Volksleisure Zermatt

Campervan Over £45k Winners
Winner Volkswagen California Ocean 2.0-TDI 199 PS DSG
2nd Wellhouse Leisure Ford Trento
3rd Rolling Homes Volkswagen Transporter Columbus

Van Conversions Under £45k Winner
Winner Globecar Globescout Plus
2nd Benimar Fiat Benivan 120
3rd Auto-Trail Tribute 680

Van Conversions £45k – £55k Winners
Winner Wellhouse Leisure Ford Transit Custom Tellaro LUX-XL
2nd Auto-Trail V-Line 635 SE
2nd WildAx Motorhomes Aurora Leisure XL

Van Conversions Over £55k Winners
Winner Adria Twin Supreme 600SPB
2nd IH Motorhomes Volkswagen Crafter IH680CRD
3rd Auto-Sleeper Peugeot Symbol Plus
3rd WildAx Motorhomes Elara

Coachbuilts Under £45k Winners
Winner Elddis Accordo 105
2nd Compass Avantgarde 115
3rd Benimar Fiat Primero 331

Coachbuilts £45k – £49k Winners
Winner Bailey Alliance 59-2
2nd Swift Escape Compact C205
3rd Auto-Trail Tribute 615

Coachbuilts £49k – £55k Winners
Winner Elddis Encore 255
2nd Swift Escape 684
3rd Benimar Ford Tessoro 486

Coachbuilts £55k – £65k Winners
Winner Bailey Autograph 79-4T
2nd Auto-Sleeper Peugeot Nuevo ES
3rd Auto-Trail Tracker EB

Coachbuilts Over £66k Winners
Winner Swift Kon-Tiki 675 High-Line Cab

2nd Auto-Sleeper Mercedes-Benz Burford Duo

3rd Auto-Trail Frontier Delaware HB


A Class Under £90k Winners
Winner Carthago compactline I138DB
2nd Roller Team Pegaso 590
3rd Malibu I 500 QB Touring

We Visit UKs First Erwin Hymer Centre

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By William Coleman

The UK has a lot of unique things that people from all around come the world to visit such as The Tower of London, Stonehenge, the Angel of the North and Buckingham Palace. Now we can add another trophy to the cabinet as Travelworld have just been awarded Erwin Hymer status and have opened the UK’s first Erwin Hymer Centre.

Travelworld are an exclusive Erwin Hymer dealer in the UK and are also specialist dealers of HymerCar, Niesmann+Bischoff and Carado.

The family run company has worked tirelessly over the past 40+ years to become the number one dealer in high end luxury motorhomes here in the UK.

All of their hard work has lead them to the very prestigious position of being awarded Erwin Hymer status, the only dealer in the UK to have been given this top title.

Their brand new dealership is more than just a sales floor with luxury motorhomes on display. At the new Travelworld Hymer Centre in Stafford is a one stop shop for all things motorhome. All under one roof they have a sales centre, a massive 25 bay service centre and an accessory store featuring all the top brands.

The decision to move to Stafford was to ensure that Travelwolrd have a prime location that is a lot more accessible to the public. So if you are on your travels you can pop in and get anything you may need sorted or just stop by and pick up a new luxury motorhome.

The new centre really is a sight to be seen. The sheer size of the show room is very impressive and once you go to the back to see the even bigger service centre that will blow you away. They have 25 bays for vans and are now able to do their own MOT services on site.

Another impressive fact about the newly given award is that Travelworld are now the only privately owned Hymer Centre outside of Germany. Another strong feather in the cap for Travelworld.

Also at the launch were representatives from each of the brands that Travelworld stock who were on hand to see their vehicles on display and mingle with visitors.

This gave the guys from Dethleffs, Hymer, Dometic and various others a chance to get direct feedback from the customers who use their products which gives a unique insight into what the public think of their merchandise.

To give the launch the high end kick off it deserves Travelworld laid out wine tasting sessions with celeb win connoisseur Jilly Goolden and outdoor enthusiast Julia Bradbury gave a presentation and officially cut the ribbon to open the site.

Having spoken to Ross Edwards, managing director of Travelworld Motorhomes before the launch he said: “We are very excited to be opening our doors to everyone. Julia and Jilly will bring to life what it means to own a motorhome and the kind of fun and healthy lifestyle motorhome ownership brings.”

We had a lot of fun at the launch as well as a great spot of lunch, is there anything better than a hog roast with all the trimmings? What made the day so great was the turnout of people. Travelworld invited their existing customer base who all came to visit to see the impressive new site and find out how Travelworld can help them in the future at the new location.

If you need a new motorhome, service or accessory I would advise you visit the one stop shop that is Travelworld’s brand new Erwin Hymer Centre.

SWIFT Success At The NEC February Show

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By William Coleman

In the past I felt that the February NEC show tends to be a fraction less busy than October. This February’s show numbers were far from being low. On the opening Tuesday there were thousands of people at the show which had a positive effect for exhibitors.

One such lucky exhibitor was one of Europe’s number one leisure vehicle brands, Swift Group. It seemed like the much heavier footfall at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show really did help boost sales numbers for the leisure vehicle and holiday home manufacturer.

Early numbers are looking like the company has captured a notable market share from competitors across caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes, making it one of Swift’s best ever shows.

Nick Page, Swift Group Commercial Director, said: “We are pleased by the results of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, where sales surpassed expectations and an excellent footfall brought in visitors from all points of the customer journey.

“We attribute a great deal of this success to working hard to create an attractive purchasing
environment, through initiatives such as Supersure Insurance and Swift Advance finance, alongside our best ever show offers. With strong sales at both the entry and higher end of the scale, it has certainly reinforced our commercial confidence in today’s challenging market.”

Swift also saw some real success at the NEC in their holiday home sales, it may even have beem Swift best performance in holiday home purchases. The all new Vendee Lodge did particularly well over the 5 day event. This must have came as a bit of a surprise for Swift as the holiday home was actually launched at the Feb show.

Another trick Swift had up their sleeve at the show were the innovative S-Pod 6, which had a lot of heads turning. I must admit I do really like them and would love to spend a few days relaxing in the double decker holiday home.

The vans that made the difference at this year’s February show the Sprite, all-new Elegance Grande and Eccles 100th anniversary edition, while the Basecamp crossover camping vehicle remained as sought-after as ever.

The motorhome sector for Swift also have a few MVPs with the Swift Escape and Escape Compact ranges doing very well and as always the Kon-tiki had a consistently high sales number.

Scottish Campervan Company New Investment And Hire Centre

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By William Coleman

Is 2019 going to be the year of the Campervan? With so many companies and dealers adding these vans to their portfolio as well as the Caravan and Motorhome Club launching their own motorhome insurance it seems that the Camper may become king…

Whilst on my travels around the caravan and motorhome shows across the UK I tend to find quite a lot of new ideas and companies who want to have their part in the touring holiday industry. Whilst at the Scottish SEC I stumbled across a rental company called Rockin Vans who stood out among the crowd.

One thing that caught my eye was just how unique these VW Campers are. There are a lot of VW van conversions out there who will produce bespoke designs but these vans just had something different about, a sort of cool and modern attitude. So naturally I had to have a closer look.

Each van that Rockin Vans have it totally unique and super stylish in every way. These really are modern vans for the modern tourer. The level of customisation is outstanding and they will be able to fulfill pretty much any request.

The brand new site opened on the 25th of February which will serve as a campervan and motorhome hire centre with a sales showroom to display all their great vehicles. The site is located at Beoley near Redditch in the West Midlands.

This represents an investment of £1.75 million creating around 17 new jobs including seasonal staff. A formal launch event will take place in early April.

A wide range of motorhomes and campervans, including the classic Volkswagen T6 model, can be hired from the centre for touring in the UK and abroad. The site at Beoley will also have a large manufacturing workshop where Rockin Vans craftsmen will convert standard campervans into luxurious and well-equipped leisure vehicles for sale.

When visiting the customers can view all of the finished models in the showroom and pick which one takes their fancy. Prices start around £30,000. In addition, there will be a campervan service centre and camping accessories for sale at the 8,000 sq ft facility.

The brand new facility will be managed by Rockin Vans directors Katie and Frazer Johnson who are actually going to relocate to ensure the success of the new site. The pair will be moving from the company’s headquarters at Kilmarnock in west Scotland.

Rockin Vans already has hire depots at Edinburgh, Glasgow and Heathrow as well as its HQ in Kilmarnock. “It makes perfect sense for us to now open in the West Midlands,” says Katie Johnson, “It is a good central location with excellent transport links and easy access to some of the best scenery in the UK for our customers to enjoy the freedom of touring.”

To help launch the new site Rockin Vans are giving customers who hire a campervan or motorhome until 1st June 2019 a 20% discount when they book online and enter the code: SLEEPAROUND20. Furthermore, all customers can enjoy permanent discounts of up to 30% on overnight pitches at Camping and Caravanning Club and Camping in The Forest campsites across the UK, for the duration of their hire period. There are well over 100 sites to choose from.

Bailey Launch Their New Unicorn Merida

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By William Coleman

Where better than the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show to launch a brand new caravan to your range? Bailey of Bristol pulled out the big guns last week at the NEC to wow visitors and dealers.

Bailey’s Unicorn range has been in firm pole position as the UK’s most popular premium range caravan. Now in it’s 4th generation the Bailey team have spared no expense to keep the their newest van at the top of the mountain.

Last week were got a first hand look at the brand new Unicorn Merida and we liked what we saw. Due to how busy the vans were we were unable to give a full review but we can tell you all about it thanks to a chat I had with the Bailey team.

The new single axle 2 berth, which features a front lounge and end washroom, has a totally new look both inside and out. A measure Bailey took on all of their 4th generation Unicorn models as they believe that a fresh approach was a step in the right direction to ensure their vans do not go stale and repetitive year after year.

So how do you create a new van within an existing range in an already heavily saturated market? You spend 18 months putting together all your plans and ideas, that’s how.

During the year and a half process the design team added the input of both customer and retailer focus groups to ensure they were producing a van that was born of feedback and criticism, which is always important to listen to. If you do not know the bad how can you improve?

The result of listening to their customer base has given Bailey a real step forward in caravan design. The new Unicorns are very much different from their older siblings and feature a dramatic look both inside and out.

On top of the new designs there has also been improvements in the layout, enhanced specification levels, accessible unladen weights and a competitive retail price.

With an MTPLM of 1330kg and under 5 meters in length, the Merida is an extremely light, yet spacious vehicle, and joins the existing ten models launched in 2017, which have seen great success since hitting the market.

The Unicorn range as a whole is a certainly a 4 season touring van. On board you will find an Alde programmable central heating system, featuring a user-friendly digital control panel with battery back-up for uninterrupted programming.

The vehicle have also been put through thorough testing in a cold chamber test to ensure optimum performance. Whilst a roof mounted Truma 100 watt solar panel allows you the additional freedom to enjoy off-grid caravan holidays.

Commenting on the launch of the new Unicorn Merida, Managing Director, Nick Howard said: “The fourth generation Unicorn range is a real step forward in Bailey caravan design, and the new Merida layout o ers more choice for the discerning caravan owner.

Add to that comprehensive specification levels, accessible unladen weights and a competitive retail price and we believe, the fourth generation Unicorn range is an extremely attractive proposition.”