75 Years Of Excellence For Devon Park

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William Coleman

Devon’s acclaimed Ladram Bay Holiday Park has finished its 75th anniversary year on a high after being declared the West Country’s top destination for kids and adults.

The Budleigh Salterton park scooped the top Diamond Award for Family Fun in the Devon, Somerset and Dorset region in November’s prestigious Hoseasons Awards.

It’s the eighth year in succession that the park, owned by the Carter family since 1943, has come home from the event with the premier family fun trophy.

The accolade was presented by comedian Paddy McGuinness at Hoseasons’ sparkling annual awards ceremony at the Celtic Manor in South Wales.

But the judges hadn’t finished with the park, for the family was once again asked to step into the spotlight to receive a second accolade from the major holiday bookings agency.

This time they named Ladram Bay as overall UK winner of the Customer Choice Food Award for the quality and value of its catering.

Both awards are based on the volume of customer satisfaction ratings received by Hoseasons from families who have stayed on the hundreds of parks with which they deal.

Ladram Bay director Zoe House, a member of the Carter family, describes the park’s 75th year as one of the busiest on record with guests giving the thumbs-up to a raft of new facilities.

They included a new 160-square metre Splash Zone aimed at energetic youngsters which includes interactive water features, spray guns, and even a sea serpent that sprays water.

The Splash Zone was officially opened during a day of celebrations at the park by Exeter-born Olympics swimmer and gold medallist Liam Tancock.

Happy customers were also responsible for another top award for Ladram Bay this year when they voted it a place in TripAdvisor’s prestigious “Travellers’ Choice Awards 2018”.

The review website bases its annual list of winners on the verdicts of millions of visitors who rate their experiences at different places to stay.

In the “family accommodation” category of the awards, Ladram Bay Holiday Park was voted number seven in the top 25, thanks to the volume of positive feedback it received. It trumped even some of the UK’s best known names in the holiday parks and hotel industry.

The vast majority who voted gave the park an “excellent” or “very good” rating, with many making enthusiastic comments about the quality of their stay and the friendliness of staff.

Ladram Bay also has a five-star accolade from VisitEngland, and once again this year received a top gold award from botanist David Bellamy for its environment care.

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

Taking The Auto-Trail Tracker EB To Italy On Tour

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By William Coleman

Having toured around the European Continent once already this year I jumped at the chance to do it again. This time the journey was a lot smaller and focused mainly on northern Italy to seek out what the region has to offer. The CaravanTimes team took an Auto-Trail Tracker EB round Parma to eat like the Italians.

This trip was a tale of two journeys, both of which I took part in. Part one was driving the right hand drive Tracker EB and driving the left hand drive support car, the Fiat Tipo.

First of all I do have to say that is takes a lot of getting used to driving a left hand car on the other side of the road than it does a right hand drive vehicle. Although the Fiat Tipo was a great car in pretty much every way I just found it very hard to adjust to using my right hand to change gears.

Driving around Italy in a motorhome, on paper, sounds like a bit of a nightmare, especially the northern parts, but I do have to say that the Tracker EB handled the roads perfectly. During the drive we saw pretty much every road surface possible from newly laid tarmac to small little country tracks made mostly of grass and stones.

Italy In November?

Why did we decide to choose Italy in the winter, and why Parma? To put it quite simply we wanted to drive through the part of Italy that is most famous for its food. This region of Italy introduced the world to Prosciutto Di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano, two of Italy’s most famous exports.

A lot of people who visit Italy usually travel by plane, but not us as we wanted to turn it into an adventure. We made sure that we made the best use of new Auto-Trail’s newest model as we pretty much lived off grid for a week. One of the main advantages of driving is being able to see just how beautiful this part of the world is.

As much as me and the team were in search of the food side of things we also wanted some of that much sort after winter sun. If you know anything about northern Italy as this time of year you’ll know that you are going to need a hat and scarf. Luckily for us we were treated to a lot of bright warm sunshine, while the sun was up and shining. As soon as that sun started to lower the temperature plummeted rapidly. I have never encountered such a temperature drop before.

Off Grid Living

As we opted to stay off grid and use the on board facilities to keep us warm, washed and fed we really did put the Tracker EB to the test. Having a Truma system in the Tracker meant that the inside temperature got up to our desired temp within a few minutes and maintained a steady heat all evening.

Without a shadow of a doubt the best thing about living off grid was the views we got from where we chose to pitch up. Luckily I am able to speak a base level of Italian and got a pitch outside of a restaurant that was hidden high in the mountains of Parma.

Being able to pick your pitch and have a nice glass of local wine under the stars at the top of a mountain really has to be on everyone’s holiday to do list. Very rarely do get this kind of view with your own bathroom, bedroom and kitchen 10 feet behind you.

Seeing The Land And Finding The Hidden Gems

Driving through Italy really does provided a very varied driving experience. The motorway rules out there do not include using your indicators, keeping a safe distance, obeying speed limits and the use of flashing it the complete opposite to the roads of the UK. If you are flashed by another driver it means do not move or come forward whereas here in the UK a flash usually means the other driver is giving way.

Make sure you have your wallet to hand as every motorway is littered with toll booths, which you can avoid if you have the right sat nav but be prepared for a much longer drive if you do. Over the week we managed to rack up quite a large toll bill.

Once you are off the highway and in the rural countryside the driving style of the locals calms down quite a lot and is it becomes a pleasure to drive again. When driving around the outskirts of Parma there are tons of small family run cafes, which are also eateries, wine bars and panini shops. It is here where you find the real Italy and find local foods that you simply do not get back in the UK.

A local bar we found had pretty much every Italian stereotype you could think of, it felt more like a film set than a local bar. What made this place so special was the amount of different things it had to offer. Coffee, cake, beer, wine, cheese, meats, pasta, tomatoes, passata and baked goods in a market style set up, all while being a full time restaurant and bar that is open for 17 hours a day.

Once we had our meal we decided to stock up with all the Italian treats they had to offer, we ate like kings for a week. Thanks to the massive fridge on board the motorhome we could stock up on a lot of fresh food and not have to worry about it lasting. You have to search high and low to find processes packet food in Parma. The fresh is readily available and very cheap too.

If you like your food then Italy is the place to go. The Italians take their food very seriously, so much so you have to go out of your way to find bad food. You know you’re in food country when the service station has food quality to rival any swanky city sandwich bar. From coffee all the way to cheese the Italians have the best and it is actually very different to your high street deli or restaurant in England.

On the last evening we decided to spend an evening it a restaurant to see how the locals eat. Before heading out for dinner we stopped off at a small bar where we found someone whose English was spot on, which was great as I had a burning about what we kept seeing the mountains.

Why are there so many guys driving around in high vis jackets and work clothes yet there were zero road works going on? To our surprise there were not road surface workers, they were Wild Boar hunters. The hills and mountains are taming with boar which is a staple part of local cuisine.

After finding this out everything started to fall into place. While walking around the mountain paths, unbeknownst to us, we were actually walking through boar hunting trails. Now I know why we kept seeing to many shotgun shells on the floor. Just before leaving the bar the owner told us to “be careful of the wild life of an evening”. Let’s just say the half mile walk to restaurant was a fast paced one.

All in all I would say that using a camper van or a motorhome is the best way to see Italy, or any other country for that matter. CaravanTimes simply cannot recommend touring around Europe enough, now that we have done it a fair few times and realise just how easy it is to do. For some details of what you will need when you are heading abroad read our top tips for touring abroad. For the full review of the Auto-Trail Tracker EB stay tuned.

Are You Breaking The Law With Pets Onboard?

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By William Coleman

A massive part of touring is spending quality time with your loved ones and for some families their four legged friends are the core of the family unit. Following a recent survey it would seem that almost half of dog owners are the highway code when driving with pets, resulting in penalty points and fines.

Large numbers of dog owners risk substantial fines and penalty points by allowing their pets to roam freely in a vehicle while in transit, research shows.

An independent survey conducted by bootliner manufacturer Hatchbag revealed that 45% of dog owners were in breach of Section 57 of the Highway Code by neglecting to contain their pet with a suitable crate, harness or guard while travelling in a vehicle.

Unrestrained pets can cause considerable distraction, putting motorists at risk of driving without due care and attention-an offence that will invalidate most insurance policies. In addition, drivers face fines of up to £2,500, plus nine penalty points.

I know many dog owners who take drive with pets and having spoken to them recently they were not 100% clear on what the letter of the law actually is. All pet owners I know are extremely responsible when having pets in the car but that cannot be said for all motorist.

The most popular way of containing a dog in transit was with a ‘dog guard’. The survey revealed that 29% used a dog guard to keep the dog restricted to the boot space.

Claudia Finamore, commercial manager at The Hatchbag Company says: “For the safety of all involved it is essential that dogs stay safely in the boot while travelling. Creating a ‘home from home’ in the boot with some familiar bedding and toys will help prevent dogs from becoming stressed in transit, while a wipe clean boot liner will protect the car’s interior from any accidents, travel sickness or chewing.”

Around 24% use harnesses to secure their dog to the seat, while 13% opt for a dog crate, two options popular with pet care professionals. Gemma Harrison, owner of dog walking service ‘Walkies with Marley’ says she uses both methods, depending on the size and temperament of the dog: “Personally, I would strongly advise using a crate, especially for younger giddy dogs, or where this isn’t possible, a doggy seatbelt. I do have some larger dogs that I am unable to crate due to their size, so I have them attached to a short dog seatbelt in order to keep them in place, safe, and at no risk of getting tangled.”

Travel sickness can pose a problem for some dogs and serve as a distraction to motorists. Ryan White, managing director of We Love Pets finds that pre-planning is key:
“The most important rule is to always plan your journey. Make sure you don’t feed the dog immediately before or after as it may cause them to have an unsettled stomach. Frequent short journeys are best and try to avoid lots of windy roads and roundabouts where possible.”

Louise Self, dog home boarding representative at Barking Mad, offers further advice for travelling with dogs:
“Open the window slightly to let in some air, drive carefully and be responsive to the dog’s needs. I find they like the radio or music on and soon relax and enjoy the journey.”

During the year we all rack up a lot of miles traveling from one holiday spot to another with pets in the car. So if you are travelling all around the UK with man’s best friend you may want to look into the Hatchbag Company to avoid any nasty surprises along your journey.

Travelworld Growth Earns Awards

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By William Coleman

Luxury motorhome company, Travelworld Motorhomes received a highly commended accolade for Fastest Growing Business at the Midlands Family Business Awards on Thursday 23rd November.

Attended by over 300 guests and held at Leicester’s Athena, the ceremony and dinner featured some of the region’s most accomplished businesses from all different sectors.

Sponsored by PwC, the Fastest Growing Business category recognises businesses who can demonstrate strong and sustained growth, as well as family values.

Ross Edwards, managing director of Travelworld said: “To receive recognition for the growth we’ve achieved over a short space of time, is a testament to everyone at Travelworld, a team that, as we speak, continues to demonstrate its commitment, working hard in preparation for our big move to Cresswell Park in Staffordshire by the end of the month.”

In its ninth year, the MFBA is a not-for-profit initiative celebrating the achievements of businesses across the whole Midlands region and is run by Nottingham-based insurance and financial solutions provider, the Wilson Organisation, also a family business.

Wilson’s managing director, Charlotte Perkins said the team and judges were ‘blown away’ by the calibre of all the finalists. She said: “We run the awards as a not-for-profit initiative and are honoured to provide a platform for the Midlands’ family business community to showcase and celebrate their successes and work, for the ninth year running.

“The talent, ambition and entrepreneurial spirit of our finalists and winners highlights the significant role that family businesses play in keeping the Midlands’ economy thriving.”

Ross continued: “We congratulate all other businesses who took part this year. For us, not only were we celebrating as a Midlands-based business but we were also proud to be representing the motorhome sector. Our big takeaway from the awards credit is even further impetus to keep on growing and being successful.”

AA Declare Norfolk Park Best In Britain

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By William Coleman

Judges in the annual AA holiday awards have told the family owners of Norfolk’s Searles Leisure Resort that they are the UK’s champion holiday providers.

The Hunstanton park was named this autumn as the overall winner in the “Holiday Centre of the Year” category of the honours, beating thousands of other parks in Britain to the title.

Awards given by the AA – based on guest reviews and a “secret shopper” visit by inspectors – are regarded as the Oscars of the holiday parks industry.

The park first began welcoming campers over 60 years ago onto what was then a farm, and it has since grown to become one of Eastern England’s largest and best-loved holiday centres.

It provides more than 800 holiday home and touring pitches, including luxury lodges to buy and rent, plus a raft of family-friendly attractions and outdoor activities.

The citation from the AA’s award judges noted that Searles “never stands still, and every year offers something new to delight visitors seeking a truly memorable and high quality experience”.

They continued: “The park’s success and popularity is thanks to the vision, passion and hard work of four generations of the Searle family, and their quest for ever-rising standards.

“All the resort’s facilities are spotlessly clean, and there is a general feeling of pride from the friendly and hard-working staff. Searles is a very worthy winner,” judges concluded.

Searles is also a highly-regarded local employer with around 200 staff, and provides valuable training and skills development opportunities especially to younger workers.

Speaking on behalf of the family, managing director Paul Searle said that the AA award celebrates not just the park, but also the entire workforce:

“Standards of customer service are an important criteria for these awards, so our team at Searles can take a major share of the credit for this achievement,” he said.

“So many of the reviews we receive from customers mention the great atmosphere here, and delivering this is very much in the hands of our park team.

“We hope the publicity from this AA award will also benefit other local tourism businesses by putting the spotlight on north Norfolk as an amazing holiday destination,” added Paul.

Earlier this year, the park was crowned as the region’s perfect park destination in the holiday parks category of the Norfolk and Suffolk Tourism Awards 2018.

Attractions at Searles include an innovative new indoor “splash zone” with a host of different water play features, a new outdoor gym, and an adventure play park plus nightly entertainment.

There is more information about Searles Leisure Resort at www.searles.co.uk

Spotlight For Welsh Family Run Park

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By William Coleman

Staff and the family owners of Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park are celebrating after receiving a top gold accolade in the 2018 Go North Wales Tourism Awards.

The flagship of the Thornley Leisure group, Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park’s standards of excellence and levels of customer care made it a very worthy winner, judges declared.

Their verdict was announced at the competition’s glittering awards ceremony in November which was held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.

The event was organised by North Wales Tourism which represents more than 1,500 tourism-related businesses across the region, including scores of holiday parks.

Stepping into the spotlight to receive the top prize in the closely contested caravan parks category were representatives from Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park and managing director David Thornley Jnr.

Situated on the north coast of County Conwy between Anglesey and the Menai Straits, the park provides tranquil landscaped grounds in a picture-postcard setting.

It has long proved popular with families wishing to own a caravan holiday home in one of North Wales’s most popular areas for lovers of natural scenic beauty.

The park’s many awards include a top five-star tourist board grading – but according to David Thornley, this latest Go North Wales accolade has an extra significance:

“The award is especially important to us because it recognises not just the quality of the park’s facilities and surroundings, but also the levels of hospitality and service provided to guests.

“It’s our staff team which deserves the lion’s share of the credit for this, and they do a great job in making everybody feel welcome and helping them enjoy their stay.

“It’s been a superb year for Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park and the group as a whole, and I hope the publicity from this award will help benefit all tourism businesses here in North Wales,” added David.

The Thornley family’s business, established over 55 years ago, now comprises nine parks in total with facilities which include holiday homes to buy and rent, glamping, and touring pitches.

According to North Wales Tourism, the region’s tourism industry currently generates £3 billion of visitor spending each year, and employs around 40,000 people.

There is more information about Craiglwyd Hall Caravan Park and the other members of the Thornley Leisure group on its website at www.thornleyleisure.co.uk

Christmas Camping And Caravan Hot Spots

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By William Coleman

Just because Christmas is almost upon us, 26 days as I write this, does not mean you have to put the caravan, motorhome or tent away. As we rapidly approach the festive season The Camping and Caravanning Club are preparing to welcome all holidays makers from now through to the New Year both in the UK and overseas.

Seventeen sites across the Camping and Caravanning Club’s network in the UK will have extended opening and will stay open until early January 2019, with 12 sites currently staying open all 365 days a year.

Many of these with extended opening are hosting special events for campers over Christmas, with Salisbury (Wiltshire) laying on a mulled wine and Christmas quiz afternoon on Christmas Eve and Bellingham (Northumberland) throwing open the doors of its cosy recreation hall for campers on-site on New Year’s Eve. In addition to the ‘New Year Fizz’ party, the site will also hold a quiz and film night on New Year’s Day on its big screen.

Club Sites open throughout the year include Kingsbury Water Park in the heart of the Midlands, Canterbury (Kent) plus Theobalds Park (Hertfordshire) and Chertsey (Surrey), which both feature good road and rail links to London.Sandringham Club Site (Norfolk) sits in the grounds of the Royal Estate of the same name where the Royal Family traditionally spends Christmas and New Year.

Bob Hill, Sites Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “More Club members are now touring long after the clocks fall back in the autumn, swayed by modern heating systems on their camping units and plush on board furnishings.
“The Club is committed to spending more on our sites to make them better equipped for winter touring so they can stay open later into the winter.”

The Club also has several sites close to Christmas markets that are perfect picks for a mid-winter break, such asCanterbury, Oxford and Salisbury.

And further afield, the Club’s Winter Sun sites are gearing up for another busy season with 20 winter sun destinations available on the coasts of Spain and Portugal plus four Winter Sun Rallies running over the festive period. These include Marjal Costa Blanca (Spain, Costa Blanca), La Manga (Spain, Murcia), Almafra (Spain, Costa Blanca) and Alicante Imperium near Benidorm (Spain, Costa Blanca). All of them, with the exception of Alicante Imperium, offer full Christmas Day lunches for Club Winter Sun Rally members.

What’s more, all 20 destinations have plenty to offer over the Christmas period, particularly the rally sites, with activities ranging from carols on the beach to quizzes, Boxing Day swims or walks plus Christmas sing-alongs and other festivities.

Richard Grimsdale, Travel Service Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “There are more members booked on to Winter Sun holidays this winter than ever before. The numbers booking continue to grow year-on-year, with campers tempted by the prospect of warmer shores in Spain and Portugal.”

Meanwhile, Camping in The Forest, a partnership between the Forestry Commission and The Camping and Caravanning Club, has four sites across the UK open year-round. These include Bracelands (Forest of Dean), Glenmore (Cairngorms National Park), Postern Hill (Savernake Forest) and Setthorns (New Forest). For more information visit www.campingintheforest.co.uk

A Public Reply To A Public Holidaymaker

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By William Coleman

Just under two weeks ago I stumbled across an article on the Dorset Echo website where a motorhome user felt slightly shunned by some of the new restriction brought in to an area they love to visit. A local resident from the area has publicly replied with her opinion on the matter. What do you think?

So before you read the reply I wanted to take a moment to go over my thoughts on the topic. There are some residents, especially in very popular tourist destinations, are none too pleased with the amount of attention the area gets.

What these residents are not considering, but are probably aware of, is the importance of local tourism. We have seen what can happen to holiday towns, especially coastal ones, once the tourism dies off. Towns like Margate are a ghostly shell of what they once were whereas other towns who embrace tourism are flourishing and as popular as ever.

That being said I feel very strongly about tourism not having an adverse effect on an area. There have been occasions where some tourists just cause havoc and ignore all the rules. This can give caravan and motorhome owners a bad name and leave a very sour taste in the mouths of locals.

So as long as residents understand the importance of local tourism and holiday makers do not infringe on locals and their way of life all should be well.

I, and I am sure all the residents in this lovely part of world, were delighted that Gill Thomas loves West Bay.

However she goes on to say that she is a responsible motorhome owner and cannot understand why we are so hesitant to have her in West Bay – although she does acknowledge that there are some owners who are not so responsible.

Well, Gill, I am sure you will agree that when visiting any area one needs to abide by the rules.

The Station car park distinctly says no overnight sleeping. You say why not pay for a warden.
Well, would you want to be abused by the irresponsible owners who feel it is their right to sleep there, or even say they haven’t been sleeping there when they are sitting outside their motorhome in their pyjamas having their breakfast?

In the summertime I have counted more than 30 motorhomes in the car park, many of whom camp all summer long.

It is a car park, not a camping site, and as such there needs to be room for cars.
The only way, and one which apparently West Dorset District Council have considered, is to ban all vehicles from the Station car park from 10pm-8am.

There are campsites open from March to November and in the summer additional places on the West Bay road campsite, so please use these in future.

-Sue Pollock

So now we have seen the other side of the argument you can see why some people are unhappy with motorhomes in their towns.

I am a bit of a stickler for the rules when it comes to things like this. I get that there are some people who do not do any harm by using these car parks but I do not feel that parking areas should be used for mobile accommodation, that’s why they are named car parks and not campsites.

The are more than enough sites in fantastic areas around the country to use so as not to “abuse” relaxed local parking rules.

Caravan And Motorhome Club Certificated Location of the Year 2018 Awards

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By William Coleman

The the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s CL Site network keeps getting bigger and bigger with every new season. At one point they were the Club’s best kept secret, which is now a thing of the past as the Caravan and Motorhome Club announce this year’s winner of the Certificated Location of the Year Award 2018.

First of all, what is a Caravan and Motorhome Club CL Site? Well if you are looking for a peaceful, quiet and secluded spot to spend your time the Certified Location exactly what you need.

Unlike most sites in the Club’s vast portfolio the CL site needs to be small and off grid. The achieve CL status a location must have 5 pitches and in a very quiet secluded area which is off the beaten track.

Each site is totally unique and approved by the Caravan and Motorhome Club. From working farms to hidden country estates the CL location offers a very different experience from most sites across the UK. Each site is as varied as the next, so if you want to stay on a beach, river, golf course or near a historic landmark then the CL sites are for you. Oh and some will even deliver a cooked breakfast direct to your caravan.

The Caravan and Motorhome Club are delighted to announce the winner of its Certificated Location of the Year Award 2018 is Avon Bank Meadow situated in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside. Close runners up are Poole Farm in North Cornwall and Keal Lodge deep in the heart of Lincolnshire.for members and provide them with a truly memorable experience.

New for 2018, the Caravan and Motorhome Club has introduced the Best Newcomer CL Award and Most Inspiring CL Photograph Award. The Best Newcomer Award celebrates a CL that joined the Club in the past year, meeting all criteria and going above and beyond.

Located on the Isle of Wight, Rodgebrook Farm scooped the Best Newcomer Award CL 2018 with many visitors coming to know the site for its level pitches, warm welcome, discounts on ferry fares and being very dog-friendly. In addition to this and also new for this year, the Most Inspiring CL Photograph Award celebrates all things CL and the site’s surroundings in visual format.

The winner of this award was Woody Kiln Farm from the depths of Pembrokeshire National Park with its stunning photo of Lindsway Bay, a beach accessible from the Pembrokeshire coastal path, just 20 minutes’ walk from the CL.

Winner – Avon Bank Meadow

Situated on the banks of the River Avon, Avon Bank Meadow Certificated Location offers an idyllic location for caravanners, so it is little surprise that it scooped the top spot at this year’s CL of the Year Awards. Run by Craig Brown and Sandra McAllister since 2015, the Worcestershire CL is full for most of the year attracting repeat guests.

The site itself offers five hard standing spacious pitches, set within half an acre. It is open all year round and encourages visitors to get out and visit surrounding areas, helping to sustain the local economy. Each pitch is fully serviced with its own electricity, water, drainage and aerial point meaning everything that any caravanner could ever need is at their fingertips. The site has also recently installed Wi-Fi and has undergone a lot of replanting with the silver birch trees being a popular hit with visitors.

Runners up – Poole Farm and Keal Lodge

Poole Farm Certificated Location in Cornwall has been owned by the Holmes family since 2015. Situated adjacent to the Tamar River, the site is also not far from the Devon border so is well placed to visit many stunning locations in the south west. All five of the pitches are hard standing and fully serviced; the site also offers battery charging, laundry and recycling facilities and dog walks directly from the site. The owners have even been known to deliver a cooked breakfast, piping hot, to members on site.

The site is renowned on the CL network for its warm welcome; the Holmes family regularly look forward to welcoming new visitors to their site. It is a real family affair with everyone having a role to play; Louise runs the business, young Harvey is responsible for recycling, newspaper delivery, ice-cream runs and on the odd occasion, playing his saxophone in the middle of the site to entertain guests, or running a ‘makeshift’ dog agility competition for our four-legged friends. Greg is head groundsperson, caravan fixer and generally an all-round handyman.

Wi-Fi is also included in a stay and local tourist attractions include Tintagel Castle, the Eden Project and Launceston Steam Railway.

Keal Lodge Certificated Location situated near Peterborough in Lincolnshire takes third place in this year’s CL of the Year Awards. Open since 1996, Keal Lodge, run by Alison and Keith Rogers, is no stranger to picking up CL Awards having won back in 2009 and scooped runner up in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

Keal Lodge offers a relaxing tranquil break on its adult-only site. The pitches are designed with this in mind, allowing each visitor privacy within their area. All five pitches are hard standing with Wi-Fi available. A firm favourite, the site also has a two acre field to exercise and walk dogs, meaning even furry friends do not have to miss out on a holiday to Keal Lodge. Local tourist attractions include Stamford, Peterborough, Tolthorpe and Rutland Water.

Caravan Bosses `court` In The Act

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By William Coleman

A couple of weeks ago I highlighted some of the scams that myself and the CaravanTimes team have comes across over the years. Following that we have stumbled across a story where two Directors and former solicitors have been banned by courts for 21 years after conspiring to remove close to £700,000 worth of property from failed caravan company.

Last week Liberty Joseph Durant, Joseph Price and David Alan Borland appeared at Lincoln Crown Court where they each received disqualifications and suspended prison sentences.

On Monday 12th November the court heard that a company called Classic Caravans Limited, based in Sleaford, Lincolnshire was incorporated in November 2008, where it manufactured and serviced caravans.

During his time with Classic Caravan Joseph Price became the companies sole director, made official in December 2010. In just 4 short years after first being incorporated the company ceased trading due to incurring debts close to £22,000 by October 2012, which then triggered an insolvency process to close the doors on the business.

Upon its closure Classic Caravans’ nominal work in progress was then transferred over to a new company by the name of Carlight Trailers Limited. The funny thing about this transfer was that Joseph Price was also a director of Carlight Trailers Limited and Liberty Durant just happened to be the sole shareholder. The plot thickens.

Just one day before Classic Caravan went into liquidation, the liquidators were made aware, by Joseph Price, that Liberty Durant owned a substantial amount of Classic Caravans’ stock. This new information, that was conveniently brought to light, meant that the property totalling approximately £693,000 could not be returned as assets to the company’s creditors.

Upon this startling revelation the case was then referred to the Insolvency Service where investigators found that Liberty Durant had previously been disqualified in 2011 for six years in relation to a separate company and should not have been acting in the management of a company.

On top of that further investigation revealed that before Classic Caravans was to be closed, Liberty Durant and Joseph Price conspired with former solicitor David Alan Borland, trading under the name DAB Legal Services, to produce a fraudulent ‘Contract of Sale’.

These fraudulent documents then enabled Liberty Durant to claim ‘retention of title’ on the stock owned by Classic Caravans. Due to this it meant that the caravans under the company’s ownership could not be used to help repay creditors. So in short the manufacturers of these leisure vehicles and parts would end up massively out of pocket while certain people walk away with a big smile on their face.

However, the sales contract was falsely back-dated to 2010, two years before the company entered into liquidation, and was proved fraudulent as one of the copies of the contract included the liquidator’s address, someone who had only been appointed in 2012.

The sentencing handed down to Liberty Durant was a 10-year disqualification order, a £1,000 fine and a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to one count of acting in contravention of a disqualification order and one count of fraud.

Joseph Price found himself on the receiving end of a 6-year disqualification order, a £1,000 fine and a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years, after pleading guilty to one count of fraud.

And David Borland was given a 5-year disqualification order, a £1,000 fine and 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years, after pleading guilty to one count of fraud.

Glenn Wicks, Chief Investigator for the Insolvency Service, said: “These men cynically and ruthlessly used a forged document in an attempt to defraud creditors and to allow Liberty Durant to act as a shadow director in breach of his disqualification. The court has shown this sort of behaviour will be dealt with severely.”

So there you have it, it is not only we consumers and holiday makers that get stung by the wide range of scams out there. Each year manufacturers face the potential loss of thousands of pounds due to poorly run, or in this case, very dodgy dealers. To find out more about how some scams may affect you read our article from a couple of weeks ago herel.

Have A Very Merry Salop Christmas

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William Coleman

The run up to Christmas is an important time for the caravan and motorhome world. Sites and dealerships all across the UK are prepping the decorations and yuletide festivities to ensure that their guests and visitors enjoy themselves during the “The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”. One such company who are sparing no expense once again are Salop Leisure who are presenting some of the best Christmas events you are likely to find this year.

The Shropshire based leisure business are starting unwrap all their plans for this year’s Christmas celebrations with several events taking place over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas.

‘The Salop Christmas Adventure’ planned by award-winning caravan and motorhome dealership Salop Leisure at its Emstrey Shrewsbury headquarters kicks off on November 24 and 25 with the Shropshire Handmade and Creative Christmas Gift Fair.

More than 60 local traders will be offering handmade, home designed, artisan and products and food over the weekend with free admission and parking. Six thousand visitors attended the fair last year. If you are in need of stocking fillers or gifts to put under the tree this will certainly be a great place to look.

This coming weekend will also see the arrival Mr Christmas himself, Father Christmas, as he opens the Santa’s Grotto with elves guiding visitors through Toyshop Lane to Santa’s hidden woodland grotto. While parents and children wait there will be complimentary craft making with Santa’s helpers to keep everyone entertained. Last year the Santa saw over 1,600 children.

If you want some more face time with Santa you can book a space to have tea with him during the December festivities at 4pm on weekdays and between 12-3pm on weekends.

There will also be a chance to post a letter in the North Pole letterbox to watch a festive film in a cinedrome with cookies, blankets and hot chocolate.

November 24 also sees the launch of Salop Leisure’s festive outdoor skating rink, which will be open until December 23. A fee of £9 per person for 45 minutes on the 96 square meter synthetic ice rink will made. Three thousand visitors enjoying the skating last year.

The Annual Salop Santa Dash

Salop Leisure’s “Salop Santa Dash” is now in its second year and is shaping up to top last year’s event. The Dash is held in partnership with Love Fitness and returns on Sunday 2nd of December. The get your spot all you need to do is pay for £12 entry fee, which will include a Santa suit and a festive themed medal. Children under the age of 8 get to run for free.

Entrants can choose to run, jog or walk one or two laps of a 2.5 kilometer circuit around the grounds of Salop Leisure, Love Fitness and Love2Stay resort. A charity donation from the proceeds will be made to the ‘Wear Red for Zac’ appeal, which is raising money to send Zac Oliver from Broseley to America for treatment of an extremely rare form of childhood leukemia.

“Salop Leisure will definitely be the place to be this Christmas,” said Ed Glover, Salop Leisure’s marketing manager. “With Shrewsbury Christmas Festival sadly being cancelled this year, we think there is a bigger need than ever for Christmas attractions in Shrewsbury.

“Rather than closing in December like some in the caravan industry do, we spend thousands of pounds transforming our business into a winter wonderland and this Christmas is going to be exceptional.

“Christmas is a special time of the year and it’s important that we create some magic for our customers who have young families.”

If you want to take part in the “Salop Santa Dash” you can find out more details about the annual event on the official website, www.salopsantadash.co.uk

Our Top Touring Apps To Help Holidaying

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By William Coleman

It was not that long ago that the A to Z was the travelling man’s, and woman’s, best friend. For years this helped motorists and holiday makers across the UK get from A to B with ease, provided you had a good map reading co-pilot and an update map. Years on it seems technology has made the map book look like a relic. As technology rolls on we take a look at some apps that may just change the way you holiday.

Technology has come on in leaps and bounds in the past 10-15 years. I remember when I first heard that companies were going be mixing a phone and a camera together and thinking, “well that sounds silly.” Here we are today with a camera on your phone that can broadcast live video, video call, post your photo online as you take it and even identify the objects it is looking at and show you where to buy it. But how has technology helped move caravanning into the 21st century?

As I mentioned before the phone apps for maps are without a doubt one of, if not the, most helpful tool for anyone who likes to hitch up the van and set off an adventure. Why are these apps so helpful though, and are they really better than a trusty map? Simply put yes, yes they are.

Take Google Maps for example. Run by one of the largest companies on the planet and updated with info from second to second meaning you are always up to date with the best routes, traffic updates and problems along the way.

I was travelling to the NEC a few weeks ago and about an hour into my journey Google informed me of an accident on my route that would add an hour to my journey time. It then asked me if I would like to take a different route and save myself 50 minutes. This is something that you simply do not get with map books or an A-Z.

So we are going to look at several apps that can make your caravan life a lot easier, meaning more time to put your feet up with a cup of tea and a pack of chocolate biscuits.

Google Maps

Not specifically designed for the caravan or motorhome world, and cannot really compete with a full on sat nav, but what a fantastic help this free app is.

Google Maps will give you live traffic updates, reroute to save time, alert you of obstructions and incidents all for zero cost.

This is not to say that it is perfect as sometimes it does not update as quickly as and you need and you have to put the final destination in and search again for a more up to date ETA and traffic update, usually only happens on motorways when a collision has very recently happened.

Price- Free
Value For Money- 5/5
Overall Score ?
Final Thoughts- A fantastic app that is free. It will not replace a sat nav which has been designed for motorhome or towing but some people swear by this app and have never needed to buy or use anything else.

Key Features

  • Live traffic updates
  • ETA always spot on
  • Easily add another destination on route such as petrol stations, service stations etc
  • Voice guided, which can be muted

Truma App

Having an on board heating and air con system that can be controlled from your phone? “It will never happen.”, I heard people say. Yet here we are at the end of 2018, and it is very much a reality for a lot of caravan and motorhome owners with a Truma or Alde system.

If your leisure vehicle has the iNET system on board all you will need to do it go the app store on your phone, search for Truma and then download. It really is that simple.

While you are out on your journey you can set the temperature of your van so when you arrive you can step into a cool or pre warmed environment and start relaxing right away. There really is nothing worse than stepping into an oven temperature van after a nice day out in the sun.

For complete full details on the app and how it can benefit you make sure you visit the Truma App Page.

Price- Free
Value For Money- 5/5
Overall Score 5/5
Final Thoughts- Another free app that helps you to ensure the climate of your van is perfect. No issues using the app and very easy to navigate through. A zero cost this is a must have for any Truma customer provided you have the right system in your caravan or motorhome.

Key Features

  • Display if a set temperature or the on-board voltage is not reached
  • Control Truma appliances from up to four smartphones via the App
  • Automatic climate control in combination with the digital CP plus iNet ready control panel
  • Compatible with Alde heating system

Talking Caravan Leveling

The Talking Caravan Leveling app is quite a handy tool, something I was unsure of when I first saw it. Once I started dabbling with the app’s features I saw a lot of reasons why this app would be popular with caravanners.

First of all it cuts out the need of having assistant stood there with a spirit level spouting out adjustment advice and then leading to the inevitable bickering. Simply place your tablet or smartphone down and let the app do the talking.

The app will tell you which leg or wheel needs to be raised on your leisure vehicle and when to raise or lower the jockey when you are level.

Nowadays almost every smartphone comes with a spirit level that you can simply place down and then adjust accordingly. The difference with this app is that you have a voice guiding you and giving you quite specific info of what needs doing to get totally level.

Price- £1.49-£1.99 (depending what phone you have)
Value For Money- 3.5/5
Overall Score 5/5
Final Thoughts- The app is simple and does what is says on the tin. There is not much to it but will certainly help a lot of people, especially of you are setting up on your own or would rather do it by yourself.

Key Features

  • Voice guided instructions
  • Very specific information given

The Caravan And Motorhome UK Sites App

Here is one for Club members, or prospective club members, to see just how many sites CAMC have and where they are.

Yes, their website does this but being able to do it sat on the sofa via an app on your phone does provide another level of ease and comfort while you plan your next get away.

Another handy feature is being able to book and or amend your current site booking all with just a few taps. Being able to use a series of filters to narrow down the search means you can very easily tailor your preferences to what suits you and find some new sites you may not have known existed.

Price- Free
Value For Money- 5/5
Overall Score 5/5
Final Thoughts- A little bit like the main website but more modern and a lot more readily accessible thanks to the way the app works. This is a great way to find out more about The Club’s sites and locations.

Key Features

  • Filters enable you to find the perfect site for you
  • You are able to save your favourite sites in the “favourites” section
  • “Google” style map system makes it very easy to find sites in certain areas

There are a ton of apps out there to help you on your journey, some free and some that cost. I would have a look at some reviews before spending money on an app as there is usually a free version that does the same thing out there. What would you like to see in an app?