Elddis wins ninth consecutive international safety award

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by Joe Jeffrey

Elddis scoops top health and safety award for ninth year in row

Elddis has once again been recognised for its health and safety performance by winning the prestigious International Safety Award for the ninth consecutive year.

The awards, given by the British Safety Council and supported by the Health and Safety Executive, acknowledge the commitment that companies including Elddis have made to improving corporate health and safety and, so far, just 436 companies across the world have been bestowed the honour. Elddis are the only caravan and motorhome manufacturer to have received the award thus far.

Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, congratulated Elddis on their success in winning an International Safety Award for 2016, saying: “The British Safety Council commends Elddis on their achievement. The award is in recognition of their commitment and effort to keep their employees and workplaces free of injury and ill health. Our warmest congratulations.  

“The British Safety Council’s vision is that no one should be injured or made ill by work, anywhere in the world. Across all of the winning organisations are examples of dedication and hard work to ensure that the risk of injury and ill health is prevented. We commend the winning organisations and urge them to continue working with us to ensure that our vision becomes a reality.”

Colin Wheatley, Elddis’ health and safety officer, implemented the training and is behind the many safety initiatives key to the company’s safe working environment. He said: “Elddis has based its safety management system on the principles of the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment standard OHSAS 18001.

“Each year we set ourselves safety aims and objectives in order to continually improve our safety performance. In addition, as members of the British Safety Council, Elddis became a registered training provider in 2007 for the BSC Level 1 Certificate in Health & Safety at Work and has since incorporated this into our own new employee induction as the safety standard for all new employees to achieve.

“The benefits to the company are that it leads to a safer working environment for all and at the same time employees are given the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in health & safety.”

Deputy minister praises £1 million Welsh caravan park for quality and location

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by Joe Jeffrey

New Llanberis holiday park looks set to prove popular for 2016 and beyond

Wales’ deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism Ken Skates has praised the high quality and location of a new £1 million touring caravan park which he officially opened in the heart of Snowdonia earlier this week.

Highlighting 2016 as the year which heralds Wales’ Year of Adventure, Skates spoke on how Llanberis Touring Park is ideally situated for visitors to take advantage of the amazing adventures which North Wales has to offer, telling invited guests gathered for the opening ceremony: “We need high standard facilities in Wales and this park can compete with anywhere in the UK. The tourism industry is on the up in Wales and we are outperforming the rest of the UK.”

Skate added that tourism was particularly important to rural areas of Wales because the industry employed a large number of young people.

Llanberis Touring Park, which has 54-pitches on eight acres of land on the edge of the popular village of Llanberis, has created several jobs within the area and is already fully booked for Easter. The park enjoys stunning mountain views and is set alongside a scenic pond and a network of public footpaths, which lead into nearby Llanberis.

Shrewsbury-based owners Morris Leisure anticipate high demand from touring caravan and motorhome owners because of the park’s prime location in Snowdonia, which attracts more than 10 million visitors a year.

The company’s managing director Edward Goddard thanked local people, Gwynedd Council and everyone who had been involved in building the new park. He said: “We want to be a big part of the community by helping to attract visitors who will spend money in local businesses,” he said.

“Based on figures issued by the British Holiday and Home Parks Association, we expect the park to generate in excess of £400,000 a year for the local economy, which has got to be positive news for Llanberis.”

Community and county leaders warmly welcomed the new development. Councillor Trefor Edwards, chairman of Glyn Rhonwy Working Group, described the park as “fantastic” and said he had been pressing for a development of this type for many years to give Llanberis an economic boost.

Councillor Eric Jones, Gwynedd Council’s vice chairman, said he was very impressed by the high standard of the park, which was conveniently located for walking into Llanberis. He wished the venture every success.

Arfon Assembly member Alun Ffred Jones said: “It is always good to see such high quality tourism developments in Snowdonia and this park is setting the standard. Upgrading services to tourists will bring in visitors who will support other local businesses and strengthen employment.”

One of the first couples to try out the new park was Mark and Amanda Johnston from Macclesfield who said: “It’s an excellent location and the facilities, which have been well planned, are superb. We particularly like the local dog walks and will definitely be back when the leaves are out.”

Another customer, Alan Lewis, who lives near Tregaron and has recently retired as assistant director and head of services at Ceredigion Council with a particular interest in tourism, gave the park a big thumbs up.

“I think the park is excellent and we need more places like this in Wales,” said Mr Lewis, who is touring the nation in his touring caravan, which he purchased just three weeks ago.

Morris Leisure now owns six high quality caravan parks in Shropshire and Snowdonia. They include Riverside Touring and Holiday Home Park in Betws-y-Coed, Stanmore Hall Touring Park in Bridgnorth, Ludlow Touring Park in Ludlow, Oxon Hall Touring and Holiday Home Park in Shrewsbury and Bow House Country Park near Bishops Castle. Three of the parks are prestigious affiliated sites of The Caravan Club.

Lunar announces impressive sales at Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravan sales up 20 per cent compared to last year’s show

For the third year running, Lunar has reported a record number of sales at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, held at the NEC in Birmingham between 23 and 28 February. Caravan sales were up 20 per cent on last year’s record-breaking show, with sales of motorhomes doubling compared to the previous year.

The result follows an upturn in sales at both The Lawns in September (up 75 per cent) and at the Motorhome & Caravan Show in October (up 43 per cent) and demonstrates the increasingly popular appeal of the Lunar brand and in particular the 2016 collection.

All of the caravans retailed well, but the star performer was Lunar‘s family focused Quasar range accounting for nearly 50 per cent of all orders taken. This was followed by the top of the range Clubman and Delta models, which includes the award winning Delta RI – brand new for 2016 and a winner of numerous accolades including ‘Tourer of the Year’ and ‘Best Luxury Tourer’.

The most popular models at the show were the two berth Quasar 462 and all new four berth Quasar 574, demonstrating Lunar’s appeal to younger caravanning couples and families

The new Quasar 574 incorporates specification upgrades made across the Quasar range for 2016, such as the inclusion of a ‘Skyview’ roof light, new ‘Metropole’ soft furnishings scheme, LED lighting, a restyled and well-equipped kitchen and a new ’boutique hotel’ inspired washroom. It also features a popular transverse island bed with an innovative optional mattress extension to make the total bed length 6′ 4″.

Motorhome sales increased by 100 per cent compared to the 2015 show with the special edition Landstar RLS proving extremely popular with customers looking for luxury as well as automotive performance. Lunar also chose the show to unveil it’s brand new range of coachbuilt motorhomes – the six berth Selena 690B with twin bunks, the four berth 695G with twin singles and a large garage and the four berth 740i with an island bed and mid-washroom.  Each of the models were on display for the first time at the show with sales made and new dealers signed up to retail the impressive new range.

Lunar UK sales director, Lee Roberts, said: “We’re overwhelmed by the response from both customer and dealers to the 2016 range and our new motorhome line up.  We’ve beaten all of our previous sales performances, which is a phenomenal achievement and proves our product and brand has never been better or more suited to the requirements of modern caravanners and motorhomers.”

“We’re not one to rest on our laurels however and are committed to only making our products better – in terms of design, specification and value for money,” he added.

Club Care Insurance launches new Camping and Caravanning Club smart device app

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by Joe Jeffrey

Camping and Caravanning insurance provider launches new insurance app for customers

Club Care Insurance, the provider of insurance services for members of The Camping and Caravanning Club, has launched a new app to help customers in the event of an incident and they need to report a claim.

The app, available from the Apple Store and Google Play, effectively creates a ‘passport’ for the caravan. It allows users to store information about their tourer, including interior and exterior photographs.

Users can also record their tourer’s identifying details on the app, such as the caravan’s registration markings or chassis number, and its make and model, all of which help prove who the caravan’s registered keeper is.

What’s more, customers can report a claim on their caravan insurance policy through the app, and send supporting information, which takes away the need to call a member of the claims team directly.

By taking photos of an incident and uploading directly through the app at the time of damage, the location and time is stamped automatically, removing the need to draw diagrams and so helping to speed up the claims process. It will also enable users to find the nearest repairers through the Club Care Find a Repairer function.

Darren Whittington, membership services director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “The new app represents a great leap forward in customer service for insurance providers. It’s a valuable tool that will offer a more straightforward experience for our members, putting them in control.”

Nigel Coppen, client director at Club Care insurance, said: “We are very proud to be the first in our market to launch an app. It will not only assist our caravan policyholders at the time of an incident but will hasten the claims process as we will have a record of the damage and a log of exactly when and where the incident occurred. Additionally the app contains lots of useful functionality for policyholders and non-policyholders alike and more products and features will be added in due course.”

The results of a recent analysis conducted by Club Care into the claims received by its customers found that the average cost of a touring caravan insurance claim is 24 times the average cost of a policy. Whilst the main cause of loss was damage to the caravan there has been a notable increase in the number of claims caused by storm and an increasing trend of damage caused by hailstones during June and July.

The app is available today as a free download on both Android and iOS devices. Click here to find out how users can get the most from the app.

Price freeze and lighter models help Coachman earn success at NEC

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by Joe Jeffrey

Coachman’s sales up 30 per cent year-on-year following success of NEC show

In further signs that the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show proved even more successful than previous years, Coachman Caravans has confirmed a 30 per cent increase in sales following exhibiting at this year’s show, held at Birmingham’s NEC between 23 and 28 February.

Continuing to build on the successful start the company has made for the 2016 season, orders taken at the show have contributed to overall retail sales figures which are now 30 per cent up on the same period last year, and an increasing market share for Coachman.

Jim Hibbs, executive chairman for Coachman Caravans, said: “Our success at the NEC proves that Coachman remains a strong brand and that our 2016 range is our finest yet.

“Not only are our new models stylish and comfortable, but they’re also lighter and stronger than any previous Coachman, thanks to our new and unique Advanced Bonded Construction (ABC) techniques.

“The fact that we were able to hold last year’s prices until the end of February has also helped us to get the 2016 season off to a flying start!”

As one of the leading caravan manufacturers in the industry, Coachman Caravans employs 174 members of staff at its base in Hull, East Yorkshire, and produces caravans with an impressive build quality and innovative design features, backed by a dedicated after-sales service.

Coachman’s Vision, Pastiche, VIP and Laser ranges have been designed to offer caravans to suit a range of budgets, from affordable quality with a luxurious undertone and the success the company has reported upon certainly proves the manufacturer is doing something right.

Prince Charles calls for tourists to visit flood-hit parts of UK this spring

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by Joe Jeffrey

Prince weighs in on what we can do to ensure businesses bounce back

HRH Prince Charles has called upon those looking to escape for an Easter break to holiday in regions across the UK that were hit the hardest by this winter’s devastating floods in an open letter in the Daily Telegraph.

Writing in the newspaper, Prince Charles said the best way to help regions devastated the most by treacherous flooding was to visit them in an attempt to keep “vital businesses going” following on from severe storms battering parts of England, Wales and Scotland in December last year, with some particular areas being flooded a total of three times in as many weeks.

Many caravan parks, businesses and attractions in some of the country’s most scenic spots were destroyed during the storms and some will still struggle to ensure they open in time for the 2016 holiday season.

Writing about the winter floods, Prince Charles, who is patron of English Tourism Week, said: “In the same way that gardens and entire landscapes can amaze us with their ability to recover relatively quickly from floods and storms, so too can their people.

“The way that local communities have pulled together to ensure a speedy recovery – even after the devastation and heart-breaking losses we have seen in recent months – has been truly remarkable.”

“I personally believe that we are incredibly lucky to be blessed with such a rich assortment of historic and cultural gems in this country, not to mention the jewel of our national parks and, above all, some of the wonders of our many hidden gardens, which are once again ready to amaze and delight visitors.
“I can only encourage you, therefore, to enjoy the best of what Great Britain has to offer this spring.”

What do you think about Prince Charles’ take on helping communities ravaged by recent floods? Is this something you might consider? Let us know in the comments below.

Marquis Leisure reports on high sales at Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Benimar Mileo range proves popular at the NEC

Marquis have reported high sales volumes at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, held at Birmingham’s NEC last month.

With over £5m worth of business taken, the award winning Benimar Mileo products were at the forefront of the sales figures along with the Majestic range continuing to be strong in the market.

Marquis Leisure‘s huge buying power has provided the company with the luxury to be able to draw from their massive stocks and are getting customers on the road as soon as possible for the Spring – something which is sure to have helped with many planning their spring and summer getaways at present. Most vehicles will be ready for Easter delivery, enabling customers the opportunity to enjoy the lifestyle a motorhome or caravan brings sooner than they think.

Sales Director Alan Buckwell commented: “It was encouraging to see a number of new customers coming into the market and we saw a good level of footfall on our busy stand throughout the show. With Easter being so early this year, we are pleased that our pre-ordering early in the season has enabled us to fulfil many orders immediately after the show.”

Julia Bradbury, Camping & Caravanning Club president popped over to the stand to show her appreciation to Marquis managing director Mike Crouch, for Marquis’s support with her new ITV series ‘Best Walks With A View.’ Marquis provided two support vehicles for Julia’s filming of the series last summer which gave her and her crew a place to relax and keep dry in between shoots. Gina Bradbury-Fox, managing director of Outdoor Productions commented “We couldn’t have done the filming without our Bradders Bus! It was fantastic to have a mobile office for all eight shoots. The added lounge space and sleeping areas were great for reading and relaxing at the end of a long day walking.”

The successful sales of the Benimar Mileo at the NEC show comes following the development of three new family models to its line-up for 2016, increasing the range to a total of ten layouts, as reported on CaravanTimes in November.

Hunt launched for the oldest touring caravan still in use

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by Joe Jeffrey

Salop Leisure wants to hear from you if you’ve got a caravan which has lasted the test of time

An award-winning caravan and motorhome dealership, which celebrates its 50th birthday this year, is conducting a search of epic proportions to find the customer with the oldest touring caravan still in regular use.

Salop Leisure, which has sales centres in Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Severn, is looking for customers with touring caravans which were purchased from the company more than 25 years ago.

The owner of the oldest caravan, which is still being used, will win a weekend break in a luxury caravan holiday home at the award-winning Min-y-Don Holiday Home Park, Harlech.

“It’s a very special year for the company and what better way to celebrate than to track down the oldest touring caravans that are still in use,” said Salop Leisure’s chairman Tony Bywater. “We are really looking forward to seeing these caravans again because we know that the owners will have taken very good care of them.

“It would be lovely to have a display at our headquarters of some of the oldest caravans, which have brought so much enjoyment to the owners and their families over the years.

“Touring caravans give the owners the freedom to go for short breaks and holidays anytime they wish. At Salop Leisure, we don’t just sell a caravan, we sell a way of life that many people dream of.”

Caravan owners wishing to enter the competition are asked to email a photograph of their touring caravan to with a description to Salop Leisure’s assistant marketing manager Ed Glover on ed.glover@salopleisure.co.uk in the first instance. So what are you waiting for? Do you think your trusty old caravan is up for the challenge? Let us know how old your caravan is in the comments section below.

Elddis motorhome ranges scoop eight awards at the 17th Caravan Club Motor Caravan Design Awards 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Prestigious Caravan Club design awards see Elddis take win after win for 2016

Elddis has scooped a total of eight awards for its motorhome ranges at the 2016 Caravan Club Motor Design Awards held at Birmingham’s NEC.

In the Coachbuilts up to £40,000 category, the Elddis Autoquest 115 took first place, winning for the second consecutive year, followed closely behind by the Elddis Accordo 120 which was awarded second place. The Coachbuilts between £45,000 to £50,000 category also saw Elddis scoop a prize, with the Elddis Encore 285 placing third.

Elsewhere during the evening, Elddis‘ special dealer ranges also didn’t fail to impress. The specials, which are built by Elddis, but provided along with bespoke finishes, also had an extremely successful evening, including the Vehicles 4 Leisure Elddis Prestige 115 which took first place in the 2-berth Dealer Specials category. in the 3-4 berth Dealer Specials category, Vehicles 4 Leisure also took home second and third place for the Elddis Prestige 135 and the Elddis Prestige 155 respectively. Meanwhile, the Over 4 berth Dealer Specials category provided Brownhills Motorhomes with a second place prize for the Brownhills Motorhomes Elddis Evolution 180.

The 2016 Caravan Club Motor Design Awards were judged by an independent panel of experts who assessed criteria including electrics and safety, comfort, kitchen/washrooms, air conditioning, heating and ventilation systems, technical aspects and stowage.

Grenville Chamberlain, chairman of The Caravan Club, who announced the results said: “Our thanks to the manufacturers for their continued support of this competition. We had an astounding number of vehicles to evaluate, a record 122 entries. Against such an esteemed field of leisure vehicles, the winners should be justly proud of their success.”

Top loo award leaves New Forest park flushed with pride

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by Joe Jeffrey

Green Hill Farm Holiday Park honoured for exemplary hygiene standards and more

Green Hill Farm Holiday Park in the New Forest is officially the best place to “go” in Britain, according to judges of the annual Loo of the Year Awards.

For the business has just been named as the overall 2016 Loo of the Year winner in the holiday parks category of the competition, beating more than 3,000 other UK parks to the title.

The prestigious accolade, whose sponsors include national tourist board VisitEngland, was made to the family-run park after its washroom facilities were “mystery shopped” by inspectors.

Celebrating the news of the award are husband-and-wife team Lorna and Graham Lee who, with their two young daughters, acquired the park seven years ago.

By their own admission, Green Hill Farm Holiday Park was at that time showing signs of neglect, despite occupying a  picturesque location in quiet countryside in the village of Landford near Salisbury.

Over the following years, the couple devoted much time and energy to creating first-class surroundings where guests could enjoy a camping, motorhome or touring caravan holiday.

Their many initiatives included landscaping of the three delightful lakes on the park which act as a magnet for wildlife including deer and an array of different bird species.

Two of the lakes have been stocked for coarse fishing – and Green Hill also lays on a raft of other activities for visiting families to enjoy during their stay.

They include archery tuition, laser clay shooting, a chance to learn the skills of Segway riding on a special course, mini golf, and a host of other games and competitions run during school holidays.

Lorna and Graham have been rewarded for their efforts by a top five-pennant rating from the AA, and a year-on-year increase in visitors from across the UK and mainland Europe.

Green Hill has also been accepted into the Best of British group which comprises only family-run parks which have been audited for their high standards of quality and hospitality.

But the couple know that these successes were not just a flash in the pan because their park’s loos and washrooms have now received the highest chain of honour possible.

The spacious new facilities include large showers and drying areas, private vanity cubicles, a family bathroom, hairdryers, underfloor heating, and full access for people with limited mobility.

According to Lorna, the washroom building simply mirrors what the park itself aspires to. She said: “Green Hill has a very special appeal to people who enjoy away-from-it-all holidays in gorgeous surroundings, and we’ve tried to provide the perfect backdrop for that.” she said.

“Our family feels very privileged to be able to live and work in the beautiful part of the New Forest, and it’s great to have our efforts acknowledged with an award like this,” added Lorna.

The Camping and Caravanning Club launches Preferred Dealer Scheme

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by Joe Jeffrey

Exclusive discounts for Club members at leading leisure vehicle dealers across UK announced

The Camping and Caravanning Club has launched a new scheme to give members exclusive and meaningful discounts at leading caravan and motorhome dealerships across the UK.

The Club Preferred Dealer scheme is a partnership with 20 dealerships, representing nearly 40 individual dealer sites, from Kirkcaldy Caravans in Fife to South Coast Caravans in Hampshire. 

Each dealership will run exclusive offers for Club members, across servicing, accessories, caravan or motorhome sales, and more.

Offers at launch of the scheme include a free protective cover with any motorhome or caravan purchased, a free “Cream tea for two” and £250 worth of accessory shop vouchers when purchasing a new motorhome.

As recognised Club Preferred Dealers, each dealership will display Club-branded window stickers and point of sale literature, helping it to be recognised as a Club Preferred Dealer.

Those dealers invited to join the scheme at launch are all well known, with a strong reputation for high standards, reflecting the Club’s own commitment to the very best in customer service.

Many are already National Caravan Council (NCC) Approved dealers, or working toward this status.

Dealerships signed up to The Camping and Caravanning Club’s scheme at launch include Blackdown Leisure, Broad Lane Leisure, Brownhills Motorhomes, Davan Caravans, Edwards Motors, Glossop Caravans, Kirkcaldy Caravans, the LeisureWorld group, Lowdhams, Marquis, MG Caravans, Preston Caravans, Ropers Caravan World, Salop Leisure, South Coast Caravans, Tyne Valley Motorhomes, United British Caravans, Wandahome, Webbs Motorhomes and White Arches.

Darren Whittington, membership services director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “We’re delighted to launch the Club Preferred Dealer Scheme as the latest initiative to help members get better value from their subscription. It will help direct members to trusted and reputable dealers throughout the UK, where they’ll be sure of high quality service and exclusive deals.”

To view a list of all dealer offers, and find out more about the Club Preferred Dealer scheme, click here.

Photo competition aims to capture adventure holidays in Wales

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by Joe Jeffrey

Photography competition announced in conjunction with Wales Tourism Week

An exciting competition to find the digital photographs which best capture adventure holidays in Wales is being launched to celebrate Wales Tourism Week which takes place until 6 March.

Organised by the Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA), the competition is open to young photographers aged between 11 and 19 years. The overall winner will receive a fantastic GoPro camera donated by North Wales Tourism and there will be prizes for regional winners for Mid, North, South East and South West Wales as well.

With 2016 being designated the Year of Adventure in Wales, the competition is timed perfectly. Adventure can mean all kinds of different things. For some it might mean a great day out climbing, coasteering or kayaking. For others it might mean exploring and sampling some of the great food, music and history the country has to offer.

With such a huge range of exciting things to see and do in Wales, the WTA is expecting a fantastic array of digital photographs for this competition. The competition is open to young people living within Wales and those from outside the country who have visited for holidays, short breaks and activities.

The regional winners will receive prizes of an exciting activity in the region where they took their digital photograph. The South East Wales regional winner will win gorge walking for two with Adventure Britain based at Seven Sisters, Neath. The South West winner will win a Tree Tops Trail for two at Heatherton World of Activities near Tenby.

The Mid Wales winner will win a half day fully-instructed indoor activity session at Llangorse Multi Activity Centre at Llangorse, near Brecon.

The North Wales winner will win a choice of two outdoor activities for two people for one day at Safe and Sound Outdoor Adventures at Llangollen.

Every photograph must be submitted electronically and accompanied by 100 words of text to explain where and the date it was taken and why it conveys the idea of adventure. A maximum of two photographs for each person is allowed and they must not have been entered in a previous competition.

A panel of experienced judges, including professional photographers, will cast their eyes over the entries and the regional and overall winners will be announced on April 11.

The closing date for entries is 4 April and photographs should be sent as Jpeg images at the highest available resolution as email attachment to photo2016@wta.org.uk. For further details and full terms and conditions click here.