CaravanTimes Awards 2015: The Results

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Keep watching to see if your favourite manufacturers won in this year’s CaravanTimes Awards

The time has come and the votes have been counted in the CaravanTimesAwards 2015.

In November, we asked you, our readers, to nominate in a number of categories in order for your favourite caravan, motorhome and leisure industry purveyors to feature in our awards for 2015. This was systematically followed by the opening of the voting system, which saw you cast your votes like never before in a number of exciting categories, including Caravan of the Year, Motorhome of the Year, Towcar of the Year, and many more exciting categories to name just a few.

Your hard work didn’t’ go amiss though. As well as being instrumental in determining an ultimate winner in each category, every single person who casted their vote was entered into a prize draw to win an amazing bundle of goodies, including a sat nav, dash cam, portable worldband radio, tyre pressure kits and much, much more.

Following on from an unprecedented amount of votes, we are happy to present the winners in each category in our video above, the making of which would not have been possible without your help. Each and every year, our main aim is to get you, our dedicated readers, involved – and that certainly worked for 2015. Therefore, all of us here at CaravanTimes would like to thank all of those who took part.

So now, get ready to see if your voting prowess paid off and if your favourites have struck gold for 2015. Oh, and remember to watch until the end to see if you’ve been made a winner too and whether you’ll be getting one of our prizes in the post soon.

Yorkshire Caravans hold canine competition for Christmas

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Canine capers and festive fun at Yorkshire Caravans

Yorkshire Caravans has held its second annual Christmas fair, with the introduction of a dog competition which saw even pooches dress for the festive occasion.

Over 100 visitors attended the dealership in Bawtry which held a best dressed dog competition. Local market stalls were also on hand to offer up some last-minute Christmas gift ideas, alongside Mayflower Animal Sanctuary who organised a tombola and raffle to raise funds for the worthy charity.

If the above wasn’t enough, fair organisers laid on a reindeer hunt for the kiddies which saw children being given a free Cadbury’s selection box on completion. Elmsall brass band were also on hand to play Christmas carols to put people in the festive spirit.

As for the dogs, Cuba the Labrador retriever scooped first prize of a £25 Pets at Home voucher for the best dressed pooch, thanks to an attire consisting of Father Christmas riding on top of the canine’s back.

90 per cent of caravanners swear by motor movers

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Overwhelming response from caravanners questioned regarding motor movers

90 per cent of caravanners own a motor mover and consider them to be an essential piece of caravan kit according to the results of a survey conducted by caravan insurers, CaravanGuard, it has been revealed.

Described as a “lifesaver” and “godsend” by some, just seven per cent of those questioned stated they could live without one, whilst the additional three per cent claimed they were considering getting on in the near future.

Caravanner, Tim Peacock, agreed with the findings, stating: “We already have a small caravan but now find, due to age, we struggle to push the van off and on our driveway. A must for the more mature caravanners.”

Many of those surveyed by CaravanGuard also commented that not only did it take the strain out of parking on a variety of terrains, as well as the stress out of the relationship, it also provided a good source of entertainment.

Fellow caravanner, Ian Manning, said: “It still intrigues onlookers to see it in action. Also seriously reduces wear and tear on car clutch putting it away at home and generally. Marvellous piece of kit!”

Other caravanners also found the mover helps to reduce the strain on the car clutch and would rather invest in motor mover than pay for clutch repairs.

Motor movers are designed to make life that little bit easier and they certainly seem to be doing just that for many caravanners. What about you? Do you own a caravan mover and would you consider leaving home without one?

The Caravan Club highlights some great escapes for 2016

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Check out some great ideas from the Caravan Club to kick your 2016 off with a bang

It might be gloomy outside, but The Caravan Club has announced some amazing summer getaways for 2016 to brighten up your day.

Highlights for 2016 include:

Scarborough West Ayton Caravan Club Site is an ideal holiday location for active families. The North York Moors National Park is on the doorstep where there is plenty of beautiful countryside to explore with walking, cycling and horse riding routes located nearby. The market town of Scarborough is also within easy reach of the site for, seaside fun, costal walks and the dramatic RSPB Reserve at Bempton Cliff to discover the wildlife.

A caravan pitch at Scarborough West Ayton Caravan Club Site costs from £23.50 based on two adults and two children per pitch, per night.

Cambridge Cherry Hinton Caravan Club Site is perfect for those who want to enjoy a break in this historic city. The site may be set in beautiful countryside but is also only a ten minute journey into the spires of Cambridge. There is easy access to guided walking tours of the medieval colleges to explore the world famous academic atmosphere. Wander along the River Cam or sit back and relax by taking a punt. There are many other ways to see the charm of the city with open bus tours, cycling routes and many walks.

A caravan pitch at Cambridge Cherry Hinton Caravan Club Site costs from £24.00 based on two adults and two children per pitch, per night. 

Treamble Valley Caravan Club Site offers unforgettable views of the beautiful and rugged Cornish coastline. It is a great getaway to explore everything that the coast has to offer with long coastal walks, plenty of wildlife to spot from buzzards to bars and spectacular sunsets. Newquay, one of Cornwall’s most popular holiday and surfing resort is only five miles away where there are many fun facilities to make the most of. There is also the beautiful town of Perranporth close by with it is three miles of golden beach with plenty of room for everyone. This site is also the closest to the Eden Project which is one of the UK’s top tourist attractions.

A caravan pitch at Treamble Valley Caravan Club Site costs from £20.60 based on two adults and two children per pitch, per night. 

Do you have anywhere planned yet for 2016? Let us know in the comments below.

Final call: cast your votes NOW in the CaravanTimes Awards 2015

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes Awards voting closing soon

The annual CaravanTimes Awards 2015 will close in just an hours time.

The Awards, voted on by you, our dedicated readers, offer a wonderful opportunity to vote on what floated your boat – or caravan – during 2015. Be it the newest leisure vehicles, latest accessories, favourite park, and much more, the Awards are not only recognised industry-wide, but allow for your voice to be heard and for you to let the industry know what you thought of its offerings over the past 12 months.

As an incentive, and to get you involved, we will also be offering a great number of prizes for those who vote, including the following: an Aguri Motorhome & Caravan Sat Nav, a Snooper DVR-4HD Vehicle Driver Recorder, a Tecsun PL-880 Portable Worldband Radio, an Autoglym Perfect Bodywork Wheels and Interiors gift pack, a TyrePal TB99, TyrePal TC215B/4, an Airstream Drinks Cooler, and Tablet TV, which allows for you to stream live TV on your smart device. We’ll also be giving away a few Bailey umbrellas to lucky runners up.

The number of votes this year has been phenomenal and more than we’ve ever received, which just goes to show that caravanning isn’t a fad – it’s definitely here to stay. And now is your chance to shape the future of such a wonderful and fulfilling pastime.

Remember: every vote counts, so complete the below today and make sure yours does too!

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 22 December 2015 and will be notified via the email supplied in the entry form
One winner will be selected for each of the prizes listed above
Only one entry per person
No purchase necessary
No cash or alternative will be offered
This competition is open to new or existing CaravanTimes members and Facebook fans only
No employees of CaravanTimes or StantonPace Ltd may enter
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over

Loch Ness Caravan Park wins Loo of the Year for second consecutive year

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Scottish caravan park scoops prestigious loo award

Loch Ness Shores Camping and Caravanning Club Site has scooped a gong at the prestigious Loo of the Year Awards, for the second consecutive year.

The Site has been crowned the overall 2016 UK winner in the Eco Friendly Loo of the Year category, beating its performance in 2015 when it won the award for sites in Scotland. 

The 100-pitch Loch Ness Shores Camping and Caravanning Club Site welcomes thousands of visitors each year, keen to explore the stunning Highland scenery and experience the first-rate eco-friendly facilities found on site.

Developed to boost standards in away-from-home washrooms everywhere, the Loo of the Year Awards crowned winners in sixty categories, from shopping centres through to camping and touring sites at the 28th annual Loo of the Year Awards ceremony on Friday 4 December. The event helps to focus attention on the thousands of washrooms across the UK and promotes the highest standards.

Each toilet block entered into the scheme is rigorously assessed on strict criteria, which includes signage and communication, décor and maintenance, security and cleanliness.

Franchisee Lyn Forbes welcomed the latest award for the busy site, saying: “We wanted to improve the economy of the area, in a way that wouldn’t impact on the environment and believed a touring campsite was the way forward.” 

The opening of the Loch Ness Shores site marked a culmination of a decade of work by the Forbes family, who were tenant farmers for generations before buying Foyers Mains Farm on which the campsite was built.

The campsite has been open for two years and serves to drive traffic to other attractions locally, including Foyers Village Shop, Waterfall Café and new businesses including Cameron’s Tea Room and Morag’s Crafty Bothy.

The Loo of the Year Award is the latest achievement for Loch Ness Shores, coming hot on the heels of a win in the 2015 Green Tourism Awards, when the site won gold in the best Environmental Management category.

The site has also been awarded 5-star certification by Visit Scotland.

Bob Hill, the Club’s Sites Director, said: “I’m delighted that the 2016 Eco Friendly Loo of the Year Award now joins many others won by Loch Ness Shores Club Site.

“Lyn and Donald have taken great strides to make their campsite sustainable, including a solar thermal system and a pioneering water-to-water pump that heats the water for both buildings on site.

“This recognition is a fitting reward for all their hard work.”

The Club’s Skye site also won a Platinum Award and the National Category Award for Camping & Touring Sites in Scotland at the Awards Ceremony.

For more information on the Loo of the Year Awards, click here.

Have you won tickets to the Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016?

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

The results are in! Read on to find out if you’re going to the Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016

2016 is almost upon us and that means just one thing: the North’s largest outdoor leisure show, The Caravan & Motorhome Show is back!

The show, which runs from 21 – 24 January at EventCity in Manchester, will offer a huge choice of the latest models of touring caravans, motorhomes, holiday homes and much more.

This year’s show is set to be a great day out for all the family with the unveiling of the brand new Get Back to Nature stage, where visitors will be encouraged to rediscover the British countryside and interact with the stage’s special guests including TV Presenter & Marine Adventurer Monty Halls.

For your chance to be at the show, a few weeks ago CaravanTimes teamed up with Caravan and Motorhome Show organisers to offer you the opportunity one of ten pairs of tickets simply liking out Facebook page here.

And the results are in! CaravanTimes is happy to announce the winners are:

June Waite, Richard Saunders, Tiff Jordan, J Jeffers, John Hunt, David Smith, Stephen Foster, Tim Jones, Lyn Arnold, Brian Hardisty

Congratulations to the above named. We’ll be in touch soon regarding your tickets.

Don’t worry if you didn’t win on this occasion. We’ve got plenty more prizes to give away in our CaravanTimes 2015 Awards giveaway which can be entered here now!

CaravanTimes Awards 2015 sees top parks in fierce battle

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Caravan Park of the Year category heats up as decision time draws near

It goes without saying that the annual CaravanTimes Awards always prove popular for one reason or the other. Whether it’s the great number of amazing prizes on offer, or simply the fact that those who are bestowed with CaravanTimes’ annual accolades are chosen by you, our dedicated readers, remains up for debate, but one thing this year is for sure: the competition is stiffer than ever.

The above said, the battle for Caravan of the Year remains at an all-time high as would be expected. However, one category following closely behind for 2015 is Park of the Year.

A number of wonderful parks are up for nomination this year – all for good reason. From Beechwood Grange Caravan Club Site to The Old Oaks Touring Park, Ross Park in Devon to Trevornick in Cornwall, and everywhere else in-between including the option of adding your very own nominee, voting is still open and a couple of parks are close to taking the top spot for 2015. We’re not going to spoil things for you though, but to say it looks like it’s going to be a battle to the end would be an understatement.

The above said, if you haven’t voted yet and feel like your favourite park deserves the title of Park of the Year, vote now. You never know, you could end up with a wonderful prize from our vast array of items scheduled to be given away to 12 lucky voters. Prizes include:

An Aguri Motorhome & Caravan Sat Nav, a Snooper DVR-4HD Vehicle Driver Recorder, a Tecsun PL-880 Portable Worldband Radio, an Autoglym Perfect Bodywork Wheels and Interiors gift pack, a TyrePal TB99, TyrePal TC215B/4, an Airstream Drinks Cooler, and Tablet TV, which allows for you to stream live TV on your smart device

So what are you waiting for? Vote today and have your say.

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 22 December 2015 and will be notified via the email supplied in the entry form
One winner will be selected for each of the prizes listed above
Only one entry per person
No purchase necessary
No cash or alternative will be offered
This competition is open to new or existing CaravanTimes members and Facebook fans only
No employees of CaravanTimes or StantonPace Ltd may enter
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over

The Caravan Club reports impressive surge in bookings for 2016

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

14 per cent increase in bookings with the South West proving most popular thanks to Poldark and more

The Caravan Club has reported an overall 14 per cent increase in bookings year-on-year on its first day of UK-wide 2016 bookings, demonstrating that the UK staycation shows no sign of waning when compared to European and long-haul sunshine getaways.

The Club’s sites in the South West proved most popular, thought to be attributed to the popularity of BBC series Poldark and the hotly anticipated BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None – premiering over the next few months – both of which were filmed in the region.

As a result of the above, The Caravan Club’s sites in the region are continuing to perform well with a growth of 42 per cent at Cornwall’s Looe Caravan Club Site and 41 per cent year-on-year increase at Devon’s Putts Corner and Steamer Quay Caravan Club Sites.

Despite the recent flooding in Cumbria, a number of The Caravan Club sites in the county have also seen an increase in bookings year-on-year. With a 26 per cent growth in bookings to Dockray Meadow Caravan Club Site, and 17 per cent at Kendal Caravan Club Site reported, it seems that Brits are rallying behind the region in support of local tourism by planning to enjoy the breath-taking beauty of The Lakes in 2016.

Nick Lomas, director general, The Caravan Club commented: “We all know how great it is to be outside enjoying the UK countryside and coastline during the spring and summer months and it’s encouraging to see our members continuing to champion the staycation in 2016. With the devastating floods in Cumbria it’s reassuring to see Brits rallying behind the region and returning to The Lakes to support local tourism in its time of need. The surge in popularity of ‘TV inspired tourism’ over recent years is also fascinating and with such beautiful scenery depicted in these shows it’s no wonder that we’re all keen to experience it first-hand.”

We don’t know about you, but we here at CaravanTimes think 2016 is going to be a great year for the industry and caravanners alike.

70 per cent of people in support of lowering drink-drive limit

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

More call for lowering drink-drive limit as festive season begins

Almost seventy per cent of people would like to see the legal drink-drive limit reduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to the same level of that implemented in Scotland, according to a survey by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

The survey of 2,437 visitors to the IAM website, which took place during November 2015, also found that almost half would like the police to be given more power to stop any driver and request a random breath test.

As well as supporting a reduction in the limit, many of those surveyed highlighted the want for more of a festive focus on the issue of drink driving, answering that seasonal Christmas drink-drive campaigns should always be made a priority by the police. Perhaps surprisingly, the success of this approach is demonstrated by existing research from the Department for Transport which shows that the number of people convicted of drink driving falls in December despite more people being tested over the festive period.

Following on from lowering the legal alcohol limit in Scotland from 80 to 50 milligrams of alcohol in 100ml of blood in December 2014, Police Scotland confirmed they saw a 19 per cent reduction in drivers prosecuted for being under the influence of alcohol over the festive period, compared with the same period the previous year.

As Scottish drink-drive numbers continue to fall, with a corresponding reduction in alcohol-related accidents, the IAM’s chief executive officer, Sarah Sillars said: “While the police double their efforts in reducing the number of drink-drive incidents during this time of year, it’s important that we look to a solution that can make a positive change over the long-term.

“Many of our survey participants would like to see stricter laws introduced, in order to discourage those who continue to risk one or two drinks when driving. The IAM welcomed the adoption of lower limits in Scotland last year and this change seems to be successfully reinforcing the message that we should all make it none for the road. Christmas is a time when people are more conscious of the risk of drink-driving and the IAM supports campaigns which makes the non-drinker the hero on a night out, so that everyone stays safe.”

Camping and Caravanning Club Cumbrian sites set to welcome Christmas despite floods

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

Camping and Caravanning Club to operate business as usual at unaffected sites across Cumbrian county

The Camping and Caravanning Club has announced that several of its sites in Cumbria will remain open for the Christmas period, despite recent devastating floods associated with Storm Desmond.

Following the recent flooding, the Club’s Keswick Club Site will remain closed whilst under refurbishment until 18 February 2015, however Eskdale and Windermere Club Sites join others in the South Lakeland and Copeland districts, which have been left unscathed by the intense rainfall that has led to flooding in the north of the county.

Bob Hill, the Club’s sites director, said: “In and around the south lakes region, our Eskdale, Windermere, Ravenglass and Braithwaite Fold Club Sites are still very much open for business and welcoming campers.

“It’s important to note that work is already taking place to restore the Club sites that were affected by flooding so campers can be reassured and welcomed at the earliest opportunity.”

In the event of further flooding, the Club says, rigorous and robust procedures remain in place and contingency plans to remove campers and caravanners to nearby sites or to amend bookings will be implemented.

To check the current status of the Club’s sites across Cumbria, click here.

Christmas traffic: Road chaos predicted this weekend, as Friday set to be busiest day on the roads

Posted by

by Joe Jeffrey

AA Roadwatch warns road users of trouble ahead on roads this weekend

Christmas caravanners beware: this Friday (18 December) will be the busiest on the roads as Christmas traffic combines with regular commuter traffic, according to AA Roadwatch.

A recent AA-Populus poll of 29,568 AA members has found that 45 per cent of those looking to escape for Christmas will expect to drive over 20 miles on Friday – that’s around 14 million cars to you and us.

Traffic delays are expected to peak around 4pm on Friday, according to driving intelligence experts, INRIX, which the organisation predicts could triple journey times on some stretches of motorway, including the M25, M5 and M4.

Traffic is also expected to be busy on Saturday (19 December) with last minute shopping frenzies and from Monday to Wednesday (21-23 December) with around 40 per cent of respondents driving over 20 miles.

According to INRIX, the heaviest traffic can be expected on the following stretches:

M25 – both ways J7 (Reigate) to J16 (M40)
A4 – Westbound (Earl’s Court) to M4 J11 (Reading)
M5 – Southbound J13 (Stroud) to J19 (Gordano)
M60 – both ways J8 (Carrington) to M62 J20 (Rochdale)
M4 – both ways J24 (Coldra) to J32 (Coryton)
M6 – northbound J11a (M6 Toll) to J19 (Knutsford)
M25 – Anti-clockwise J4 (Orpington) to Dartford Crossing
M3 – Southbound J2 (M25) to J8 (A303)
M1 – Northbound J10A (Luton Airport) to J14 (Milton Keynes)
M5 – both ways J3 (A456) to M6 J10a (M54)
M25 – Clockwise J27 (M11) to Dartford Crossing
M56 – Eastbound J9 (M6) to the M60
M1 – Northbound J32 (M18) to J42 (M62)
M74 – Southbound J1/M8 and J7 (Larkhall)
M1 – Northbound J17 (Watford Gap) to J23a (E Mids Airport)

Max Holdstock, AA patrol of the year, says: “Christmas Day falling on a Friday will help stagger the getaway traffic but it’s still going to be very busy at peak times on the major getaway routes. Try to travel when it’s quieter or, if you have no choice, take an alternative route during peak times to beat the jams.

How about you? Will you be escaping for the Christmas break, or will you be spending it at home?