The Caravan Club highlights some great escapes for 2016

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

Marquis Leisure wins coveted customer service accolade from the NCC

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by Joe Jeffrey

The NCC awards Marquis Leisure with ‘Approved Dealership’ status

Marquis Leisure has been awarded ‘Approved Dealership’ status by caravan industry trade body the National Caravan Council (NCC).

As one of only a handful of companies recognised by the NCC for 2015, the prestigious accolade sees all 11 Marquis dealerships nationwide receive the official status.

The scheme, which covers businesses involved in the sale of touring caravans and motorhomes, was launched by the NCC to enable customers to remain assured and confident when looking to purchase caravans and motorhomes from the organisation’s network of approved, quality dealers.

Marquis Leisure is part of an industry worth more than £6 billion a year to the UK economy, one that sustains more than 100,000 jobs and is a real British success story and, following a comprehensive, independent on-site assessment, Marquis was found to meet all of the strict criteria governing the scheme and was awarded NCC Approved Dealership status.

Of the accolade bestowed to Marquis, Alan Buckwell, Marquis sales director, said: “We’re proud to have been recognised as a company that treats it’s customers with respect and deals with them in an open, honest and friendly way. We have a valued and loyal customer base and have built our business on word-of-mouth recommendations arising from positive experiences.”

The NCC Approved Dealership is one of three Consumer Code initiatives developed by the NCC, the trade body for the UK tourer, motorhome, holiday and park home industries of which Marquis Leisure are members. At the heart of each scheme is a Consumer Code of Practice establishing the benchmark for how an NCC member business should undertake all relations with its customer base.

Frank Finch, NCC membership services director, said of the initiative: “The scheme allows consumers to more easily identify dealerships that have committed to look after their interests. Marquis Leisure has successfully demonstrated that it operates to the high standards of customer service that the industry recognises as its benchmark.  NCC Approved businesses strive to provide customers with greater protection than is required by law and consistently aim to improve their offering by seeking and acting upon customer feedback.”

CaravanTimes extends its congratulations to Marquis on being awarded Approved Dealership status.

Who’s your favourite dealership? Vote now in our CaravanTimes Awards 2015 and have your say to win some great prizes now!

Half of experienced drivers would fail driving test second time around

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by Joe Jeffrey

50 per cent of drivers would fail their driving test if results of joint study by Auto Express and IAM are to be believed

Half of experienced drivers would fail their driving test if they were asked to take it again, according to the results of an experiment by Auto Express and the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

Auto Express magazine joined forces with the Britain’s biggest independent road safety charity in an exercise to see if the UK’s driving test, which marks its 80th anniversary this year, still meets its objective in allowing only the most competent drivers onto the road.

The IAM set to task to find 12 experienced drivers who were prepared to undertake a mini-driving test again and discover if they would pass their test if they had to take it in today’s conditions.

Going by the criteria of the IAM’s qualified assessors on the day, just 50 per cent, or six of the 12 who took part, would pass if they took it again today.

In all, 46 million people have taken their driving test since it was introduced in 1935. Back at the start the pass rate was 63 per cent – today it has fallen to just 47 per cent.

The above said, however, although there has been a stark drop in the number of pass rate falling, the volume of vehicles has risen sharply over the years and, at present, there are 35 million cars registered for use on UK roads.

It seems that a number of issues were to blame for the low pass rate once the 12 drivers were put to the test, including failing to use mirrors enough, over-speeding and underuse of signals.

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief of Auto Express, said os the findings: “Driving standards has always been a hot topic and the result of our tests shows that too many people just aren’t as good at driving as they think they are.

“Although technology is making driving safer than ever, the attitude and ability of the person behind the wheel is the most important element. We always encourage people to take pride in their driving and take additional training if necessary.”
Added Sarah Sillars, IAM chief executive officer: “The results of our joint experiment were very interesting. It shows that keeping your skills topped up and knowledge of the Highway Code current is crucial in making safer drivers and riders.
“Road skills cannot be allowed to lapse. Keeping your skills current through advanced tuition and other proven methods can only be a benefit to everyone who uses our roads.”

What do you think? Are you as confident on the road as you always have been? It certainly would be a bonus if that’s the case – especially when towing a caravan!

New Wellhouse Leisure campervan to debut at EventCity Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Terrier LUX-XL camper van set to impress this January in Manchester

Wellhouse Leisure has announced plans to unveil a brand new campervan at the EventCity Caravan & Motorhome Show in Manchester, taking place from 21 to 24 January 2016.

The all-new Terrier LUX-XL will be unveiled along side a line-up of five other models, including the Alphard and top-of-the-range Terrier M-Sport Camper.

The Terrier LUX-XL looks set to be an extremely spacious, comfortable and convenient campervan for up to two people. It is based on a 5.4m, long wheelbase, high roof (2.5m) Ford Transit Custom, allowing for an easy drive and the ability to park in a standard parking space, and with retail prices starting from £42,000, it looks set to also offer great value for money. 

Inside, the LUX-XL features an L-shaped kitchen and washroom featuring a cassette toilet at the rear, and a fixed bench seat which converts to a double bed opposite the nearside sliding side door. It is powered by the same economical, 125 PS, 2.2-litre Ford Duratorq TDCI diesel engine as the Terrier 2 SE model, with Euro 5 emissions and a six-speed manual gearbox.

The LUX-XL will also benefit from the high standard specification of the Ford Transit Custom, including cab air conditioning, Bluetooth, DAB radio, swivelling and heated front seats. For when it’s time to hot the great outdoors, it has a SMEV two-ring gas hob and sink, a 42-litre Dometic compressor fridge, 240v/12v power sockets, a 100 Ah leisure battery and containers for fresh and waste water. It also has 16 inch alloy wheels, a 95w solar panel and Eberspacher, 2.2kw blown-air heating.

Additional extras available include Remis cab blinds, a SMEV mini-grill, a roll-out awning and leather upholstery. 

To find out what else is on offer at the Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016, check out the show’s website’s product finder here now.