Bailey Pegasus provides the perfect answer for winter fun in the Alps

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by Joe Jeffrey

No stopping for one couple as they hit the slopes in style

Whereas most couples pack their camping and caravanning gear away after the summer, one couple have done the exact opposite and taken to the slopes in Austria to enjoy another one of their favourite pastimes and to compete in championships across the Alps.

Professional snowboarder Simon Cudlip, 26, and blogger Faye Young, 22, have already spent the last six months in their caravan working on a campsite in the UK while enjoying their favourite summer sport, wakeboarding, and will now be posting regular updates of their winter lifestyle and sub-zero experiences on the new Bailey blog, which can be accessed here. They will also be sharing photos and updates via social media on Bailey’s Twitter handle using the hashtag #BaileySnowSeason.

Being told they ‘must be mad’ to want to live in a caravan through an Alpine winter did not deter this young couple from buying their first caravan – a Bailey Ranger – three years ago, which they subsequently upgraded to a 2008 Bailey Pageant Vendee. Both Simon and Faye prefer to have their own space and save money by not having to pay for expensive rental accommodation every winter sports season and they are still surprised that more British people don’t use their caravans for winter sports holidays.

Simon said: “The campsite we stay at near Innsbruck in Austria is busy all winter with people regularly using their caravans and motorhomes for skiing and snowboarding holidays, but we never used to see any from the UK. However, we’ve managed to introduce the idea to people we know who are also working here for the season, and persuaded several people from the UK to use their caravans for a holiday here, and now they love it,”

“A caravan is perfect for our lifestyle as we love to be able to go off to snowboarding competitions, then come back to our own place with our own things around us. We love caravans, and wish more people our age would consider it,” Fay added.

When not snowboarding, Faye writes her ‘girls snowboarding blog’ about fashion, travel (including caravanning) and reviews of anything snowboarding related, while Simon has a ski and snowboard waxing business which he does in the caravan’s awning. For this season, Simon has an Isabella Universal 420 porch awning which is specifically designed to be used in winter with features such as a sloping roof to help avoid having to clear any build-up of snow.

For the 2015/16 winter, Simon and Faye have swapped their 2008 model for a new, fourth generation Bailey Pegasus Brindisi, making the most of Bailey’s Alu-Tech bodyshell technology featuring thicker body panels and superior insulation.

The Brindisi also has a roomy front lounge offering great views from its unique vertical skylight, a well equipped kitchen in the central area, followed by a rear transverse double bed and an end washroom with a large shower cubicle.

Just like at home, the Truma heating system in the Pegasus is programmable via an easy to use control panel, but Simon and Faye also have the luxury of the new (optional) Truma iNet box so they can use their phones or tablets to control the heating from wherever they are to make sure they always return to a cosy, warm caravan after an active day on the snow.

Nick Howard, Managing Director of Bailey added: “It’s great to see two young people using a caravan as a base for their leisure pursuits in any climate, and we’re delighted that the Bailey Snow Season will demonstrate that the thermal efficiency of the Bailey Alu-Tech bodyshell makes our caravans genuine four-season vehicles.”

Vogue Williams to open Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravan & Motorhome show in Vogue as special guest opener announced

DJ and TV Presenter, Vogue Williams, will officially open The Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016 this year for The Caravan Club at Event City in Manchester, it has been revealed.

Fresh from winning Bear Grylls’ Mission Survive, adventurous Vogue will join touring enthusiasts from across the country as she kicks off the show on The Caravan Club stand.

Sporty Vogue will also launch the Manchester-London Cycle Challenge, where visitors to the stand will be collectively tasked with peddling the distance from Manchester to London (210 miles) on an exercise bike that has a giant TV screen in front of it so they can see exactly where they are en route.

In a year when The Caravan Club launched its Pitch Up Saddle Up campaign, developing new routes near its caravan sites, cycling will be a key part of the stand on launch day.

Vogue Williams said: “I’m so excited to be working with The Caravan Club and helping at The Caravan & Motorhome Show this year. Not many people know, that I love throwing all my things together and heading off for a long weekend in the great outdoors and caravanning certainly allows people to do this. As a keen cyclist, I look forward to getting on the saddle and helping travel between two of my favourite UK cities, and of course, meeting visitors on the day to the stand.”

Harvey Alexander, Director of Marketing from The Caravan Club says: “Vogue is the perfect choice to launch the show for us this year. In addition to her passion for the countryside, she is an avid cyclist, so a great advocate of our Pitch Up Saddle Up campaign.”

The North’s largest outdoor leisure show, The Caravan & Motorhome Show takes place at Manchester’s EventCity from 21 – 24 January 2016. To book your tickets, click here now.

Caravan Guard sponsors local Paralympic hero for 7th year running

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by Joe Jeffrey

Insurance company sponsors local hero for 2016 Rio Paralympics

Paralympic and triple world champion Hannah Cockroft has spoken of her delight at being sponsored by Caravan Guard Insurance for the seventh year running.

Halifax-based insurance specialist Caravan Guard presented Hannah with a cheque for £2,000 to see her through to the 2016 Rio Paralympics in September.

The sponsorship money will help Hannah to pay for her racing wheelchair, as well as replacement wheels, tyres, gloves, speedometers, physio and travel expenses to competitions.

The thrilled Halifax-born athlete visited the Caravan Guard headquarters, posed for selfies with staff, and showed off her latest trio of gold medals, which she secured at the 2015 IPC World Championships in Doha for the T34 100m, 400m and 800m.

Of the importance of her sponsorship, Hannah said: “For me to have a local, home-town sponsor is so nice.

“Caravan Guard has been there since right at the beginning – before I won anything and it’s nice they are following me throughout my whole career. They were that pathway to the gold medal because they got me the chair that I raced my first world championships. I know that Caravan Guard will still support me and believe in what I’m trying to do.”

“It’s so important because aside from going out and getting a job, it’s something I wouldn’t be able to afford to do myself,” added Hannah. “It’s amazing to be able to come back and visit those who were my first contributors and supporters.”

Managing director of Caravan Guard, Ryan Wilby, explained what an it was to continue to support a local hero. He said: “We were delighted Hannah took time out of her busy schedule to come and visit us and we’re proud to have sponsored her throughout her racing career.”

March opening date announced for new £1 million caravan park in Wales

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by Joe Jeffrey

Latest Snowdonian caravan park set to open its doors in March

A new £1 million five star touring caravan park in the heart of Snowdonia will open for business on March 7, 2016, the owners have announced.

Llanberis Touring Park, which will have 54-pitches on eight acres of land on the edge of the village at Glyn Rhonwy, will be accepting bookings from January 4 and a number of jobs will be created by the development.

Owners Morris Leisure anticipates high demand from touring caravan and motorhome owners because of the park’s prime location in Snowdonia, which attracts more than ten million visitors a year.

The land on which the park is located was previously part of a slate mining operation and used for offices during the construction of Dinorwig Power Station.

Shrewsbury-based Morris Leisure already owns the successful Riverside Touring Park in Betws-y-Coed together with four high quality caravan parks in Shropshire.

“Following our investment in Riverside Touring Park, we have been keen to expand our park portfolio in Snowdonia and detailed market research identified Llanberis as an ideal location,” said managing director Edward Goddard.

“Llanberis Touring Park is an exciting development for the company and we’re sure that caravan and motorhome owners are going to enjoy the stunning location.

“We have used local contractors and services wherever possible during the development of the park. Based on figures issued by the British Holiday and Home Parks Association, we expect the touring park to generate in excess of £200,000 a year for the local economy, which has got to be positive news for Llanberis.

“As with our five existing parks, we are keen to work closely with the local community. We are very grateful for the support of Llanberis people and Gwynedd Council throughout the planning process.”
 

Marquis expands Xplore range across Devon and Cornwall

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by Joe Jeffrey

Marquis Devon appointed as main Xplore dealer for Devon and Cornwall

The Marquis network has announced that, due to high customer demand, Marquis and the Explorer Group have teamed up to introduce the 2016 range of Elddis Xplore caravans into Devon and Cornwall by appointing Marquis Devon as the main agent for the area.

An established branch within the Marquis group, the Devon site has been supplying new and used motorhomes to the local area for nearly thirty years and the new appointment will compliment the existing ranges on display and appeal to a wider range of customers.

The multi-award-winning Elddis Xplore range features layouts that are both unique and exclusive – and some of the very lightest caravans in the UK. Every model is compact and easy-to-tow with virtually any car, yet the Xplore’s diminutive size belies the spacious and ingenious storage within.

Marquis have also announced a number of special introductory offers which will be available with all models purchased from Marquis Devon in December and customers can take advantage of guaranteed Easter delivery. A special launch event will subsequently follow in March, with details set to be released soon.

Watch this space for more as and when we get it.

Race steps up for Caravan, Motorhome, Park and Dealership of the Year as voting continues

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravan of the Year and Motorhome of the Year categories currently too close to call

The CaravanTimes Caravan & Motorhome of the Year Awards 2015 are in full swing and, if the number of votes you’re casting are anything to go by, this year looks set to be bigger than ever.

This year’s voting process has proven to be more popular than even last year, with an unprecedented number of votes being registered by you, the people who matter.

CaravanTimes readers have shown once again that, when it comes to making your feelings felt as far as the best 2015 had to offer, you don’t sit on the fence. And why should you? Especially when this is your chance to let the caravan and motorhome industry know how you feel.

As mentioned previously, voting has never been so popular, but voting has never been so close either between the manufacturers who looked to impress in 2015.

We here at CaravanTimes would love to tell you how voting is going so far, but we’re not going to just yet. What we can say, however, is that the nominees in the Caravan of the Year and Motorhome of the Year categories are currently so neck-and-neck we really don’t know who is going to take home the gold for 2015.

Also too close to call is the Park of the Year category, as well as Dealership of the Year.

It’s not over yet though. And who wins is up to you – and you alone. So if you haven’t cast your votes yet, do so now! Remember, be quick – voting closes at midday on Wednesday 16 December.

There are some great prizes up for grabs for taking part, 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

If you haven’t voted yet, make sure you complete the form below by midday on Wednesday for your chance to have your say and to win!

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

Caravan park disappears under water as UK flooding continues

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by Joe Jeffrey

Three inches of rain hit Britain in one day as flood victims face fresh misery

A caravan park in Cumbria disappeared under flood water on Thursday, as torrential downpour from the effects of Storm Desmond continued to bring misery to many across Northern England.

Business owner, Jon Holdsworth, of Patterdale Hall Estate, Cumbria, described the floods as being of “biblical” proportions upon surveying the damage caused by unprecedented amounts of rain, whilst many other business owners and individuals took a look firsthand at damage caused.

Three more inches of rain fell in 48 hours across Cumbria, as the onslaught of Storm Desmond continued to make water levels rise and bring more havoc across the region, with many villages continuing to remain cut off from civilisation following the closure of over 130 bridges.

Worst hit was the village of Glenridding in Cumbria, after Glenridding Beck overflowed and caused huge swathes of water to trap villagers in their homes. The military were subsequently able to access the village on Wednesday to bring in food and water for those holed up with no place to go.

Now, with further rainfall breaking the river’s banks once again, digger teams are frantically working around the clock in a bid to create temporary defences in the hope that further damage can be avoided.

Meanwhile, the secretary of state for communities, Greg Clarke, has pledged £51 million for homes and businesses affected by flooding, whilst stating the government is” determined to stand squarely behind them.”

Earlier this week, chancellor George Osborne said families affected would be able to claim up to £5,000 each to deal with damage caused by the unprecedented rainstorms described as “something never seen before” by Cumbrian council officials.

Superintendent Justin Bibby, of Cumbria Police, said: “As part of the multi-agency response to this week’s flooding across Cumbria, we were set to respond to the further heavy rainfall predicted for last night.

“I am pleased to say that the response was quick to last night’s flooding and multi-agency partners were able to reassure the community of Glenridding that everything was in place, and being done, to ensure their safety throughout the operation.”

Police, Cumbria Fire & Rescue Service and the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team in were in the village throughout the night providing support and assistance to residents.

The Meek family to feature in inspirational #Lifechanger book

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by Joe Jeffrey

The Meeks and more tell their stories to inspire others to do more in life

The Meek family are set to feature in a book concentrating on some of the most inspirational people in the UK.

Book, #Lifechanger – They Did It, So Now You Can Too, will feature various people from across the UK who have undertaken life changing adventures throughout 2015, and includes the Meek Family following their decision to travel across the UK and Europe in an Elddis motorhome as part of an educational adventure, known as an ‘Ed-venture’, as previously covered here.

The collaborative effort has allowed for a group of authors, including the Meeks, to provide readers with an insight into what makes them tick, in a bid to inspire others to do something different with their lives and embrace life to the fullest.

Other contributors to #Lifechanger, profits of which will go to The Guardian & Observer Charity Appeal for Refugees, include Alastair Humphreys, Dave Cornthwaite, Danny Boy Bent, Anna McNuff and Sean Conway.

Amy Meek, 12, who along with younger sister Ella, ten, and mother and father, Kerry and Tim, will continue to take to learning as much about life as possible during their journey throughout the next 12 months.

Amy said: “2015 has been no ordinary year for me and my family.

“After winning a caravan in a competition with Elddis and The Caravan Club my parents took this as an opportunity to change our lifestyle and make the most of the precious time that they have with Ella and me before we grow up.

“As we reached the end of our year in a caravan, we were fortunate enough to be offered the opportunity to move into an Elddis motorhome, which they are loaning us. We all desperately wanted to carry on the lifestyle we were living, so we snapped up the opportunity. The motorhome will enable us to travel in a different way and we now plan to ‘Ed-venture’ abroad in Europe!”

We here at CaravanTimes are excited to check out what else the Meek family has to say. To order your copy of #Lifechanger click here.

Controversial plans for Lancashire holiday park face fierce objection

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by Joe Jeffrey

Plans to extend caravan park despite possibility of breaching planning conditions and threat to wildlife

Controversial plans for the extension of a Lancashire holiday park are set to be decided next week.

Leisure company, Park Leisure 2000 Ltd, wants to extend Ribble Valley Country and Leisure Park in Paythorne by adding 30 caravan pitches and a children’s play area, as well as two new ponds as part of plans for expansion on the site – plans of which would also include extending the area of the park by utilising a field next door.

Proposed expansion to the site would break the conditions of a previous planning application which stated the number of caravans on the site should remain at no more than 295, with no caravans placed on the adjacent field. There are currently 290 caravans on the site at present.

Now, Paythorne and Newsholme Parish Council have hit back at plans to extend the park, stating that that the extension would go against the previous conditions as well as cause more light pollution in the area.

In correspondence addressed to Ribble Valley Council, clerk to the parish council, Stella Rosthorne, said: “In future years their “holiday home” will deteriorate to a position where they can no longer reside there.

“Most of them will have used the proceeds of the sale of their house and their savings to purchase said holiday home.

“When they become homeless the council will be obliged to re-house them, this will put further strain on an already tightening budget.

“The only persons who will truly benefit from an increase in the caravan site are the site owners themselves who have no consideration for the community.”

Letters have also been sent by local residents objecting to the plans claiming the extension would harm local wildlife including owls and hedgehogs.

A decision is due to be made by 17 December.

Coachman to launch Special Edition caravans for 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Coachman announced Special Edition caravans across loads of UK dealerships

Coachman Caravans has teamed up with some of its leading dealerships across the UK to launch a new range of Special Edition caravans for 2016, with exclusive designs for each dealership.

Most of the Special Editions will continue to be based on Coachman’s luxury lightweight Vision range and will be made available in all eight layouts. One dealership, Sussex Caravan Centre Ltd, will be offering six models inspired by Coachman’s VIP range, along with one model from Coachman’s flagship twin-axle Laser range.

Working alongside engineers from the University of Hull and Bostik, as previously reported on CaravanTimeshere, Coachman have developed Advanced Bonded Construction techniques (ABC) which have enabled the caravan company to produce lighter, stronger and more durable precision-manufactured caravans than ever before, whilst continuing to offer an affordable option for those looking to hit the road in style.

The Special Edition models will also come with extra specification, from upgraded soft furnishings and stylish graphics, to more practical features, such as BBQ points, alarm systems and roof fans.

Dealers that will be offering these unique models include Broad Lane Leisure, Glossop Caravans, Highbridge Caravan Centre, Kimberley Caravan Centre, Raymond James Caravans, Wandahome Knottingley and Sussex Caravan Centre. For those north of the border, fear not! Coachman have also designed a caravan exclusively for their Scottish dealerships, Dyce Caravans and Knowepark Caravans.

Scottish holiday parks praised for vital economic role

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by Joe Jeffrey

Event brings together leisure businesses which regenerate over £700m in public spending

Providers of “fresh air holidays” in Scotland met this month in Edinburgh to hear tourism minister Fergus Ewing praise their invaluable support of rural economies.

Ewing was speaking at the annual conference of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (Scotland) attended by many senior members of BH&HPA Scotland’s 200-plus park businesses.

Held at Edinburgh’s Our Dynamic Earth, the event brought together the managers and owners of businesses credited with generating just over £700m of visitor spending annually.

In his address at the start of the full-day conference, Ewing said that by consistently providing both value and quality, Scottish holiday parks were writing their own success story.

But the benefits, he pointed out, were felt right across the largely rural areas in which parks operate, thanks to the millions spent by visitors in other businesses in the regions.

Ewing said: “The holiday park sector offers good quality accommodation for all types of visitors, and helps to sustain employment in some of Scotland’s most remote and rural areas.”

“In this it is a great success story. With the 2016 Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design just around the corner, there are even more reasons to organise a holiday or short break in Scotland, and I have no doubt that the sector will take full advantage of this excellent opportunity,” he added.

Ewing also noted that parks had also helped contribute to increasing overseas visitor numbers which were up by four per cent compared with last year, and their spending up by ten per cent.

Delegates to the conference were welcomed by Colin Fraser, chairman of the British Holiday & Home Parks Association (Scotland) whose own park businesses are based in Aberdeen.

Fraser introduced a succession of specialist speakers on a range of subjects affecting parks which vary across Scotland from small camping sites to major holiday centres.

They included Gill Brittle of Respitality, an initiative of Shared Care Scotland which seeks to link local organisations which support unpaid carers, and local hospitality providers such as parks.

Solicitor Paul Kelly of park industry specialists Tozers outlined the powerful new rights introduced by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which affects all businesses.

The conference also heard from Ruth Badger who became one of Sir Alan Sugar’s favourites when she took part in BBC television’s The Apprentice.

Badger now has a close involvement with the parks sector, and drew on her experience to give advice on how best to attract customers and build their loyalty by creating exceptional experiences.

An entertaining and highly informative insight to the mindset of today’s media-savvy youth was provided by Dr Paul Redmond who is director of student life at the University of Manchester.

Other speakers included BH&HPA national chairman Henry Wild who provided an update on forthcoming changes to UK and EU laws and regulations which will affect park businesses.

Henry also said that the importance of Scottish parks to the tourism economy was underlined last year in an independent study commissioned by the Scottish Caravan and Camping Forum (SCCF).

It found not only that visitors to Scottish parks not only spent £700m each year in mainly smaller family-run businesses, but that the sector supported more than 5,600 full-time equivalent jobs.

Overall, Scottish holiday parks contribute a total of eight per cent of all the revenue produced by Scotland’s tourism economy – a larger figure than the country’s B&B and guest house sector.

Closing the conference, Colin Fraser said the industry was delighted to include Scottish tourism minister Fergus Ewing among its champions, and greatly valued his work on its behalf.

Fraser also thanked Ewing for the time he had dedicated over the past year to assisting the association, which included undertaking a number of fact-finding visits to Scottish parks.

Lincolnshire caravan park named Best Small Campsite of the Year in annual AA Awards

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravan park near Boston heaps praise from the AA in annual awards

A touring caravan and camping park in Old Leake, near Boston in Lincolnshire, has been named Small Campsite of the Year in an annual awards scheme organised by the AA.

Long Acres, an adult-only site run by John and Tracey Plant, received the accolade following the AA’s evaluation of the site and will see the park featured in the new edition of the AA Caravan and Camping Guide 2016.

The park, which has been managed by the Plants for three and a half years, is no stranger to the odd award, having received a Gold Pennant from the AA earlier this year – something, the AA says, is awarded to only the ‘very best camping parks’ across the UK.

A spokesperson for the AA said of Long Acres: “Tardis-like, the site extends back from John and Tracey Plant’s beautiful bungalow and gardens. New arrivals are amazed when they see the well-designed and very tranquil camping area opening up as they drive through the gate.

“The hands-on owners are to be commended for transforming the long patch of land behind their property into a stunning park, one that deserves its new Gold Pennant status and the accolade of Small Campsite of the Year.”

CaravanTimes sends its congratulations to the Plants on a job well done.