Plans to develop a Route 66 in the Scottish Highlands

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Claire Lawson

Scotland has plans to create an iconic road trail for visitors like the famous roads in America and Australia

Scotland is in the running to create an iconic road trail for visitors in the Highlands, similar to America’s Route 66 and Australia’s Great Ocean Road.

The road proposed for development would be known as North Coast 500 (NC500), and take people along the coastlines of the far north, opening a tourist market in Caithness, at the furthest north-eastern part of the UK.

The idea for the road trail comes from the North Highland Initiative (NHI), set up by Prince Charles, targeting car and motorcycle enthusiasts. The route will go from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast, going up through the north coast to John O’Groats then heading down the east coast to loop back in Inverness.

The road will be a link for things such as natural heritage, local food and drink, accommodation and attractions of the region to name a few.

NHI chairman, David Whiteford, told the Scotsman that he has high hopes for the NC500: “Across the globe, touring routes have become famous and are often the very reason for visitors making the journey to that country.

“While it may be a coastal route, it is also about the wonderful diversions from it where you will experience the places, the personalities and the craic that make up this extraordinary journey.”

Mike Cantlay, chairman of VisitScotland, is confident the attraction will generate millions for the economy, adding: “The Highlands is a true touring paradise. There really is nothing quite like the open road. People travel from all over the world for Route 66, and with our scenery, there’s no reason NC500 can’t prove to be just as popular.”

The bid for this new road has already gained interest from American travel journalists and publications, adding more confidence that this venture will be very successful for the Highlands.

Drug driving law enforced in England and Wales from today

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Claire Lawson

New legislation to crack down on drug use in drivers to be enforced across UK

Police officers will be able to test road users for traces of drugs at the roadside with new laws coming into effect from today.

Drivers will no longer have to be impaired in order to be prosecuted, they will simply have to have a trace of an illegal substance in their system, with those in ‘control’ of a vehicle facing prosecution should illegal quantities of drugs be found to have been taken.

The police will use DrugWipe testing kits to detect the drugs cocaine and cannabis at the roadside, while 14 other drugs, including ecstacy, LSD, heroin and ketamine, will be tested at police stations even if drivers pass the roadside checks. The abuse of legal drugs including diazepam, methadone and morphine will also be tested for.

Existing laws mean those prosecuted already face a fine up to £5,000, up to six months in prison and a minimum driving ban of one year.

Research conducted by THINK! has found that over half of drivers have said that they feel safe behind the wheel when under the influence of illegal substances. However, the National Institute on Drug Abuse states that drivers are three to seven times more likely to be responsible for accidents than drivers who had not used drugs or alcohol, with estimates suggesting that around 200 people are killed each year on Britain’s roads due to drug driving.

Dr Kim Wolf, from London King’s college, who acted as an advisor for the Government drug drive policy said these are very worrying results. “Illegal drugs seriously impair skills required to drive safely, such as reaction time and decision making.

“In many cases those who take certain illegal drugs believe that they are safe to drive, but are in fact putting themselves and others at risk. Greater awareness of the dangers of drug driving is important as we move forward with this important step towards safer roads,” Dr Wolf continued.

However, it has been suggested that the devices used to test those thought to be under the influence of drugs – known as ‘drugalyzers’ – are only able to detect a small handful of drugs in one’s system.

Do you think this new law will have a big impact on stamping out road users who consider being in control of a vehicle when under the influence of drugs acceptable?

Mobile food service taking Cornwall by storm

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by Justine Iorga

Food service out of renovated caravans is the latest trend in Cornwall
It looks like there is a new way of dining that’s taking over Cornwall and it comes in the shape of mobile food stations, including retro caravans.
True, it’s nothing new, but the recent surge in the formation of new businesses catering from kitchens on wheels is. And, for a few individuals, it seems the reason is simple: they are tired of not being able to get a taste of what they love, so they have decided to take their passions and creativity and turn that into a profit.
They are just ordinary people; some of them are parents, chefs, former social workers, prop designers – you get the drift – and they are taking street food to a whole new level. They travel in anything from Citroën vans; tow converted horse boxes and vintage caravans; making a range of foods that include wood-fired pizza, smokehouse barbecued meats, pancakes, crumpets, pasta dishes and seafood, as well as ‘gourmet’ takes on the staunch favourites of sausages and burgers – not forgetting the tea and coffee sellers.
And now, more than 15 mobile food sellers have brought their businesses to Cornwall since the summer of 2013. This type of employment has brought along with it a new lifestyle that reflects the owners’ interests of the outdoors, meeting new people, and getting a chance to explore their creativity.
Helen Grace, the owner of Truly Crumptious , is a single mum from Falmouth that sells crumpets from a 1967 Cheltenham Waterbuck touring caravan, which took her and friends a year to restore.
She told, local newspaper, West Briton: “My hobbies now are green living, cooking, crafting, festivals and music, so to do what I do now just fits in stunningly with my passions.”
Helen’s not alone. Michelle Northcott and Nicholas Daniel for example, set up Silver Server, a 40-year-old Airstream trailer which assists them in serving up gourmet burgers, the ingredients of which are mainly sourced locally. Michelle stated: “We have an interest in vintage vehicles, love camping and we especially enjoy meeting new and interesting people along the way.
“Although vintage paraphernalia has become extremely popular we did not realise the scale of this until we bought the airstream.”
Of course it’s not always an easy lifestyle and for some it can be hard with unsociable hours, but it seems that the positives highly outweigh any negatives.
For Rosie and Graham Hoppe from the Laid-Back Coffee Company, which trades from a 1969 Morris Minor van known as Bert, stated: “We no longer needed childcare for the holiday season because, when we’re out trading, we can do a tag-team of manning the van and taking it in turns to be with the kids.”
Grace also added: “It’s really wonderful to see new businesses blossom in vintage vehicles, a fabulous way of upcycling and reinventing.
“Cornwall’s producers and restaurants are top notch so mobile catering has to follow, we have a haven of artists and creativity so it makes sense to see a growth of interesting outdoor catering.”
What do you think of this form of dining? Do you think it’d be a fun way to eat out with the family or for a date night? Let us know your thoughts.

Malvern Caravan Show 2015 promises fun for the whole family

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by Alice Scarsi

Head to Malvern this October to enjoy the last weekend of the 2015 season

Even though October seems some time away, it’s pretty surprising how quick the months pass by – we can’t believe it’s March already.

The above said, it’s always good to plan ahead and this year’s Malvern Caravan Show, taking place between 2 – 4 October in Malvern, is no different.

Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to see the latest line-up of motorhomes and caravans for 2016 whilst enjoying entertainment and attractions ideal for the whole family, including events including lawn games and the annual dog show. And, with the option to pitch up for the night, entertainment from the likes of Elton John and Abba tribute acts are certain to get you tapping your feet and singing along.

Furthermore, Warners Exhibitions, the organisers of the Western Motorhome Show, are going to cooperate with the Three Counties Showground in Malvern to assure that the 2015 Malvern Caravan Show will be bigger and better than ever.

Different types of tickets, with both day and night options are available to purchase now, including overnight bundles as mentioned above. To find out more, click here.

Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 breaks attendance records

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By Joe Jeffrey

Figures released by show organisers reveal record breaking attendance figures and record sales for many exhibitors

Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show organisers have released attendance figures for 2015 and it was a record breaker.

During the course of the six-day event, 86,625 visitors passed through the doors of the NEC in Birmingham to check out all the latest offerings from the leisure vehicle and camping industries. To put that into perspective, that’s the equvalent filling up the O2 arena in London four times over and then some.

This year’s event, launched by TV’s Ben Fogle and Matt Baker, was strengthened by new industry campaign ‘Freedom to Go’ which is supported by both The Caravan Club and The Camping & Caravanning Club with the aim of encouraging more members of the public to experience leisure vehicle holidays themselves; traffic to the ‘Freedom to Go’ website increased by 30 per cent during the course of the show.

Another positive for the show this year was the publicity garnered by Ray Mears’ appearance on BBC programme Room 101, where he revealed a bitter dislike for caravans, despite being scheduled to appear at the show as special celebrity guest. Originally reported here on CaravanTimes and subsequently reported across the national press, Mears’ foot-in-mouth moment certainly provided show organisers with a great deal of free publicity following the termination of his services which saw the celebrity survivalist forfeit a five-figure attendance fee.

Saturday 21 February proved to be the busiest day, which saw almost 20,000 visitors attend the largest start-of-the-season holiday showcase there is and many exhibitors including Swift and Lunar reported record sales figures throughout the course of the show.

Andrew Whalley, Managing Director of NCC Events, said: “I am delighted that such a bumper audience attended The Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015. It was the busiest ever since we began organising the event in 2012 and the atmosphere in the halls was electric. With double digit growth for 2014 new caravan sales and motorhome registrations, this increase in visitor numbers is reflective of how buoyant the market currently is.”

Did you attend the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015? If so, let us know below if you managed to bag a bargain and what you thought of this year’s event.

The NCC highlights the importance of caravan industry in Parliament

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by Alice Scarsi

The NCC held a briefing in Westminster to raise awareness about the importance of the leisure vehicle sector in the UK economy

Members of the National Caravan Council (NCC) held a briefing session in Parliament earlier this week (24 February) to discuss with MPs the work of the trade association and its importance in the British economy.

22 MPs listened to the talk held by the NCC about the importance of the industry that contributes £6 billion a year to the UK economy.

The popularity of the caravan industry throughout the UK was also highlighted more recently with the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 attracting a record number of visitors to the NEC earlier this month.

With around 95 per cent of touring caravans in the country made in the UK, the caravan sector represents a manufacturing success story, employing about 130,000 people. In 2013, over £2.4 billion was spent on UK caravan holidays and more than 51 million nights were spent in caravans.

In addition to the impressive numbers regarding the leisure vehicles in use within the UK – 550,000 touring caravans and more than 205,000 motorhomes – there are also more than 330,000 caravan holiday homes spread across the United Kingdom.

The NCC’s deputy director general, Alicia Dunne, stressed the importance of the leisure vehicle sector, saying: “Tourism is hugely important for the UK economy. Holiday parks provide good value, family – friendly addition to ‘staycation’ tourist accommodation and touring in a caravan or motorhome is a fantastic way to explore Britain.

“Ahead of next month’s tourism week I am pleased that so many MPs came out in support of our sector. Working together, we can grow our businesses and provide more employment opportunities and deliver outstanding holiday experiences. Already well over two million people take a caravan holiday each year – if we can increase this, we can support British manufacturing and bring additional income to many areas, particularly rural and coastal ones.

“Similarly, residential park homes offer a unique and affordable housing choice for thousands of people across the UK and working with local authorities we can help make this a more accessible housing option/lifestyle.”

The NCC runs a series of services and initiatives that were presented to the MPs alongside the figures mentioned above. These include the NCC Approved Code Scheme which provides additional consumer protection, the NCC Training Academy that aims to enhance skills of those working in the sector, and the Central Registration & Identification Scheme (CRiS), the national register for UK touring caravans, which provides a service similar to that of the Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) for leisure vehicles.

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Beamish Museum visits Teesside in a 1950s vintage caravan for new project

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by Justine Iorga

Beamish Museum plans to build 1950s town in new campaign featuring retro caravan

Beamish Museum in County Durham has hot the road, bringing with it a vintage caravan from the 1950s, providing the general public the chance to see what a caravanning holiday was like 60 years ago.

The refurbished Wanda caravan, equipped with striped deckchairs and traditional bunting is definitely a blast from the past. The cupboards are packed with retro pantry items such as Omo washing powder and CMS custard for starters.

People visiting the classic caravan are being guided by Beamish Museum volunteers Frank and Margaret Jefferson, who are on hand to provide more information about it and the caravan has already visited Redcar, Middlesbrough, with its next stop on Saturday (28 February) finishing up in Stockton.

But why a 1950s caravan? Well, Beamish hopes to encourage people to nominate their homes or childhood homes to be replicated as part of a 1950s town exhibition at the museum. The organisers of the museum project also really want to hear the stories that come with memories from that era, and want people to help with building a collection of select items to go inside the homes.

Beamish’s director, Richard Evans, said: “We’re extremely excited to be offering people this unique chance for their home to become part of history, being recreated at Beamish.

“Our 1950s town will tell the stories of the North East’s communities during an important decade of change. What better way to do this than by recreating the real homes of real people, to be shared with more than half a million visitors each year?”

The project will be called Nominate Your House and will ask people to help decide which 1950s semi-detached social housing should be built in the planned town.

The chosen house will be decided by public vote and the lucky winner will get the chance to stay overnight in the finished exhibit.

Beamish has already received £10.75m in support from the Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

To find out more information on how you can get involved, click here.

Outstanding sales figures for Lunar at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2015

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by Alice Scarsi

Lunar’s sales predictions for 2015 are brighter than ever

Lunar Caravans has announced an impressive set of sales figures following the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015.

Figures revealed indicate a ten per cent increase in sales compared to last year’s show profit – which was already a record for the Lancashire based manufacturer. The news comes following an unprecedented sales performance at January’s Caravan & Motorhome Show at EventCity in Manchester.

All Lunar ranges retailed well, with particular strong sales performance with Clubman and Delta ranges, increasing by 28 per cent.

Lunar’s impressive growth is sure to have been helped by the launch of new, long-awaited, models including the four berth, twin-axle Delta TS and six berth Quasar 646 and by the restyle made on its entry level range, Venus, which has sold four times more than it did during last year’s event.

Lee Roberts, Lunar’s national sales manager, described Lunar’s presence at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhomes Show with enthusiasm, saying: “People came to buy, or came as first time caravanners looking for a reliable source of advice and we were very happy to assist. It was rewarding to note how many of them had seen our new video campaign, ‘Heart of the Holiday’ and chose to visit the stand as a result.

“The continued strong performance of our Clubman and Delta models is also gratifying as the range is attracting purchases from caravans who currently own other brands, as well as retain our loyal Lunar customers. We’re hopeful that this interest in the Lunar range will continue throughout the year, and for many years to come,” he added.

Such a good start to the season represents a solid prediction of an expected sales upturn for the industry in 2015, which is great news for the whole leisure industry for 2015.

Swift Group reaches record sales figures during Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2015

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by Alice Scarsi

Following an already good trimester, sales in Birmingham prove exceptional for Swift

Swift has announced record sales figures following the leisure vehicle manufacturer’s attendance at the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2015 which saw high sales levels of all products.

According to information released, Swift’s tourers had their best performance in over five years, with sales of the Swift Sprite range – the company’s entry-level range – increasing by over 70 per cent compared to last year.

Motorhomes sold well too – in particular the all-new Rio – with Swift’s ranges being overall 43 per cent ahead of last year, indicating that investments made by the company in the motorhome ranges with the addition of SMART construction in all coachbuilt ranges has certainly gone down well.

The record of sales had in Birmingham follows impressive figures for 2014; in September the manufacturer received the largest ever holiday home order, and the Motorhome and Caravan Show held at the NEC in October 2014 continued the trend of a healthy final quarter.

Swift Group commercial director Nick Page commented on the last figures, saying: “It is clear that with confidence back in the market, customers are continuing to choose Swift Group as the company of choice in all our key markets.”

“Customers are recognising the incredible value for money on all our ranges which are packed with features and innovative design,” Page continued. “It is also great to see the amount of new people coming into the industry to take a look at leisure vehicles with a view to purchasing in the future.

“We are delighted with the results which have shown an encouraging sign of resurgence in the caravan market, right from entry level to the top of the range. Sales have been so good our order book is almost full for the year. With the changes in pension regulations this year, some people will be able to access more of their money which will enable them to afford a high ticket purchase, something they may not have been able to do before. I think the industry will benefit from this and could see some buoyant years ahead,” he added.

Did you visited the Swift stand at the NEC? Tell us what do you think about their new product range for 2015.

Botanist David Bellamy invites caravanners to tweet about their discoveries

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by Alice Scarsi

If you’re planning to spend your holidays surrounded by nature and have a twitter account, you may be the person David Bellamy’s looking for

The David Bellamy Conservation Awards Scheme has launched a new initiative that aims to discover and deepen the knowledge of different species of wildlife – and David Bellamy needs you.

In a era where internet users take to Instagram and Twitter to report about everything the stumble across, the British botanist has decided to take advantage of the power of social media and has invited holidaymakers to share news, info and pictures about their wildlife sightings on a new Twitter account, in the hope that a large number of followers could possibly bring to light new species’ or information about those discovered that we don’t know much about.

So if you’re planning to spend your holidays at one of the 530 sites that have been honoured with the David Bellamy Conservation Award to recognise work done to protect the environment, you could become an important contributor of the studies of famous botanist David Bellamy.

“Thousands of families will be staying on awarded parks this year,” said Rufus Bellamy, son of the world-famous botanist and a wildlife adviser to parks taking part in the scheme.

“We hope that many will act as our unofficial nature wardens in spotting both animals and plants which they come across, and taking a quick photograph. Some pictures may be of familiar species, whilst other users of the Twitter account may be able to help put a name to less common flora or fauna.

“We hope park managers and staff will also take part, and it would be great if this helped to create an interactive platform for sharing experiences and making new discoveries,” Bellamy jr. continued.

“At the same time, it will also help us as scheme organisers to get a broad snapshot of park-based wildlife activity to be seen across the country,” Rufus added.

The initiative shows a smart use of social media and also how important your role in protecting and preserving the wilderness that surrounds us when we go on holiday is. What do you think of the new initiative? Will you tweet about your discoveries in the wilderness?

Weekend caravan show announced for Northam Farm

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Claire Lawson

Northam Farm Caravan Sales Ltd to host weekend show in March

Northam Farm dealership will host a weekend show at their site in Somerset next month.

Those in attendance at the show, which takes place between 6 – 8 March, are set to stumble across a number of big deals on offer for new 2015 models from brands such as Elddis, Buccaneer and Xplore, all of which will be on display. And considering they are all sold with SoLiD Construction and free ten year body integrity and water ingress warranty, you’ll be guaranteed to drive away with no worries at all.

If you’re after something a bit different, many pre-owned caravans will also be for sale, and with over 100 vans on offer for you to choose from you’ll be spoiled for choice.

Not only is Northam Farm offering great prices on the caravans, but they will also be offering a complimentary free short stay on the holiday park site with each caravan purchased.

Children will be catered for too, with activities such as face painting and glitter tattoos thrown inf or good measure. A Northam Farm hog roast will also be available during the weekend so no one will go home unhappy, plus all the proceeds made from acitivities on the day will go to local charities.

For more information on the show, visit Northam Farm’s website by clicking here.

Caravan Gallery exhibition hosted by Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale to be held in Sunderland next month

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by Justine Iorga

Caravan Gallery exhibition set to provide locals the opportunity to combine their love of caravans with their creative side

For all you quirky caravan lovers out there we have an event for you that might be worth getting involved in.

Artists and photographers Jan Williams and Chris Teasdale will be touring Sunderland next month for a six-week residency where they will be hosting an exhibition and competition all from the inside of a 1969 mustard-coloured caravan. What’s more, the photographer and artist in residence will also be inviting ,members of the public to break out their cameras to feature their work in The Caravan Gallery exhibition.

Now Jan and Chris aren’t just looking for any photographs to feature inside their caravan, they want to see the parts of Sunderland that makes the people proud to live there. So anything from hidden spots, little-known locations, the secrets of the town, photos that capture how the people feel about living there, their favourite place to go, or even just a simple sign that brings joy.
Jan gave a bit of advice to those that want to enter, saying: “Show us what’s special, unusual or perhaps typical of everyday life in this part of the world.
“We want to encourage the people of Sunderland to view their city with fresh eyes, to astonish and surprise us with their observations from a local and personal perspective.
The caravan will be moving throughout the area throughout the six-week residency displaying the Pride Of Place project, with some of the confirmed locations including Arts Centre Washington on 7 March and outside the Bridges shopping centre on 21 March. For those that enter into the competition, the lucky ones chosen will actually have their image along with other winners’ images displayed in their own exhibition.

A creative hub where all artists can meet locals will also be set up, as well as an information centre where residents can tell visitors about their area or show off the great things about where they live, happening throughout the month of April.

If you choose to enter make sure you look with fresh eyes, find the weird and wonderful, take notice of those unnoticed aspects of life, and most importantly have fun with it. The age limit is nonexistent; everyone in Sunderland and its surrounding areas are encouraged to enter. You never know if your photograph could be featured.
Entries should be emailed before 5pm on March 21; you will be able to find more information along with the email here.