Caravan and motorhome holidays to remain uninterrupted

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by Jo Subramaniam

Shipping company to keep popular caravan holiday route open

Shipping company Regina Line has announced plans to keep a popular caravan and motorhome route between England and Denmark open after it was scrapped by a rival company. DFDS announced earlier this year that the historic Harwich-Esbjerg ferry route, which opened in 1875, would close on 29 September. The announcement came following the introduction of new environmental laws and subsequent costs that DFDS would be unable to bear, according to a statement from CEO Niels Smedegaard. He added: ”The route is of particular historical significance to DFDS so it’s a very sad day for us all. Our regrets go to our many passengers who must now see the last passenger ferry route between the UK and Scandinavia close.”

The Regina Line has stepped in since then and plans to restart the service from Harwich next year, which is good news for the caravanners and holiday makers regularly going to Denmark. The shipping company, which is based in Denmark, also stated that they plan to offer cost efficient tickets. This could boost the number of caravan holidays and trips taken to Esbjerg, which has dropped from 300,000 annually to 80,000 since the closure of the DFDS ferry service.

The new environmental laws regarding sulphur emissions are set to be enforced by the EU from January 2015, as part of amendments to Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA). Travellers on both sides of Harwich and Esbjerg have reportedly been affected, with routes from Scandinavia being diverted through Poland, and British travellers having to travel further to take ferries to Esbjerg and other places in the region.

Have you been affected by the changes or the closure of the Harwich-Esbjerg ferry service?

The all-new 2015 Rio from Swift

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by Joe Jeffrey

The all-new Swift Rio for 2015 is a coach built motorhome squeezed into the size of a panel van. But can it live up to Swift’s claims of providing comfort and space all at an affordable price? CaravanTimes went to find out

When it comes to motorhomes, there are usually two choices: coach built or panel van. Swift, however, has attempted to change the game with the all-new Swift Rio for 2015 – a motorhome that claims to have enough space inside to provide comfort and all you’d expect from a modern, sporty motorhome, whilst being as compact as possible on the outside, with the new Fiat cab.

At just 6.4 metres long and 2.3 metres wide, it’s certainly doing what’s claimed from the outside and, weighing in at under 3.5 tonnes, a special licence isn’t required to make the most of one. But what about the inside?

With an abundance of features including an electronically controlled bed, which can be moved into various space-saving positions all at the press of a button (340 model only), as well as a fresh aesthetic overhaul, CaravanTimes went along to find out more. Take a look at our video and let us know what you think.

Through the rear-view mirror: caravan rallies of yesteryear

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by Jo Subramaniam

A look at The Caravan Club British Caravan Road Rally, 1955

Who’d have thought that in almost 60 years after The Caravan Club‘s British Caravan Road Rally, caravans would have evolved so much? If you’d have asked one of the people in today’s featured video what they thought of hot running water, automatic awning and solar panel technology encompassed into their caravans back in 1955, you would have surely been met with a look of confusion and perhaps have been run out of the rally and towed to the nearest psychiatric unit.

Caravan technology has also come a long way in under 60 years, which is exciting to think about because it could indicate how we spend our holidays 60 years from now. Who knows? Flying caravans? Floating caravans? Nobody could picture solar panels or eco-friendly technology in 1955, so could the unimaginable happen in 2074? Caravans powered in an hour with thermoelectric chargers that tap into the heat generated by our bodies as we sleep anyone?

After you’ve watched the video, let us know what you think caravans of the future will be like in 60 years? Join our forum here and let us know.

The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year Awards results

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by Joe Jeffrey

The results for the Annual Towcar of the Year Competition are in and we’ve got them right here

The winners of The Caravan Club’s annual Towcar of the Year Competition have been announced.

This year’s awards saw 39 entries, each one looking to take home the title, but there could only be one overall winner.

Each car was put to the test at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire – one of the most demanding environments in the world to test the towability of your vehicle when towing a caravan – and Bailey of Bristol assisted The Caravan Club by providing a selection of ten caravans, including Bailey Pursuits, Pegasus GT65s and Unicorns, to help determine a winner for 2015.

Judging everything from acceleration to brakes, hill starts to the gearbox, the panel of nine judges, comprised of caravan journalists, national motoring journalists and Caravan Club members, left no stone unturned in their search for ultimate towcar of the year and the overall winner is…

… the SEAT Leon ST FR 2.0 TDI.

The SEAT also pipped cars including the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, Fiat 500L, Kia Carens and Mazda3 to the post in the £20,000 – £25,000 category.
A full list of additional winners are as follows:

  • Under £16,500: Fiat Panda 4×4 1.3 MultiJet
  • £16,500 – £20,000: Peugeot 308 SW PureTech 1.2 e-THP stop-start
  • £20,000 – £25,000: SEAT Leon ST FR 2.0 TDI
  • £25,000 – £30,000: Volkswagen Golf SV GT 2.0TDI DSG
  • £30,000 – £40,000: Volvo XC60 D5 AWD R-DESIGN NAV
  • Over £40,000: Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury 3.0 SDV6
  • All Wheel Drive Under 1800kg Winner: Volvo XC60 D5 AWD R-DESIGN NAV
  • All Wheel Drive Over 1800kg Winner: Land Rover Discovery HSE Luxury 3.0 SDV6

Is your car listed above? And if not, does it deserve to be? Let us now your thoughts.

Discover a whole new world of innovation at the Motorhome and Caravan Show 2014

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by Joe Jeffrey

From self-operating awnings to futuristic levelers, our latest Motorhome and Caravan Show 2014 video lets you in on what to expect

Wow. Less than a month away from the Motorhome and Caravan Show 2014 and we’ve already got itchy feet, wondering what’s in store at the annual event that never fails to impress.

All of us at CaravanTimes keep talking about what we’re going to check out first as soon as the doors open and, with so much to see and do, we really can’t see how we’re going to fit it all in – but we will. Oh yes.

From the Expert Theatre, to The Caravan Club Day and everything else inbetween, it seems that this year is the year to get yourself along to the NEC in Birmingham to soak up all that caravanning and motorhoming has to offer.

Also, whilst there, why not check out a whole new world of innovation, designed for the discerning caravanner and motorhomer all under one roof. From learning about solar powered panels on display and checking out self-levelers operated at the press of a button, to electronic awnings that operate in accordance to weather conditions, the Motorhome and Caravan Show 2014 will have it all and them some.

Check out our video to see how this is proving to be one event not to be missed.

Have you got your tickets yet? If so, which day are you visiting? Remember, if you haven’t already bought tickets you can save money by purchasing them here

Mocha Mila: Tantalising our taste buds

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by Jo Subramaniam

Mocha Mila cafe in Leicestershire certainly has a recipe for success

When we at CaravanTimes hear about quirky caravans, we become – perhaps sadly enough – quite excited. However, when we hear about a quirky caravan thats main purpose in life is to supply an endless supply of coffee, hot chocolate, milkshakes, retro sweets – and even bubblegum syrup for good measure – we get extremely excited and then start salivating. We’re sure we’re not the only ones with a sweet tooth, but we’re also rather sure Mocha Mila is pretty much a café on wheels that’s destined for success.

Mocha Mila is the brainchild of Dawn Vesty, 37 and her husband, Ian, 39 – a couple with more than 17 years of experience in the catering business. And, on the subject of keeping it in the family, the caravan-come-cafè business is named after their adorable daughter Mila, whose name means ‘miracle’ in Hawaiian. And miracle is the right word for what it took to open Mocha Mila for business.

Dawn and Ian made the best of Betsie – the name they affectionately christened their caravan with – following purchasing a rundown, clapped out caravan set for the scrapheap from classified sales site, Gumtree. Once purchased, and having scoured the country looking for everything from scrap metal to wedding dress material, in order to provide the adopted four wheeler with an extreme makeover to their exact specification, Betsie, along with Mocha Mila, was born.

”Ian and I have always wanted to do something on our own, and not just a regular old business,” begins Dawn.

“We wanted to go down a more fun, quirky path and we were discussing ideas for a café or an independent catering business. Franchises seem too clinical, don’t they?”.

And so the idea of sourcing a mobile café was born, not only giving the Vesty’s the freedom to set up and develop their own business model, but also to be able to approach their business from a more mobile perspective, going to where the customers were as opposed to waiting for the custom to come to them.

As with some of the greatest ideas, however, enabling Mocha Mila to thrive as a business wasn’t an easy task; and a restoration plan was put in place to restore Betsie to her former glory.

Taking a look at Betsie, you could be mistaken for thinking that a crack team of professional designers were called in to provide her with a pampering of epic proportions, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.

”Ian did all the restorations, right from the paint to building a new Welsh dresser, he did everything. I just did the decorations,” says Dawn modestly. “I found them in all sorts of places including eBay. We’ve actually got a World War II ammunitions box on our desk that still has the original instructions, so you never know what you might find in here,” she laughs.

And so Betsie was born – an Aladdin’s cave of (mostly) edible delights, functioning as a café between 7am – 4pm on weekdays. But that wasn’t enough for the budding entrepreneurs, and Dawn and Ian have since ventured into catering for special events; from attending weddings, to World War II commemorative functions; the business has even featured in bridal publication, Miss to Mrs Magazine.

Dawn, Ian and Betsie don’t plan to stop there though and this year they look set to grow from strength-to-strength owing to the success of Betsie and Mocha Mila, seen by Dawn as a ”build as you go LEGO store”, describing Betsie’s evolution over time alongside their plans for the business.

“It’s nice when you get the whole package and that’s what we want to deliver at Mocha Mila,” smiles Dawn. We’re with you on that one, and we here at CaravanTimes feel as though that’s exactly what is being delivered – along with some bubble gum syrup for good measure.

Make sure you check out Betsie when Mocha Mila rolls up at Asda in Oadby, Leicester, on 29 September. For more details on Mocha Mila click here

Caravanning attracting more young people

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by Joe Jeffrey

Research shows the traditional stereotype of the older caravanner is out of date as more youngsters take up the hobby following a surge in celebrity caravanners

It seems as though caravanning holidays are reaching out to a new demographic, with an increase in people under the age of 35 looking into purchasing caravans and signing up to caravan clubs, research suggests.

A four-fold increase in people under the age of 35 enquiring about caravans, compared to two years ago, was seen in the four peak caravan purchase months of April to July 2014 according to Salop Leisure, whilst The Caravan Club has seen a more prominent presence throughout their caravan sites across the UK.

“We’ve clearly noticed that the average caravan user is younger than they were just a few years ago,” said Mark Bebb, managing director of Salop Leisure. “There is a rising group of young consumers in their twenties and thirties who aren’t bothered by the stereotypical image of caravanners. They are embracing the freedom that this kind of holiday offers.”

That doesn’t say other demographics are falling by the wayside however, with many opting to keep it in the family, as Mark continues: “Our traditional caravan buyers are still coming in to the showroom, but we’re often seeing them accompanied by their grandchildren. Frequently, a mobile or static caravan is becoming a joint purchase for these family members, as they discover a shared interest in this kind of holiday.”

Membership of national caravan clubs also appears to be changing. Nikki Nichol, head of publicity at The Caravan Club, said: “We are seeing many young families in our membership. This is visible when you visit any Caravan Club site.”

Data from Google further confirms that young people are embracing caravan holidays and even buying caravans of their own. More than a quarter (28%) of visitors to caravan websites in the last 12 months were under 45. Not only that, but one in five visitors (20%) to websites that sell caravans and motorhomes were under the age of 45.

With all the talk in the media about caravanning becoming ‘cool’, it seems this is beginning to be reflected in the types of people who enjoy caravanning. Many celebrities like Jamie Oliver, Kate Moss and Rio Ferdinand have declared their love of caravanning. Let’s hope not many more people pick up the bug though – after all, we still want to manage to secure our favourite pitches!

Daytime caravan ban defended

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by Jo Subramaniam

John Gregory jumps to defence over over daytime ban proposal

It hasn’t been more than a couple of days since a daytime ban on caravans was proposed by haulage company owner, John Gregory, but it seems like the company boss has felt the full wrath of caravanners all over the country and has been forced to defended his comments.

Gregory, chairman of Gregory Distribution, stoked the fire during a radio interview by stating that caravans caused so many accidents and held people up that his business was losing close to £60 an hour. To counter the problem that Gregory Distribution and other firms in the region reportedly face due to caravans, he suggested that caravans should only be allowed on the roads between 6pm and 6am. Naturally, caravanners throughout the country are none too pleased with this proposition, as John’s inbox has been receiving quite a lot of mail since his radio interview – not exactly in full praise of his ham-handed suggestion.

John has since defended his comments by saying that they were made in the context of a caravan crashing on the M5, causing delays for hours. He told the Western Morning News: “My comment has nothing to do with caravans but everything to do with the dualling of the A303 and A30.”

“We have a pinch point problem in summer months when our only arterial route in and out of the region gets clogged up,” Gregory went on. “I want to continue to lobby for the widening of the A303 and A30. I speak for the haulage and tourism industry when I say it is totally unsatisfactory to have only one route in and one route out of our region. We have to look at what else can be done to ease traffic flow.”

The back-tracking boss added that he had nothing against caravans or caravanners in particular, but felt that it was unacceptable for the South-west to have only one main route in and out, that is, the M5.

Hmmm. it seems to us that Gregory has bitten off more than he can chew and by continuing to address the issue is adding fuel to the fire. But what do you think?

Montrose caravan park to stay open year round

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by Jo Subramaniam

South Links Caravan Park seeks permission to stay open for 365 days

Although the matter is due to be discussed by the Angus Council’s civic licensing committee, South Links Caravan Park in Montrose has asked to remain open every single day of the year. WOW Leisure Limited, which holds the licence to the Montrose park, has sought to change its operating times following a boost in business earlier this year.

Communities director Alan McKeown has recommended the change while addressing concerns that people might attempt to live in the park. He told The Courier : ””Committee is specifically asked to note that, although the grant of the variation will mean that the South Links Caravan Park will be permitted to open all year round, residential occupation is prohibited and the park can only be used for holiday static and touring caravans. The site has been recently inspected and on the basis that the site meets the requirements of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 and that the necessary planning consents are in place, an amendment to the licence can be approved.”

The South Links Caravan Park is currently open from March 1 to January 31.Do you think it should be open all year round? Will other caravan parks follow suit in a bid to boost business?

Daytime ban on caravans proposed

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by Jo Subramaniam

Haulage company owner requests ban on caravans used during daylight hours

It seems like quite a few people are jumping on the bandwagon regarding caravans. A little while ago, we covered an overnight ban on caravans in Dover parked on the seafront. Following this, John Gregory of haulage company, Gregory Distribution, in Devon, has become the latest to speak out on a vendetta against caravans and motorhomes, stating that his haulage firm is losing business because of the said vehicles.

Gregory Distribution is one of the biggest haulage firms in South West UK and Gregory has claimed that delays and accidents caused by caravans are responsible for an hourly loss of £60.

Although he doesn’t want to upset the caravan club, Gregory believes that the Department for Transport should resolve the situation by only allowing caravans on roads from 6pm-6am. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “You either put up with the problem or you try and find a solution, I mean this is just an idea, I’m not necessarily saying it’s the only idea, but it’s just an idea.”

We’d like to suggest that Gregory addresses issues perhaps closer to home, including those to do with lorries on our roads, but we’re not going to.

The Department of Transport does not plan to ban caravans, but this bit of news is still troubling for caravan and motorhome users. Is this the beginning of a renewed spate of hate for caravans? Do you think the Department of Transport will eventually cave in and impose a ban? Let us know what you think.

Calor Gas recalls CalorLite cylinders

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by Jo Subramaniam

Calor Gas issues recall on 6kg cylinders

Calor Gas has issued an urgent recall on all CalorLite 6kg gas cylinders manufactured between 2008-2011 following the detection of a potential material defect.

The gas company has advised all customers to take their cylinders to their nearest stockist for an exchange as soon as possible in order to receive a replacement free of charge.

The potential defect identified could apparently cause cylinders to deteriorate over time and lead to a gas escape, although Calor Gas have stated there have been no known incidents to report on to date.

How to check if your gas cylinder is affected

Cylinders manufactured in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 are covered by the recall. The date of manufacture of the cylinder can be found in two places on the cylinder base ring:

In a box adjacent to the words ‘Property of Calor Gas Ltd’ there are two letters, then two numbers which denote the year of manufacture, followed by one letter.

Cylinders to be recalled are 08, 09, 10, and 11.

At the very bottom of the base ring the third row of text shows the date of manufacture i.e. 2008, 2009, 2010 or 2011.

Cylinders to be recalled are 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011.

Calor Gas has issued a statement reassuring the public that there have been no customer incidents to date. There has also been a special hotline set up to address any concerns. Contact Calor Gas at 0800 783 4141.

7 July London tube bombing hero halts caravan thieves

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by Jo Subramaniam

Retired police officer, awarded citation for help during terrorist bombing in London, stops caravan thieves in their tracks

Retirement hasn’t stopped Bob Munn from fighting crime. The 50-year-old former police inspector who was awarded a coroner’s citation for his actions during 2005’s 7/7 terrorist attacks on public transport in London, deterred a midnight raid by two thieves as he spent a weekend in his caravan.

The thieves reportedly shrieked and ran away when Bob hit them with a torque wrench and, needless to say, they lost no time in running off from the site.

The former British Transport Police officer told the Express that despite having installed an alarm in his caravan, the bandits managed to break into it on the A10 and kept low to the ground so as not to trip it.

The riot-trained ex-police officer had parked in a service station overnight and was heading to the south of France for a getaway. He only had a torque wrench around because he’d had new wheels fitted on his caravan and was instructed to check the wheel nuts regularly. He told the Express he believed the thieves were targeting holidaymakers for passports or cash.

“I took a swing and caught him across his arm,” Bob added. “There was a loud shriek and then they ran off. I would be surprised if the blow hadn’t broken his arm.” 

Bob was the first uniformed officer to get into the underground tunnel between Aldgate and Liverpool Street in London after the attacks on a tube train following the infamous 7/7 terrorist attacks. He also lead a snatch squad during the Bradford riots in 2001. Surely, fending off thieves wouldn’t be a problem for this courageous former officer, and we suppose it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘Bobby on the beat’. But what would you do if your caravan alarm failed and you came face to face with a bunch of burglars?