Brownhills Motorhomes hosts Strictly Come Dancing event

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by Norah Lindsay

Brownhills Motorhomes of Newark hosted a special weekend from 4-6 April for its exclusive Brownhills club members.

On 5 April, the club members were treated to a first class evening with Strictly Come Dancing stars Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor.

The celebrity pair performed gracefully on the dance floor before taking time to answer questions from the audience, sign autographs and have pictures taken with all who attended.

During the three-day event at Newark, customers were also treated to a performance by the band Deja Vu, playing a range of music from the 40s to the modern day with costume changes to complete the show.

A segment of the band’s act also ensured that a conga led by the Brownhills employees encouraged as many guests onto the dance floor as possible.

Apart from all the dancing, the customers were also given the opportunity to view a wide range of new and used motorhomes from ‘<' . strtolower('Array') href="/auto-trail/">Auto-Trail and Tribute along with the full model line-up of the new compact Auto-Trail V-Line range.

Andy Craggs, Sales Director at Brownhills commented:

“Our Strictly Motorhoming event has been fantastic, the atmosphere here prior and during the event weekend has been electric.

“Myself and the team at Brownhills thank all the customers who visited and stayed with us for the event and of course a special thank you to Kristina and Robin for a very entertaining evening.”

Brownhills Motorhomes has a further exclusive members’ event coming up on 20-22 June.

During the day a huge selection of new and used Auto-Trail and Tribute motorhomes will be on display with some special deals.

The band Sons and Lovers will return by popular demand on the Friday evening, followed on Saturday evening with a performance from comedian and ventriloquist Roger De Courcey with the irrepressible Nookie Bear.

Airstream unveils expansion plans with new Gloucestershire depot

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by Tom Walsh

Airstream & Company has announced “exciting” plans for the coming year.

The iconic American brand has enjoyed a surge in demand in both the UK and European market and British distributor Airstream & Company is now expanding its team in its Cumbrian headquarters as well as its depot in Andoversford, Gloucestershire.

Since the company brought the range across the Atlantic to the UK in 2006, it has seen hugely positive results with the popularity of its models soaring.

Michael Hold, sales director, said: “This is fantastic news for the British market as it means that here we will have the space, time and freedom to concentrate on further increasing sales and offering a better service and repairs facility.”

In response to its recent success, Airstream & Company has stated that Dave Hughes and Christian Rengers will be joining its Cumbrian base while Pete Bull will become depot manager at the firm’s southern base.

The move is designed to secure Airstream’s status as one of the leading RV brands in the UK.

BCA hosts first caravan and motorhome auction of 2014

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by Tom Walsh

British Car Auctions held its first auction of caravans and motorhomes of 2014 last week at BCA Measham in Leicestershire.

Friday (11 April) saw over 80 tourers go under the hammer as holidaymakers geared up for the summer.

As staycationing becomes increasingly popular a caravan can be a great addition and even something different for people that do not normally explore the UK for their annual holiday.

BCA offered a range of caravans and motorhomes including a great selection from Black Horse Finance.

There were deals to suit every budget even with top names such as Compass, Swift, Bailey and Elddis among others.

Tim Naylor, BCA spokesperson, said: “Now is the perfect time for people thinking about a UK holiday to start planning their summer road trips.”

How the Caravan Club pitched in during WW1

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by Norah Lindsay

In June 1914, around 100 Caravan Club members met in a field at Cadnam on the edge of the New Forest.

Week-long gatherings or meets like this were a popular date in The Club’s calendar, but the Cadnam event was the largest event of its kind at the time.

Horse-drawn caravanning was booming among wealthy men and women who swapped industrial city lifestyles for relaxing breaks touring the countryside.

The Caravan Club had been doing incredibly well at this point. They had numerous high profile names in their books, most from a privileged class with the money and time to afford holidays like this.

Leisure caravanning ends and the War commences

Two months later on 4 August 1914, Britain declared war on Germany. And so began one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history, the First World War.

No longer were Club members able to relax in the tranquil setting of the New Forest, with their beautifully modelled horse-drawn caravans spread across the glades and valleys.

Only a few days after the outbreak of the war, the active recruitment of volunteers to the army began.

For a short time, life in Britain carried on as normal for the many who believed that the war would be “over by Christmas”.

Many members of The Caravan Club had the same thoughts in mind and
continued to enjoy their leisure time at the planned meet at Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire from 15-24 August.

As 1915 arrived and the war showed no signs of ending, there was an increase in the number of casualties due to the fierce fighting.

A number of Caravan Club members who were deemed young and fit, were cast forward to serve in the front line, with some destined never to return again.

Meanwhile, those who were too old to old for active service like Club founder and Honorary Secretary J Harris Stone, supported the war effort in other ways.

Harris Stone, who was in his sixties at the time, joined the Civil Service as a clerk in the Petrol Control Department of the Board of Trade.

Harris expressed his commitment to the Club by juggling his role with the Caravan Club throughout the war years.

Other member could not juggle both commitments, like the Honorary Treasurer Mr E. Bennett, who ended up resigning from his Club commitments due to heavy workloads as a result of the war.

The war was affecting the community as a whole. Both men and women were becoming increasingly consumed with war work, and so leisure time became an impossible luxury.

The last wartime Caravan Club meet was held in June 1915. The low-key affair took place at The Club’s permanent pitch in Highgate, London and would be the last such event for five years.

However, events where the public and press were openly invited to promote The Caravan Club would continue to take place. These meets were to be “conducted in as private a manner as possible” out of respect of those who had lost their lives.

In addition, horses were in extremely high demand for roles in the cavalry and to tow heavy goods and ammunition on the battlefield.

So any leisure use of horses was deemed as frivolous.

The Government requisitioned hundreds of thousands of horses from across Britain at a time when motorised technology was still in its infancy.

Leisure caravanning was now put on hold until after the war, but this would have seemed insignificant to caravanners in a time of such great human sacrifice.

Caravans in the front line

Caravanning was more than just a hobby for some members of The Caravan Club, it was their livelihood, and for them the war was likely to have a much more destructive impact.

Bertram Hutchings of Winchester, Hampshire was the founder of a caravan building business in 1911.

He was rapidly building an excellent reputation as both manufacturer and owner of a hire fleet.

Bertram had gained such a credible reputation that even J Harris Stone had given his seal of approval by attending the last pre-war meet in one of the 15 caravans from Hutchings’ hire fleet.

However, at the onset of World War One, all 12 of Hutchings’ horses were commandeered for the front line.

Hutchings must have felt disheartened; with the threat of closing down a business that had been gathering pace and the news that he had been rejected from active service due to disability.

Yet he soon recognised that caravans held great potential in supporting the war effort. The mobility of the caravans made them a perfect shelter amidst a constantly shifting front line.

Hutchings sent several caravans from his former hire fleet across the channel, where they were used as mobile units for the Red Cross and as officers’ quarters.

The caravans were such a success on the battlefield that he continued to build them throughout the conflict and by 1915, the caravans diversified from horse drawn ‘vans to his first motor caravan, which was commissioned by the Royal Naval Division.

Other caravan members also followed Hutchings’ lead, supplying their caravans in support of the war work.

At the Caravan Club’s Annual Meeting of 1916, the Chairman reported on “the aid the Club had afforded to many branches of the war organisations, notably of the supply for the Red Cross, for nurses, for officers at field [camps], for munitions workers.”

Caravans sent to the front line included two dainty caravans donated by Miss E.F. Hamilton, but these beloved caravans never returned.

One for the road

The Caravan Club was given one last task, as the conflict came to a conclusion.

Field Marshal Haig sent an urgent request for caravans for the use by officers, enabling them to plan on the move while pursuing the retreating enemy.

Harris Stone worked through the night sending telegrams to every caravanner who may have been able to help.

Working together, the Caravan Club members achieved the incredible feat of supplying 50 caravans to the front line in only 48 hours.

As the First World War ended, a changed world emerged. After years of battle and sacrifice, a number of men were inspired by the incredible advances in motorised technology they had witnessed on the battlefield.

A new type of caravan was born to rival the horse-drawn version; this was the modern trailer caravan, designed to be towed by the motor car and set to change the face of caravanning forever.

Photos from The Caravan Club Collection at The National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.
Additional research by Angela Cox, Curator of The Caravan Club Collection at The National Motor Museum Trust, Beaulieu.
For more information visit the Caravan Club Collection online or follow @TheCCCollection on Twitter

Marton police open investigation after Elddis theft

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by Tom Walsh

Marton police have opened an investigation into the theft of a caravan near the town.

The incident took place at a lay-by opposite Appletree Inn, Marton, on Saturday afternoon (5 April )and officers are appealing to people with information to come forward.

Between 2pm and 4pm, a cream coloured Elddis caravan with green stripes was taken from the site. The vehicle had a licence plate fitted with the registration number X957KRX.

PC Gemma Thwaites of Malton Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “If you have any information about the theft or have seen the caravan since it was stolen, I urge you to get in touch with the police straight away.”

The incident is a further reminder to caravanners to ensure that they take all necessary precautions against theft, with wheel locks and hitch locks two of the most popular options.

People with information about this incident can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference number 12140053522.

Family ‘lucky to be alive’ following A1 caravan crash

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by Tom Walsh

A family escaped with only minor injuries following a crash on the A1 near Stortford on Tuesday (8 April).

The two adults and three children were travelling along the highway in their 4×4 towing a caravan when it overturned on the northbound carriageway between Letchworth (junction nine) and Stortfold (junction ten).

Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 3pm and police closed the road, before reopening one lane while the vehicles and debris were cleared from the road surface.

The passengers were taken to Lister Hospital to be checked over but there were no reports of any serious injuries.

With the Easter holidays fast-approaching many more caravanners and holidaymakers will be hitting the road so it is important that people stay safe on the highways to avoid any similar accidents.

Planning a journey and taking all the possible weather conditions into account can help to reduce the risk of a collision.

VIDEO: How Specialised Covers protected a Bailey Unicorn in Australian test

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by Chris Jefferies
We can’t help but feel a pang of pride whenever a British company flies the flag for UK caravan manufacturing overseas.
So when Bailey of Bristol teamed up with Specialised Covers to show the Aussies a thing or two about off-road towing, we we’re delighted.
The Alu-Tech manufacturer set off to the Flinders region last year with a Bailey Pegasus GT65 and a Bailey Unicorn in tow, with the aim of matching an Australian caravan for sheer wilderness durability.
To make sure their models were as well looked after as possible and looking their best when they completed the test, Bailey turned to Specialised Covers.
In this video, CaravanTimes gets the inside story on this epic adventure from Bailey’s Simon Howard and Elliot Long, Managing Director of Specialised Covers.
We hear how the Tow Pro Elite cover was specifically designed to tackle tough terrain like this, but can be just as useful for a relaxing trip to the coast.

Lunar Clubman Saros limited edition run to end in August

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by Tom Walsh

Fancy owning a piece of Lunar Caravans history? Well you’ll need to hurry, because time is running out.

The limited edition Lunar Clubman Saros models were only launched in February 2014 to celebrate 40 years of the brand but fans only have until 31 August to snap up the remaining models.

These impressive caravans comes in three different layouts including a fixed double bed, a transverse fixed double and fixed twin beds all starting at £22,960.

Buyers can expect all the latest technology and several top of the range fixtures. There is a new LCD screen control panel, Aqua-Clean fabrics with stain repellent technology and dimmable LED lighting.

These models will not be around for much longer so interested buyers need to be quick because once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Caravanners are advised to speak to their local Lunar dealer about how to buy one of the remaining models in the Saros range.

Natwest helps caravanners turn hobby into a career

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by Tom Walsh

Many caravanners dream of one day owning their very own holiday park and for a couple in Somerset this has become a reality.

Jamie and Lynette Cook have decided to leave the rat race and take on the challenge of running Waterrow Touring Park, near Taunton, with Jamie’s parents, Graham and Maureen.

The caravanners of over 15 years were given a helping hand by Natwest, which allowed them to borrow 45 per cent of the cost of buying the park and ensure that their dream came true.

Ms Cook said: “Jamie and I have been caravaners for 15 years – we just absolutely love it.

“We have a touring caravan and we have taken the children on many holidays in it. We love travelling around and we love the caravan business.”

The couple are offering a range of services for campers and caravanners alike including a special collection service within a 200-mile radius for people who cannot tow their caravans to the site.

Feature: American designer beats the mortgage trap with caravan house

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by Norah Lindsay

With renting prices increasing day-by-day and the ability to afford a mortgage becoming nigh-on impossible for people in the modern day than ever before, it seems like for many people owning a house, let alone their dream house, is a thing of the past.

However, the team at CaravanTimes have come across an adventurous young web designer, Alek Lisefski, who decided to ditch the money-splurging renting woes and build his own 8x20ft caravan house on a flatbed tralier.

Alek Lisefski lives full-time in his towable creation, the Tiny House with his girlfriend Anjali and their dog, Anya.

The main construction of the house took Alek seven months to build and most of the time he was working alone during weekends and evenings.

But including the research, planning and designing before the construction stage, the whole process of building the Tiny House took a year.

And it was time well spent, as the photographs below show, who wouldn’t love to live in such a charming and unique house?

The Simple Life

Alek explained on his detailed and inspiring blog, Tiny Project, that he built the Tiny House in an “attempt to live a simpler, more conscious, debt-free life.”

And he is not alone in his way of thinking, as the Tiny House movement is rapidly gaining popularity in the US, other well-known examples include the Tumbleweed House and Jack in the Box.

Alek’s blog, which has run from 2 February last year until last month, talked potential Tiny House builders through the construction process, including various household product reviews and the journey the family and the Tiny House made from Iowa to Sebastopol, California.

Take a look at the video below to see the house while still in its construction period:

On 2 March, Alek revealed the Tiny House Construction Plans including detailed elevation, floorplans and framing diagrams with dimensions, trailer specifications and also a complete, editable SketchUp model.

The plan was to sell these plans to potential Tiny Project adoptees, who had been inspired by his creation.

Alek told CaravanTimes:

“I’ve sold a hand full of the plans. People seem to be excited about them, but of course I’d like to be making more sales than I am.

“So far I am really happy that I created the plans and the photo book as well.

“It’s fun to have to products to sell both for the benefit of other potential tiny house builders and also to help recoup just a small percentage of the cost of the house.”

On 19 March a Photo Book of the Tiny House was released in both PDF and a printed version. The book contains 62 pages of photos and almost 200 images altogether.

We were intrigued to know how Anjali thought about living in the Tiny House, as only taking Alek’s word may have gives us quite a biased view.

But in a recent blog post, she explains that living in the Tiny House isn’t a decision she regrets.

Anjali says: “Living in this beautiful house has been incredibly enjoyable! For the most part, transitioning to this lifestyle has been easy and even graceful.

“The house truly does feel like a home. Because Alek (and helpers) designed and built it so consciously and carefully, it has what we need as a couple.”

And we can expect further blog posts from Anjali soon, as she is busy studying for her psychology degree.

Where are they now?

After making the 2,000 mile journey, towing the Tiny House, Alek and Anjali have settled on the West Coast.

“We currently live in Sebastopol, California. We have a lovely family hosting us in their backyard we do yard work (and pay a very small amount of rent) in exchange for the place to park and live,” Alek tells us.

It’s hard not to get swept up in their enthusiasm and optimism, and with the plans selling it may not be long before we see England’s answer to the Tiny House Project.

To enjoy a slideshow of the amazing caravan house, click below:


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

Caravan Club hosts foraging event at Abbey Wood site

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by Tom Walsh

One of the best things about holidaying in a caravan or a motorhome is that the world is your oyster when it comes to selecting a destination.

Not only can you choose a spot that is perfectly placed for a major city, but you can also experience the great outdoors.

And the Caravan Club recently hosted an event to prove just that at its Abbey Wood site in London.

Despite its closeness to the country’s biggest city, the site hosted a foraging event to demonstrate how close to nature holidaymakers can get if they choose to stay in a caravan.

A group of bloggers were invited to spend the day at Abbey Wood with foraging expert Monica Wilde, who guided them through the experience of foraging for their lunches.

Butter cress, chickweed, cherry blossom and wild carrot seed were among the finds they brought back with them.

“With a caravan or motorhome every weekend can be a break away from your hectic life, it can get you up close to the action, whether that’s foraging for a meal, fishing on a river, relaxing in peaceful countryside or attending a motorsport event,” Tony Hall, director of marketing at the Caravan Club, told the Western Daily Press.

South Devon caravan park sold to local firm

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by Tom Walsh

A South Devon caravan park has been sold by a private vendor to a local operator, according to real estate advisory firm Savills.

The company has confirmed that Moor View Touring Park, near Modbury, has been sold to the operator behind nearby facility Thatches Holiday Village, by Charles F Jones and Son LLP, which is now part of Savills.

Marketing itself as an adults-only caravan park, Moor View boasts a total of 23 acres which is intended to accommodate 64 hard-standing, serviced pitches as well as four grassed pitches. It also has a camping field, 29 separate lodges and a private Canadian log cabin.

“Situated in the heart of a popular tourist destination in South Devon, close to Bigbury on Sea and Burgh Island, Moor View is a prime touring caravan and lodge park with exceptional facilities and unrivalled views,” said Richard Prestwich, Savills associate director of leisure and trading services.

He added that the company had seen a lot of interest in the caravan park when it was put up for sale, and that he was pleased a local operator had been able to purchase Moor View.