by Chris Jefferies
One of the many member benefits that people highlight about the Caravan Club is that you don’t need to pay a deposit to book a pitch.
This liberal attitude allows people to plan their holidays without making too much of a financial commitment up front.
However, this does level the system somewhat open to abuse and back in 2011, the Club received a number of complaints from sites that were supposedly fully booked but saw a number of no-shows.
The problem was blamed on speculative caravanners who would book up their favourite site for the busiest weekends of the year as soon as bookings opening in December and leave it until the very last minute to decide if they actually wanted to use their pitch.
The Club described this behaviour as “selfish booking” and explored a number of ways to stamp it out.
It was for this reason that a new cancellation policy was introduced, obliging members to give 72 hours notice of any cancellations.
Breaching this rule three times within a season would lead to a two-week booking suspension, with all forward bookings cancelled.
Tough talk, we thought at the time, but would the Club actually stick to their guns, and more importantly would it work?
Well, two years on and the latest figures from the Caravan Club suggest that it has indeed worked a treat. Reservations cancelled with 72 hours notice are down by 28%, while complete no-shows have dropped by 45%.
What’s more, the new policy has lead to 44 member accounts being suspended for abusing the liberal nature of the reservations system – so more than just tough talk there, then.
A statement from the Club said: “Since the policies were launched we have been monitoring members’ booking behaviour and have seen some really positive changes.
“Some members who used to book lots of sites in advance have stopped doing this. Members are booking later and in the full knowledge that they will actually be able to take up the bookings.”
There will always be extremely popular sites that are hard to get onto in high season, and the Club admits that it could fill York Rowntree Park ten times over due to its proximity to the city centre.
Nonetheless, we at CaravanTimes applaud the Caravan Club for its efforts to tackle this problem and we hope it will continue to encourage people to book sites fairly and unselfishly.
What do you make of the Caravan Club’s three strikes policy? Does it deter selfish booking? Or should they introduce a deposit system? Have your say in our Community Forum.
C&CC launches online membership with 10 per cent discount
by Chris Jefferies
Modern technology and smart gadgets have changed the way many people enjoy their caravan holidays and the Camping and Caravanning Club is embracing this trend with a new online membership scheme.
From Tuesday 1 April, new members will be able to sign up and choose the online-only option for the reduced price of £37 per year.
Online members will not receive any printed documentation aside from their membership cards. All other information will be sent digitally, including the new digital version of the Camping and Caravanning Club Magazine.
When renewing their annual membership, existing members can also choose to take advantage of this lower price, which equates to a saving of around 10% compared with the standard rate of £41 per year.
Darren Whittington, Member Services Director at the Camping and Caravanning Club, said: “This is an important development for the Club and it makes perfect sense against a backdrop of challenging financial times for members and the continuing take up of technology.”
The Club stressed that this new option is not obligatory, and members who want to continue to receive letters and physical forms of the magazine are welcome to do so.
EU moves one step closer to scrapping caravan MOT plans
by Tom Walsh
Plans to introduce MOT-style tests for caravans seem destined to fail after a European Parliament vote.
The proposals, put forward by transport executives in Brussels, would have meant that caravans and light trailers would go through an annual assessment to determine their roadworthiness but these are now one step closer to being scrapped.
German MEP Werner Kuhn had claimed that some mobile homes had been left to rust in “barns” and were covered in “chicken feathers”, something which the Caravan Club strongly disagreed with.
Members of the organisation argued that if the plans were pushed through then it could see families forking out hundreds of pounds everywhere just to ensure that their caravan was allowed to stay on the road.
Tony Hall, director of marketing for the Club, welcomed the news: “The Club was delighted to have led the way in lobbying against this vital issue and we believe that our efforts were instrumental in achieving this decision, although a final confirmation vote is due to take place at the end of March.”
Coachman Caravans claims 22.5 per cent increase in sales after NEC rush
by Chris Jefferies
This year’s Caravan and Camping Show at the Birmingham NEC was the busiest to date and this increased popularity means good news for the industry.
Coachman Caravans is the latest company to report an increase in sales off the back of the hugely successful spring show.
The Yorkshire-based manufacturer claims that its dealer network has already sold 22.5% more caravans than at this time last year.
This can partly be put down to the arrival of the new Coachman Vision range on dealer forecourts, with the entry-level range designed to attract first-time buyers.
And the sales figures back this up, with the Vision 450/2 proving to be one of the best-selling models, along with the premium Coachman VIP 460/2 layout.
A statement from the company explained why the show has been so popular among the discerning caravan buying public.
“The caravan shows… give us the chance to explain the technical improvements we have made across the ranges, including the introduction of PU components and innovative bonded construction techniques.
“Buying a caravan is, initially, a significant financial outlay for most so, naturally, buyers want to be sure that they are making a sound long-term investment in a quality product.”
News of Coachman’s sales success follows hot on the heels of rival manufacturer Lunar announcing a £5.2m sales total from the same show.
VIDEO: Caravan overtake manoeuvre ends in crash and flip
by Chris Jefferies
Last month, with a wince, we brought you alarming footage of a caravan crashing into a grassy verge after overtaking a lorry in the UK.
Whilst that video served as a timely reminder of the dangers of overtaking in high winds, new footage from Australia drives the point even further home.
Captured on a truck’s dashboard camera, this 63-second YouTube clip (below) shows an overtake manoeuvre that ends in disaster.
The bow wave created by the truck clearly catches the speedy caravanner by surprise as the driver struggles to bring the unit under control.
Desperate braking leads to skid marks on the road and eventually a dramatic crash, as the caravan flips over onto its side, taking the car with it.
Fortunately no-one was seriously injured, but this example once again emphasises the need for patience when towing a caravan.
While overtaking can be safely executed (within the speed limits, without any side wind and on a dual-carriageway) it is often wiser to hang back and take your time.
In this particular case, the truck driver tells us that he was limited to 90kph (56mph) but even so, overtaking on the wrong side of the road with a caravan in tow is a fool’s errand at best and a nasty accident in the making at worst.
To watch the eye-opening footage, click on the player below:
VIDEO: 2014 Niesmann+Bischoff motorhomes take luxury to the next level
by Chris Jefferies
What we call luxury motorhomes, the Germans call ‘liners’. It’s a curious term that brings to mind ocean liners and in the case of the new Niesmann+Bischoff range, that impression is truly fitting.
These spacious and luxurious motorhomes are indeed the ocean liners of the road, with fixtures, fittings and price tags to match.
However, it’s not just the £100,000 bracket that makes these truly exclusive vehicles, some of the interior features are just as elite.
As indeed is the dealer network, since there is only one place in the UK where you can buy a brand new Niesmann+Bischoff motorhome – Travelworld in Gloucestershire.
In this video, CaravanTimes heads to the dealership’s indoor showroom and gets a first-hand account of how these mighty motorhomes justify their substantial price.
Ross Edwards talks us through the redesigned exterior and clever interior features, whilst giving us an insight into the construction process that makes these German motorhomes truly winter-proof.
Used Caravan of the Week: Thor Citation slide-out caravan
by Chris Jefferies
With Fifth Wheel Company and Eterniti making waves in the UK caravan market, the influence of American-style slide-outs has never been clearer.
But why not go for the original and buy yourself a Yankee Doodle of a bargain? This week’s Used Caravan of the Week is just that.
Thor is one of the most established names in American motorhomes and caravans, or RVs as our cousins on the other side of the Atlantic call them.
The main downside of these models is that they are expensive, heavy and often hard to import, but this seller appears to have tackled at least two of those problems.
This Thor Citation is available for collection from Rochester and is the current highest bid is less than £2,000.
As the reserve price has not yet been met, you will need to pay a bit more than this, but when you consider that the equivalent model will cost more than $50,000 when new, it’s easy to see why we consider this to be something of a bargain.
Kit and caboodle
Chief among the Thor’s appealing features is the electronic slide-out section, which allows for much more space when on site.
The interior is lavishly decked out with leather upholstery on the futon and dinette that fill up the extendable side section.
A rear transverse double bed takes the number of berths to six, while the front-end galley features an L-shaped kitchenette.
The obvious drawback with this being an American RV is that the doors are on the wrong side, which may make roadside adjustments dangerous. On the plus side, there are two of them.
All the essentials are present and correct, so there is a flushing toilet, fridge/freezer, hot and cold water, microwave, stereo, 240v electrics, shower and blown-air central hearting. No model year is given for this twin-axle tourer, but late 90s seems like a safe estimate.
The eBay auction runs until Wednesday evening (19 March), so there’s plenty of time to raid your savings for this American beauty. To see the full listing on eBay, click here.
Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes
Worcestershire holiday park rebuilding after Chinese lantern fire
by Tom Walsh
When a Chinese lantern sparked a huge blaze at Croft Farm Leisure Park in November 2013 it seemed all was lost.
However, in the space of just four months the holiday park has risen from the ashes and is moving closer to reopening once again.
To honour the rebirth of the site West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin visited owner Alan Newell.
Tewkesbury AdMag reports that Ms Baldwin was given a tour of the site and then discussed the challenges that the owner has faced following the devastating blaze.
She told the news provider: “Alan and his family have been through a tremendous ordeal and I have been lobbying on his behalf in Parliament to try and prevent a repetition of such a serious incident.”
The fire has reinforced calls for Chinese lanterns to be banned, and those celebrating this summer are urged to resist setting them off for fear of the damage they can cause to the countryside.
Stolen motorhome recovered in half an hour thanks to Tracker
by David Weston
Owners of a Fiat Ducato motorhome were reunited with their stolen tourer less than 30 minutes after it was reported stolen. The vehicle had been fitted with a Tracker security unit allowing police to recover it so quickly.
The owners from Weston-Super-Mare were upset to discover their Fiat Ducato motorhome had been stolen back in February.
Once the police had been notified, the Tracker unit was activated and a signal was picked up near Bristol.
Police located the vehicle using the Tracker Mesh Network and stopped the thieves on the M5, pulling them over at the Strensham Services in Worcestershire.
Adrian Davenport, Police Liason Manager for Tracker, said: “This was a great result, achieved through the teamwork of Tracker staff, officers from Avon, Somerset and Gloucestershire police and the Central Motorway Patrol Group.
“As a result of this proactive work, two stolen vehicles were recovered, valued at many thousands of pounds and one person was arrested,” he added.
Tracker’s Mesh Network is designed to cast a virtual net over thieves. When a vehicle fitted with a Tracker unit passes any Tracker SVR equipped vehicle that has been reported stolen, it automatically sends a signal to Tracker providing the location of the stolen asset – even if it is hidden in a garage, container or underground car park.
Furthermore, its technology is used by all police forces in the UK, demonstrating the power of Tracker’s SVR solutions.
“This is not an unusual success story for Tracker; 90% of stolen vehicles fitted with a Tracker are reunited with their owner, and 80% of these are recovered within 24 hours,” Adrian continued.
Sunday Times names Whale in Top 100 best small companies to work for
Whale, the Bangor-based UK manufacturer, has been named in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Small Companies to work for’ for the fifth consecutive year.
It is the independent survey’s 14th year recognizing Britain’s most dedicated workforces.
Each year Best Companies and The Sunday Times celebrates the best small, mid-size and big workplaces in the UK. Every year the prestige of the list builds as does the number of companies that enter the competition.
A total of 897 businesses and organisations are registered to take part in the survey, which is then divided into four categories.
For five years running, Whale has made it into the Top 100.
Munster Simms Engineering Limited, better known asWhale, specializes in the design and manufacture of water, waste and heating products such as quick connect plumbing systems, taps, space and water heaters, and accessories.
Patrick Hurst, Whale’s Managing Director, commented on the latest success, saying:
“We are delighted to have been listed for the fifth year in a row, particularly given the fact that the workforce has doubled during that time.
“To know that we have such loyal support from our employees is a great endorsement for the company.
“We believe that any business is only as good as the people who work in it. Without exception, Whale is full of exceptional people.”
50th anniversary search is on for longest-serving Elddis owner
by Chris Jefferies
1964 was a great year in the history of the UK. The Beatles released ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, Prince Edward was born, and Elddis started building caravans.
And, as the mathematicians among you may have already figured out, that means that 2014 is the golden anniversary of the company.
To mark this momentous milestone, Elddis has begun a nationwide search to track down and celebrate its longest-serving owners.
Reaching the ripe old age of 50 would not have been possible without plenty of support from the caravanning community. In recognition of that, the company has promised some big surprises.
Further details of this will emerge later in the year. For now Elddis wants to hear from you if you have a particularly vintage Elddis tourer in your household.
Perhaps your grandparents passed it down through the generations. Or maybe you’ve had a string of Elddis caravans over the years.
If you think you’ve got a story that will take some beating, then e-mail Rachel at Elddis: elddis.owners@elddis.co.uk
Keep checking back with CaravanTimes to find out more about Elddis’s anniversary celebrations and how they plan to reward their most loyal customers.
Police appeal after Elddis caravan is stolen in broad daylight raid
by Chris Jefferies
The daylight theft of an Elddis caravan has been described as brazen by Nottinghamshire Police, who have launched an appeal for information.
Crooks are believed to have hitched up to the vehicle in question on a driveway on the A60 Doncaster Road, before reversing out into a main road, holding up traffic as they did so.
What makes this theft all the more remarkable is that it happened during broad daylight, between 1:30pm and 1:45pm on Monday (10 March).
The two-berth caravan is an Elddis Crusader Hurricane model and police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
PC George Watson said: “This was a brazen theft in which the offenders weren’t shy in exploiting the kindness of strangers to steal the caravan.
“Doncaster Road is a very busy carriageway with a constant flow of traffic at this time of day. Do you remember stopping for the men?
“Did you see the vehicle they were using the tow the caravan? If you have any information call us.” Witnesses are urged to dial 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting the incident number: 000719-10032014.
This story underlines the dangers of storing your caravan on your driveway. CaSSOA-approved secure storage is the best option, but alternative security measures include a wheel lock or simply parking the caravan with the hitch facing a wall or garage door.
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