Caravan company director handed 11-year business ban

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by Tom Walsh

A caravan company director has been handed an 11-year business ban after withholding third-party money.

Michael Anthony Lake, director of Malvern-based 3 Counties Caravans Ltd, was found guilty of failing to forward client money meant for a third party and also gave misleading information to a customer.

The charges also involved witholding more than £45,000 from a motorhome manufacturer after recieving the money from a customer.

Mr Lake had been under investigation from the Insolvency Service and will now be banned from operating as a company director from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2025.

Sue Macleod, head of insolvent investigations in the Midlands and West, said: “The undertaking signed by Mr Lake sends a clear message to other company directors: ‘If you run a business in a way that is detrimental to its creditors, you will be in our sights’.”

The dealership went into insolvency last April, leaving debts of more than £270,000.

Caravan stolen from Derbyshire storage facility despite wheel clamp

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by Tom Walsh

Thieves have made off with a caravan last weekend after breaking into a storage facility in Derbyshire, according to a local newspaper report.

The burglars climbed a security fence at a Somercotes compound on Cotes Park Lane and made off with the tourer on Sunday (19 January) evening, the Ripley and Heanor News reports.

CCTV captured two men entering the site at 5:20pm before opening the gate for a third man who drove in with a 4×4 vehicle, complete with oversized wheels, spotlights and bull bars.

The caravan was secured with a wheel clamp but this was removed with bolt cutters before the thieves made off the with the vehicle.

It is a further warning to caravan owners to be on their guard when parking up their vehicle or leaving it in a compound. They can become attractive propositions for any would-be burglar.

Police in Derbyshire are now appealing to anyone with information to contact the force on the 101 helpline.

Caravan Theft Alerts systems helps to recover stolen Lincolnshire caravans

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by Tom Walsh

The introduction of the Caravan Theft Alerts system has been deemed as instrumental in helping to recover a series of stolen caravans in the Lincolnshire area.

Nigel Coppen, client services director at Club Care Insurance and Caravan Theft Alerts, has praised the system which was only launched in October 2013.

It was originally set up to provide the wider caravanning community with a central system that will help to locate tourers when they had been stolen but it has also been instrumental in helping the police with their inquiries.

Mr Coppen wrote in a guest blog on the Club Car Insurance website that the system was used by officers in Lincolnshire to recover three stolen caravans in the region.

The tourers had not been listed as stolen on the Police National Computer (PNC) but were able to be recovered thanks to Caravan Theft Alerts.

Tim Booth, leisure vehicles officer at the Association of Chief Police Officers’ Vehicle Crime Intelligence division, said: “Thanks to the industry working together, with Caravan Theft Alerts taking the notification and the CRiS database being kept up to date, these were essential elements in the recovery of these caravans.”

Lincolnshire caravan park owner defends tourists’ contribution

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by Tom Walsh

A war of words has broken out between a Lincolnshire caravan park owner and the council over the role of tourists in the region.

John Chappell, of Skegness Water Leisure Park, has dismissed claims that visitors are a burden on local resources and the taxpayer adding that he believes they are crucial to the area’s economy, the East Lindsey Target reports.

There have been calls for tourists to contribute towards improving flood defences from the coast, but Mr Chappell believes that introducing a new tax rate for tourists could actually prevent a lot from coming.

Caravan owners currently pay a ground fee of £2,200 a year including £440 VAT and £200 towards business rates.

Mr Chappell told the news provider: “Most of them are here for weekends etc and they are paying a hell of a rate of tax for having a luxury holiday caravan.”

In other local news, a meeting to discuss protecting against flooding in the area is being held at the Embassy Theatre in Skegness on 23 January.

Lincolnshire caravanners invited to free ‘prepare for flooding’ event

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by Tom Walsh

Christmas 2013 turned into a nightmare for many people across the UK as torrential rain and strong winds battered the country.

It resulted in flood waters piling into households, fields and even caravan parks in coastal towns and areas bordering some of the nation’s biggest rivers.

Lincolnshire was hit hard by the adverse weather and now caravan site owners are being invited to a free ‘prepare for flooding’ event, Lincolnshire Echo reports.

The meeting is due to take place on 23 January at the Embassy Theatre in Skegness and will offer advice to people on how they should better protect themselves in the event of flood and how to evacuate accordingly.

It will be run by Lincolnshire joint Emergency Management Service and will have a host of key speakers giving their views on the night.

Hayley Harrison, emergency planning officer at Lincolnshire County Council, told the news provider: “The day will also give you the opportunity to bring along any flood evacuation plan that you may have for your site and talk to emergency responders about your plan, working with them to ensure your plan is as effective as it can be.”

Three hospitalised after Morcombelake campervan crash

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by Tom Walsh

Three people have been hospitalised after a four-car crash on the A35 in Morcombelake.

The incident occurred at 2:30pm on Thursday (16 January) and resulted in the closure of the roads in both directions.

Police and ambulance crews were called to the scene with three people being taken to hospital with neck and back injuries although they are not thought to be serious.

The vehicles involved included a blue Ford Fiesta, registered in Uplyme, a green Mazda Motor-Caravan registered in Brighton, a silver Vauxhall Vectra from the Lyme Regis and a black Skoda Yeti from Honiton.

A spokesman for the South West Ambulance Service said: “We were called to a four car road traffic collision at 2.41pm today. Four cars were involved in the collision and three casualties were taken to hospital complaining of neck and back injuries.”

The A35 has since been reopened with traffic running smoothly once again.

Otter pup rescued from Stockton caravan park

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by Jake Polden

Caravanning is all about seeing the great outdoors; it’s an opportunity to be at one with nature, to enjoy the encompassing greenery and to experience wild animals in their natural habitat.

Birds, fish and deer are perhaps the most common wild animals found in the UK, but every now and again an animal that we are perhaps a little less familiar with makes itself known to us.

And that’s exactly what happened at a caravan park in Stockton, where a six-week old otter pup was discovered.

Little information has been released regarding the discovery, however it is believed that the otter became stranded after coming out the nearby River Tees.

Taken to a local veterinary surgery, the otter pup is now in the capable hands of staff who are looking after the creature until next week, when it will be transferred to a sanctuary.

Nicknamed ‘Otty’ the pup is believed to be in good condition and is enjoying being fed puppy milk, although perhaps not as much as the staff who get to feed it.

VIDEO: Spot the latest outdoor trends at the Caravan and Camping Show

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by Chris Jefferies
Whether you call it glamping, staycationing, or simply camping, there’s no arguing that outdoor holidays have had something of a resurgence in recent years.
It started off as a reaction to the recession, but with so many eye-catching designs and stylish models on the market, camping and caravanning has gone on to really capture the public’s imagination.
And there’s no place better to discover why this is than at the Caravan and Camping Show (18-23 February), which brings together the best and brightest of the UK industry and beyond.
This year’s show will have classic campervans, cute micro-caravans, innovative tents and even some truly colossal motorhomes.
What’s more, there are tonnes of stands promoting wonderful destinations to spark your wanderlust and sense of adventure.
In this video, we take a look at some of the key highlights to look forward to in 2014 and talk to some of the regulars who come from far and wide to see what’s on offer. Give it a try for yourself this year and who knows what you might discover…

COMPETITON: Manchester caravan show tickets and free awning winners announced

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by Chris Jefferies
The Manchester Caravan and Motorhome Show is where 2014 begins in earnest for lovers of all things outdoorsy, with all the big names in the industry represented.
This year’s show looks to be as busy as ever, with special guest Michelle Collins (of EastEnders and Coronation Street fame) due to cut the ribbon on Thursday 23 January.
Advance tickets are on sale now at the bargain price of £7.50 for adults, but 25 lucky couples will be going along for free, thanks to our latest competition.
CaravanTimes has 25 pairs of tickets to give away, and as if that wasn’t enough we also have an awning worth more than £450 to throw into the mix.
The deadline for entries has now passed, so without further ado, the lucky winners are:

Colin Cassel, Robert Smithers, Brian Hardisty, Chris Buchanan, Magdalen Rogers, Paul Foster, Roger Pearse, Karen Lloyd, Sue Hawkins, John McClure, Bob Fraser, David Coatham, Steve Varden, Stacey Evans, Suzanne Pealin, Alan Clare, Lee Ainsworth, Chris Singleton, Heather Davison, Val Brailsford, Gary Turner, Paul Russell, Brian Smith and Sue Smith

And the winner of our grand prize, a pair of free tickets plus a Khyam Motordome awning worth more than £450 is

John Herterick

Congratulations to you all, we’ll be in touch via e-mail to arrange delivery of your prizes. Commiserations to everyone else who entered, but keep checking back with CaravanTimes for more exciting competitions in the near future.

1950s-style Promettes to bring caravan glamour back to Brighton

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by Jake Polden

In a bid to “harness some of London 2012’s sporting spirit”, VistBrighton is to revive its 1950s Promettes tradition – stationing up to 50 new tourist guides in caravan headquarters around Brighton town centre.

Known for their good looks, snappy blue uniforms and white gloves, the original Promettes were a common sight in Brighton around the mid-50s, when they provided tourists with information about the local area.

Currently looking for volunteers, VistBrighton has announced that it is hoping to station modern Promettes at key locations around the town, including the famous pier and seafront, the train station and the Royal Pavilion.

Unfortunately, the new Promettes won’t visually resemble their eye-catching predecessors, but will be identifiable by their branded polo shirts and cagoules. More practical gear perhaps, but hardly as glamorous.

While the voluntary position will be unpaid, VistBrighton has announced that workers will receive free tickets to tourism-related openings, transferable skills and a certificate of achievement after their six-month contract has expired.

Speaking to The Argus, a newspaper local to Brighton, Audrey Page, who was a Promette in 1956 said: “I think it’s a very good idea to bring them back, although things are a lot different now from how they were then.

“We used to help people with their [deck] chairs, posting their cards or if somebody got sunburnt or was not feeling well, telling them where they needed to go.
“Anyone doing it now will have to be quite knowledgeable. I think it will be a more difficult job than it was before. They are going to have to be ready for just about anything and carry quite a bit of information with them.”
Audrey may well have a point, but we’re sure the caravan headquarters will be a great place to retreat to, should the job get too intense.

For a trip down memory lane with the original 1950 Brighton Promettes, click on the video below:

Thieves make off with Al-Ko hitches after raid on Airstream and Co factory

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by Tom Walsh and Chris Jefferies

Thieves have targeted the Airstream and Company facility in Tebay, taking a number of valuable caravan parts.

The Westmorland Gazette reported that the incident took place between 6:30pm on 6 January and 7:00am on 7 January.

Police stated that a number of AL-KO stabiliser hitches were taken and are appealing to anyone with information to come forward especially those who saw suspicious people or vehicles in the area or on the A686 heading to Kirkby Stephen.

The AL-KO stabiliser hitches are attached to Eriba models which are some of the most popular products within the company’s range.

Airstream’s Eriba portfolio ranges from the Troll 550 right up to the deluxe Nova S 540 and come in a number of different configurations ranging from the smaller three berth models right up to the larger five berth vehicles.

Michael Hold, Sales Director at Airstream Europe, told CaravanTimes: “Sadly during one stormy wet night last week, we were visited by robbers who stole 15 AL-KO AKS 3004 hitch head stabiliser couplings from new Eriba Tourings and pre-owned trailers in our outside storage and display areas. Nothing else was stolen or broken into”

He added that these were “obviously stolen to order” for caravans that are “not so well equipped”.

Al-Ko has confirmed that other dealers and suppliers in the area have been targeted, and although replacement stabilisers have been delivered to the Airstream factory, the company will be out of stock of Al-Ko hitch-locks until February.

Police added that people with information should contact PC Fox on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Tracker system helps to recover stolen Swift caravan once again

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by Tom Walsh

A partnership between Tracker and the Swift Group has paid dividends once again as the company helped to recover a stolen caravan.

The two companies have an agreement where Tracker devices are installed in all Swift models and it has allowed police to easily recover a caravan that had been taken from the owner’s storage unit.

Mr Gaston had only had his Swift Challenger caravan for seven months when it was stolen but help was at hand thanks to his vehicle being fitted with a Tracker device.

Once the device was activated it meant police could easily hunt down the model after taking down the Central Registration Identification Scheme (CRiS) number. The caravan was recovered in just a matter of hours.

Adrian Davenport, police liaison officer for Tracker, said: “Mr Gaston’s story shows just how important it is to ensure the dealership registers the sale with Tracker to activate the account and their three months’ free subscription.”