South-east London blighted by spate of motorhome thefts

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by Tom Walsh

South-east London has seen a spike in motorhome theft over the past two months, according to the latest figures.

Speaking to The Camping and Caravanning Club, Tim Booth of ACVIS Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service said that the area of the capital is being targeted by criminals.

Between ten and 15 models were reported to the Metropolitan Police as being stolen during October and November. The trend has been described as “very unusual” for this time of year.

While motorhome owners in the area are being told to remain calm, it highlights the need to have the right insurance policy in place should the worst happen.

Mr Booth explains that people need to invest in an alarm system and test it on a regular basis to ensure that if someone does try to break in it will alert the owner and the rest of the neighbourhood.

The security expert also advised people to contact the police if their motorhome is either stolen or subject to suspicious activity.

Caravans used as HIV testing station in Sydney

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by Tom Walsh

Sydney has become home to Australia’s first pop-up HIV testing station.

The site is housed in a caravan and it allows people to get results from the simple finger prick test in just 30 minutes.

Health officials believe that the test centre, due to be set up at Taylor Square in Darlinghurst until 1 December, will help to curb to rise in HIV infections in New South Wales.

Dr Kerry Chant, the state’s chief health officer, said: “We want to break down those barriers.

“This way we can encourage early treatment if people are HIV positive, and prevent transmission.”

People who use the testing station have the option to wait around for their results or have a SMS alert telling them to pick them up.

There has been a growing problem of HIV infections in New South Wales with 2012 seeing a 24 per cent rise in cases and an 81 per cent increase in the gay community.

NACO urges caravanners to contact MP over industry changes

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by Tom Walsh

The National Association of Caravan Owners (NACO) is encouraging members to contact their MPs should they have any queries about changes within the industry.

It comes as the NACO is set to met with Simon Danczuk MP to discuss the various the issues that are facing caravan owners in the UK.

The organisation has been working alongside Trading Standards in its investigation into Unfair Terms in holiday caravan agreements.

The NACO stated that it was aware of changes of legislative reform in Wales and Northern Ireland which has been the introduction of caravan specific law to support owners.

The group now wants to ensure that these benefits are brought into England making it a level playing field for every owner in the UK.

Many caravanners enjoy travelling the length and breadth of the nation and should not have to be met with different legislation should they stay in certain parts of the country, they argue.

Lyon’s Holiday Parks buys North Wales site

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by Tom Walsh

A North Wales holiday park is under new ownership, it has been announced.

St Mary’s Holiday Park in Prestatyn, North Wales, has been purchased by Lyon’s Holiday Park from Colliers International.

The company has paid over £500,000 for the site which takes its portfolio to eight parks and it already has big plans for the popular seaside park.

Richard Moss, director of the specialist Parks division of Colliers, explained that St Mary’s is in an ideal location and Lyon’s will be able to benefit from the popularity of the area to bring in more customers.

Lyon’s has purchased both the 54-pitch site and fishing lake along with a further plot of land which spans over 5.9 acres.

Mr Moss added: “The investment by West Register, coupled with the appointment of a specialist management company, has resulted in continued growth, which the new owner can develop to take the park to its optimum trading level.”

Elite Caravans releases hilariously cheesy Luxury Class music video

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by Jake Polden

Of late the likes of One Direction, who recently took the right direction out of Britain to set the States alight, and everyone’s favourite Disney Star Miley Cyrus, have dominated music-related headlines to represent the proud nations of Britain and America respectively.

Australian pop stars it appears are nowhere to be seen, until now. Aussie company Elite Caravans are hoping to put their country back on the cultural map, and with the release of this new music video we’d have to say they’ve got a great chance.

Lasting just over four minutes, Peter and Kathy (who we assume are a couple off-screen, considering they exchange a kiss at the end of some increasingly saucy exchanges), prove they have the musical endurance to surpass all those three-and-a-bit-minute songs of today.

Opening on a shot of the couple sat outside what appears to be a regular caravan – with the glow of the green screen encompassing them throughout – the scene quickly becomes one of “class” as the couple magically shed their mundane clothes for a tuxedo and evening gown.

As the action moves inside we realise very quickly that we are in fact within the confines of a luxury caravan, with Peter highlighting this further in his attempts to woo Kathy with his “filter tap”…

Taking a sudden surreal turn, as if channelling a young Jimmy Hendrix, the couple take an illusory journey through time, space, sea and sky – all of which is captured with the cutting-edge cinematography you’d expect to see in 2013.

As their bed completes its Bedknobs and Broomsticks-style journey over Sydney, the couple find themselves in front of what appears to be the chorus line from a Sheila’s Wheels commercial, showing off some revolutionary dance moves, amongst other things.

We at Caravan Times could talk about this video all day and still not do it justice (it’s that good), so all we can suggest is, watch it for yourself below:

Tewkesbury storage site blaze claims 50 caravans

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by Tom Walsh

Fifty caravans have gone up in flames during a huge fire at a mobile home storage park in Tewkesbury.

Gloucestershire Fire Service were called to a scene near Bredons Hardwick in the early hours of Sunday morning (24 November).

It took 11 crews to tackle the fire which prevented it from spreading to a huge nearby fuel storage vessel.

An investigation is underway to find the root of the cause but the owner of the caravan site told ITV there were floating lanterns let off into the sky on the night of the fire after a party in the site’s clubhouse.

However, a spokesman for the Hereford & Worcester Fire Service stated that it was still too early to determine how the blaze started but he failed to rule out the possibility that the lanterns could have been to blame.

Update: It has now been revealed that eighty caravans were destroyed in the fire. To see a video clip of the site after the blaze, click here.

New group aims to improve caravanning in Shetland

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by Tom Walsh

Shetland is looking to boost its camping and caravanning options with the launch of a new development group.

The team will be tasked with looking at potential sites and areas that could be used to attract tourists to the Isles.

One area that has been earmarked for a potential holiday park is a hockey pitch in Seafield, the Shetland Times reports.

Should the Shetland Caravan and Camping Development Group (SCCDG) manage to secure funding then a proposal could be launched in the near future.

Gary Learsk, chairman of the group, told the news provider: “At the moment we are still very much at the stage of formalising ideas.

“Initial plans for the site have been drawn up but they are not official and changes might need to be made, but we are looking to provide a site with access for up to 30 caravans as well as a tented area.”

It is hoped that the move will help to attract for people from mainland Scotland and further afield to the Isles.

Base Camp Bonn takes indoor caravanning to the next level

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by Ruchi Srivastava

On the hunt for a camping holiday that’s a little bit out of the ordinary?

Well, we may have just found exactly what you’re looking for in Germany.

Make your way down to Bonn, along the famous river Rhine, and you will finally reach BaseCamp.

The BaseCamp Young Hostel offers you a rare caravan holidaying adventure as it allows you the chance to camp at an indoor campground, which is situated in a former storage facility.

BaseCamp believes in mixing adventure with a bit of quirkiness, topped with a flair for the dramatic.

This unique camping ground has a host of retro caravans for travellers to choose from, depending on their own individual character and taste.

Each caravan is themed in a unique manner, with accompanying lawns in front of the furnished caravans.

This way you get the added benefit of spending a lovely, relaxed evening in a classic tourer, without having to worry about those dreaded rain showers and storms.

In order to give a unique experience, each caravan has additional decorative accessories, some that may take you by surprise and bring you into the relevant time-period.

It may further interest ardent travellers to know that all the caravans at BaseCamp have been designed by the respected German television and film set designer, Marion Seul.

This means that the caravans are authentic and as close to its relevant time-period as possible.

Our personal favourites amongst the caravans included the ‘Eye Candy’ and ‘Give Peace a Chance’ caravans.

These two highly individualistic caravans reinforce the creative aspect of the hostel, where being bold and beautiful is a key principle.

The ‘Eye Candy’ caravan, as its name suggests, is a sight for sore eyes. Completely enveloped in the theme of pink, this is the caravan for fabulous campers who want the maximum amount of sparkle.

There are even a few hidden surprises inside the caravan that are bound to catch your attention.

Ever wanted a chance to get nostalgic and reminisce about the 1960s? The ‘Give Peace a Chance’ caravan might be your answer.

Capturing the spirit of love and harmony, this caravan is as orange as the setting sun, with beautifully decorated vintage wallpaper and classic record sleeves by artists like The Who and David Bowie, so it is guaranteed to take you back in time.

Directly above these special caravans is a spacious balcony that can function as an area for events along with being the general dining and socialising area. Other facilities include conveniently located bathrooms.

What’s more, there is free Wi-Fi throughout the caravan park along with ever-friendly staff available on reception 24/7.

And you can breathe a sigh of relief, for meals are also provided. Breakfasts are always included along with a regular supply of towels, bed linen and sheets.

There are also drinks and snacks sold inside the caravan park while a food truck sells various items outside the hostel.

Further emphasising the community feel of the park, the hostel also caters to nature-lovers since there is a BBQ area located outside the hostel along with sports and leisure facilities.

Meanwhile avid adventurers can enjoy the hostel’s custom tours of the most popular local attractions.

If laying about and doing nothing is not really your thing, then this could be the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself and discover the surroundings of Bonn in more detail.

Of particular interest to visitors are the Siebengebirge nature reserve and the well-known Rhine river.

So go on then, get your traveller books and bags ready for what could be the caravanning holiday of a lifetime.


Find more photos like this on CaravanTimes

Devon caravan park named ‘greenest’ in the UK

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by Tom Walsh

A campsite in Devon has been named the ‘greenest’ in the UK at the Green Tourism Goldstar Awards.

Woodovis Park, which sits a short drive away from Tavistock, was commended for its commitment to sustainability and was given one of the top awards of the evening.

The Green Tourism Goldstar Awards celebrates companies and parks that are making contributions to ensuring that their parks are being efficiently run.

John Lewis of Woodovis Park said: “We are bowled over to be named the greenest holiday park in the UK. Preserving our beautiful surroundings remains a priority and we’re always looking for ways to improve our eco credentials.”

The awards ceremony saw 2,400 contenders compete for 15 accolades which spread across all forms of hospitality including hotels and restaurants and not just holiday parks.

Wrexham caravan park wins Welsh tourism award

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by Tom Walsh

A Wrexham holiday park has been named as the best in Wales at the country’s tourism awards.

The Plassey Holiday Park was honoured as being the best holiday, touring and camping park of 2013 at the annual National Tourism Awards for Wales.

The facility was given the accolade by Radio 1 and TV presenter Aled Haydn Jones last week (20 November), fending off a number of tough competitors.

It is not just holidaymakers which The Plassey Holiday Park accommodates as it also houses a thriving craft and retail centre which is home to around 25 businesses. These include boutiques, caravan and camping accessories and hand-made craft companies.

The site is in the perfect location for people visiting North Wales and sits just over three miles outside of Wrexham, making it ideal for holidaymakers wanting to visit the town.

Windermere caravan park raises £3,000 for charity

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by Tom Walsh

When Cumbria schoolgirl Alice Pyne set up the charity Alice’s Escapes after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma her goal was to create specially adapted caravans for young sufferers.

And although the 17-year-old sadly passed away earlier in the year, her dream came true last week (22 November) thanks a Windermere caravan park.

Park Cliffe has managed to raise £3,000 through a series of events throughout the past year which will now go towards the children’s charity.

Alice wanted to help fellow lymphoma suffers by creating a caravan that could be used both by children and their relatives.

Now that dream has become a reality with a specially designed holiday home being created in Ulverston, Cumbria.

Susan Dickson, who started a tuck shop at Alice’s sister’s school, said: “The local support we received has been tremendous, and many holidaymakers also wanted to make a contribution – so we are extremely grateful to everyone for their generosity.”

COMPETITION: Vote for your Caravan of the Year and win a Kindle

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by Chris Jefferies
2013 has been a great year for new caravans of all shapes and sizes, and in the CaravanTimes Caravan of the Year poll you can have your say.
This year’s awards are bigger than ever, with ten categories for you to vote in, meaning you can help to ensure that your favourite park, dealer, accessory, motorhome and caravan get the recognition they deserve.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Caravan of the Year poll without our bulging Christmas prize hamper and this year the top prize is an Amazon Kindle Paperwhite e-reader (worth £109).
This clever gadget lets you take a whole library’s worth of books with you on holiday without having to worry about overloading the caravan.
What’s more, it’s super long-lasting battery means you can leave the charger at home, as the Paperwhite can last for up to eight weeks without running out of juice.
We’ve also got plenty of runner’s up prizes including a few copies of Andrew Jenkinson’s Classic Caravan Calendar.
To be in with a chance of winning one of these great prizes, just vote for your favourite in the ten categories below and like our Facebook page before the deadline of midday on Wednesday 18 December.
Don’t forget to include a valid e-mail address, so we can let you know if you’ve won. Best of luck to all those entering and happy caravanning!

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 18 December 2013 and will be notified via the email supplied in the entry form
Only one entry per person
No purchase necessary
No cash or alternative will be offered
This competition is open to new or existing CaravanTimes members and Facebook fans only
No employees of CaravanTimes or StantonPace Ltd may enter
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over