Update: Thanks for your entries, this competition is now closed.
by Chris Jefferies
Barbecuing is one of the most popular ways to cook dinner on a caravan site, with a recent survey showing that 39% of campers pick this as their favourite holiday meal.
With that in mind, CaravanTimes has teamed up with Towergate Insurance to offer you the chance to win one of three Cadac Safari Chef caravan barbecues in this month’s competition.
This highly versatile piece of kit allows you to cook al fresco using your gas bottles, so there’s no need to fiddle around with firelighters and charcoal.
What’s even better is that it comes with five different cooking surfaces, including a non-stick grill, a ridged griddle pan and even a wok.
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, which is worth £60, all you have to do is fill in your details below. Don’t forget to include a valid e-mail address, so we can get in touch and tell you if you’ve won.
The deadline for competition entries is Friday 12 October – best of luck to everyone who enters.
Update: Thanks for your entries, this competition is now closed.
Competition rules:
The lucky three winners will be picked at random on the 12 October 2012 and the winner will be notified via the email supplied in the entry form
The value of the barbecue will be £59
Only one entry per person
No purchase necessary
No cash or alternative will be offered
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over
Widespread rain and flooding forces caravan park closures
Torrential rain and widespread flooding has hit parts of the UK, forcing some caravan parks to close their doors and evacuate guests.
Flood warnings are currently in place up and down the country, with forecasts warning of yet more rain to come.
This downpour has had a direct impact on some caravan parks too, with the Yorkshire Post reporting that sites in Knaresborough and Catterick have had to close
with rising rivers placing many of the facilities underwater.
The news provider has also warned that some areas of road have become jammed with traffic, while the rail networks in the region are similarly disrupted.
A similar situation on the Fylde Coast, with one holiday park in Fleetwood already closed amid major flooding.
The emergence of these extreme weather conditions is a major setback to caravan park owners who will not only miss out on additional custom, but also face the prospect of major repair work.
Police calls for vigilance following caravan arsons
Runcorn police are continuing to investigate a series of fires which left three caravans destroyed, amid strong suspicions that the blazes were started deliberately.
As the Runcorn and Widnes World reports, two tourers were set alight outside of homes in the Castle Rise and Brookfield Avenue areas of the town.
In addition to this, a caravan parked on Sewell Street was also torched, along with an empty property on Castlefields Avenue East.
Each of the incidents is believed to have taken place at sometime between 10pm and 1am over the past few weeks, with police believing that the fires are part of some wider arson campaign.
Speaking to the news provider, Runcorn Neighbourhood Policing Unit PC Tom Callow said:”Residents are reminded to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity to police immediately.
“Residents with caravans parked near their home are urged to ensure any valuables are removed and to remove items such as gas canisters,” he added.
Similar reports have emerged in Brighton, where police are on the lookout for a person or group of people responsible for a number of arsons.
VIDEO: Fitting Alde heating to the lightweight Elddis Affinity
Elddis Caravans claims to have made a breakthrough with its latest caravan range, as the Affinity features Alde central heating but all the models weigh less than 1,500kgs.
To find out why this is such a significant achievement, CaravanTimes has travelled to Durham to meet Alan Bateman, one of the chief designers behind this collection.
In this video, he talks us through the advantages of the Alde system, including how it helps to prevent against condensation on the windows.
He also explains why the 1,500kg weight limit was such a significant figure in the development of this range.
The Elddis Affinity range features a choice of four single-axle layouts, all of which are initially priced at £18,999
Caravan company conman jailed
A 45-year-old man, who stole nearly £60,000 from customers and an insurance company in his role as boss of the Plymouth Caravan Centre is preparing for life behind bars.
Shaun Cole was sentenced to 31 months in prison for his exploits, which saw him defraud both parties to the tune of £59,700, the Plymouth Herald reports.
Jason Beal, of the Crown Prosecution Service explained how Mr Cole would sell tourers on behalf of their owners, under the agreement that he took a five per cent commission on the sale price, while also charging the vendors to service the caravans.
However, once a sale was completed, Mr Cole would often neglect to tell the owners that the tourer had been sold and, instead, pocketed the cash.
And in the instances where he informed clients about the sales, he would also mislead them about the price, telling them it fetched far less and keeping the difference.
In addition to this, Mr Cole overcharged customers for servicing vehicles and in one instance told the authorities that 14 caravans had been damaged, claiming £11,000 in insurance which he then took for himself.
The defendant admitted to 13 charges of fraud and was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court.
Mr Cole’s case came as Plymouth police continue to look for answers to a recent fire that broke out aboard a tourer belong to a charity in the area.
Lincolnshire charity caravan contents taken
Charity organisers have been left staggered after thieves broke into a caravan used by the group and stole hundreds of pounds worth of equipment which had kindly been donated.
The tourer, which was based in Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, was raided at some point on Friday night (September 20th), the Ilkeston Advertiser reports.
It had originally been purchased for the charity The Ben Parker Trust or Ben’s Den, which provides holidays for ill children and their families.
A flat screen television and Nintendo Wii games console, which had both been donated to the group, were taken along with a number of DVDs and games that had been left for communal use.
Speaking to the news provider, Tracey Parker, who set up the organisation along with her husband in memory of their son, hit out at the thieves.
“All of the sponsorship money we collect from people doing things like biking from John O’Groats to Lands End – all their hard work has been for nothing. It’s a joke,” he said.
Ms Parker is now set to invest in an alarm system worth £400 – something previously recommended by officials at the Institute of Advanced Motorists.
VIDEO: Saving weight without losing luxury on the Bailey Unicorn II
by Chris Jefferies
Keeping caravan weights down has never been more important, what with rising petrol prices and restricted towing limits on many family cars.
With this in mind, Bailey Caravans has pulled out all the stops to bring down the MTPLMs on the new Bailey Unicorn Series II collection.
The result is an all-new range of luxury tourers that weigh up to 100kg less than their predecessors, with all single-axle models tipping the scales at less than 1,500kg in total.
In this video, Ian Rawlings from Bailey explains how a series of small changes have achieved this weight saving, and he also explains the importance of having a low noseweight.
Prices in the 2013 Bailey Unicorn range start at just £18,895 and MTPLM weights range from 1,350kg for the two-berth Seville layout, to 1,686kg for the twin-axle Unicorn II Barcelona. For more details click here
Palace on wheels motorhome rolls onto the market
A brand-new state-of-the-art motorhome which has been dubbed “the palace on wheels” has been showcased in a special report by The Sun newspaper.
The newly-built Volkner Mobil Performance Bus offers an incredible level of luxury for its owners with each model carefully designed over a period of 12 months.
No expense has been spared on this 40ft long vehicle, with luxury leather sofas and a full-size real wood kitchen fitted as standard. Amenities also include a dishwasher, microwave and impressively large fridge-freezer.
The luxuries don’t end there either, with a widescreen TV on hand alongside Bose-Dolby-home Entertainment Surround Sound also present for onboard entertainment.
Bathroom facilities are similarly impressive, with a power shower and standard toilet provided.
The cherry on this particular cake comes courtesy of this particular model’s secret compartment which has been designed to store a Ferrari.
As lavish a motorhome as you are likely to see, this vehicle is priced at £1.2 million and may well be worth every penny.
The only man likely to rival this particular model for excess is Simon Cowell, with the X Factor mogul famous for touring the US in a pimped-out motorhome over the last two years.
For more images click here
Caravan stolen from home in Norfolk
A state-of-the-art caravan was stolen from a residential property in Tilney, St Lawrence in Norfolk over the weekend, leaving police calling for help from eye-witnesses.
Local police are once again calling on members of the public to step forward with information relating to the theft of a tourer from a home in Tilney St Lawrence over the weekend.
A Challenger 570 T5C 2010 model caravan was taken in the hours between Sunday evening (September 23rd) and Monday night, according to Lynn News.
The tourer in question was worth several thousand pounds, but also contained a number of sentimental items that would prove virtually irreplaceable.
Amongst these nostalgic pieces is a diary of all the previous trips undertaken in the caravan – an item the owners are particularly keen to get back.
Police are calling for information on any suspicious vehicles seen towing a tourer overnight, with anyone offering evidence asked to contact PC Sue Newns on the non-emergency 101 number, or alternatively via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Thefts are an increasingly common problem among caravan owners, with Scunthorpe-based newlyweds Jo and Mick Curtis experiencing a similar loss after visiting a pub with their tourer recently.
How caravan gadgets can help you go wild caravanning
Towing your caravan off the beaten track and into some of the most remote parts of the UK can be a very exciting experience, and a great way to make the most out of your tourer.
Before setting off, there are a number of helpful gadgets that you might want to consider fitting to your caravan to make things more comfortable.
Towergate Insurance has recently published a list of the most useful wild caravanning gadgets, along with some advice on the different versions that you can get.
One item they suggest looking into buying is a roof-mounted solar panel, something that is clearly catching on as Swift has taken the bold move of fitting solar panels to all of its 2013 caravan ranges as standard.
The insurance experts also suggest checking your cover to make sure you won’t get caught out, especially if you are considering towing overseas.
For more top tips from Towergate, read their original article: Essential items for wild caravanning this winter
Scottish caravan sites could suffer following road sign change
Caravan parks in Scotland are facing up to a major tourism set back which will see the previously-installed “no overnight parking” signs found in local Highland lay-bys abolished.
Originally introduced in 1990, the Highland Council set the notices up as a means of attracting more road-weary visitors to use the vast array of camping and caravanning sites in the region, the BBC reports.
However, after a year-long campaign, East Yorkshire-based adventurer Andy Strangeway has successfully lobbied to have the signage removed.
Mr Strangeway was able to successfully argue that motorists should be allowed to pull over and rest in roadside lay-bys in the region.
And in a meeting of the local transport, environmental and community services committee, members voted 12 to eight in favour of removing the notices.
Despite the potential dent to local tourism, the changes could allow potentially tired drivers heading to local caravan parks to rest at an opportune moment.
Research from GEM Motoring Assist highlighted the dangers of driving when tired, with the times of 3am to 5am and 2pm to 4pm the most common for fatigue-related collisions.
COMPETITION: Win one of 25 pairs of tickets to the National Caravan Show
Update: Thanks for all your entries, this competition is now closed
by Chris Jefferies
Each year in the UK there are dozens of caravan shows that take place up and down the country, but none of them come close to matching the enormous NCC Motorhome and Caravan Show at the Birmingham NEC.
Taking place over six days in October, this annual event is a great opportunity to see all the latest caravans and pick up some fantastic gadgets as well.
For this year’s show, which runs from October 16th to 21st, the organisers have pulled out all the stops to create a truly special event.
Celebrity appearances from 80s TV star Catherine Bach, as well as top chefs Paul Hollywood and Matt Dawson, are just the beginning.
There is something for the whole family to enjoy, from caravan and motorhome manoeuvring lessons for the parents to beginners’ archery lessons for the kids to enjoy.
All the biggest caravan manufacturers will be out in force, with the new Swift Challenger Sport SE, Bailey Unicorn Series II, and Elddis Affinity all proudly exhibited.
Tickets are on sale now, priced at £8 for adults, £7 for over 60s, while kids go free and there is no charge for parking.
However, if you want to go along and see the show for free, then you’re in luck – as CaravanTimes has 25 pairs of tickets to give away in this month’s prize draw.
To enter, all you have to do is answer the simple question below. Don’t forget to include your full name and e-mail address, so we can tell you if you’ve won.
The deadline for entries is midday on Friday 5 October, best of luck to everyone who enters and happy caravanning!
Update: Thanks for all your entries, this competition is now closed
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