Friendly Club to attempt world record during Diamond Jubilee weekend

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by Tom Lowenstein

The Camping and Caravanning Club has set its sights on a new world record and is hoping to enter the Guinness Book of Records with its attempt over the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend.

Coinciding with National Camping and Caravanning Week at the beginning of June, the Club is hoping that the thousands of holidaymakers heading to its network of sites on the bank holiday will help put it in the record books.

Carrying on the Jubilee theme, on Monday June 4th the Club will attempt to break the record for the ‘most people wearing paper crowns across multiple locations’.

Caravanners at each of the Club’s 130 campsites will be provided with a special paper crown, with adjudicators from Guinness heading to the Sandringham Club Site, which is acting as the hub for the attempt.

“It’s a great event to bring people together and enjoy the great outdoors, particularly during National Camping and Caravanning Week and the Diamond Jubilee central weekend,” said Robert Louden, director general of the Club.

Club president, conservationist and celebrity David Bellamy will also be on hand at Sandringham to help break the record.

“Help us set a Guinness World Record,” he said. “I’ll have my paper crown at the ready.”

What’s more, the Friendly Club’s ambitious plan is the largest multiple-location world record attempt ever in the UK.

Norfolk locals angry over caravan park expansion plans

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by Tom Lowenstein

A Norfolk caravan site’s expansion plans have hit a bump in the road after local residents complained that it was big enough already.

Pentney Indoor Bowls Club last year was granted permission to convert land around it into a 50-pitch caravan site to house revellers visiting its country music festivals but has since applied to double its capacity.

Initial planning permission meant that Terry Gray, the bowling club’s owner, could only use the caravan site when he was hosting the weekend festivals, but his plans to expand the site to 100 caravans has provoked an outcry from locals, Lynn News reported.

While the initial application was accepted on condition that Mr Gray carried out work to ensure the protection of the local environment, residents are anxious that extending the site further will have serious consequences for local wildlife.

Villager Robin Munford said: “The damage to the environment would be devastating, water voles and otters are amongst the many animals that will be at risk from the increased noise, litter, dogs and pollution to the river,” the news provider quoted.

VIDEO: The Bailey Retreat and the new hobby of leisure homing

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by Chris Jefferies

For the majority of UK caravanners, their previous purchases have been for either a touring caravan, or a static caravan. A new market has now emerged which has been labelled leisure homing, and it represents a bit of a hybrid between the two.

Leisure homing involves renting a pitch out in a caravan park and leaving your touring caravan there year round, and Bailey caravans has jumped on this trend with its new Retreat model.

Caravan Times visited Bailey recently to get all the details on the Retreat, and how it fits in to the leisure homing market.

Simon Howard, the Marketing Director at Bailey, tells us exactly what to expect from the Retreat, as well as the thought process behind its larger size and extra weight.

South Coast Caravan and Motorhome Show kicks off Easter weekend

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by Tom Lowenstein

With Easter weekend upon us, you may well be getting ready to hitch up and head off for a bank holiday caravan break.

If you’re looking for a show to attend this weekend, however, the 2012 South Coast Caravan and Motorhome Show gets underway on Saturday hosted by event organisers Apple Tree Exhibitions and Shows.

A diverse range of exhibitors are heading to the stunning Broadlands House in the heart of the Romsey countryside for the show, with many of the industry’s biggest names ready to show off their top caravans and motorhomes.

Among the line-up is West Country Motorhomes, a leading retailer for Durham caravan maker Elddis.

West Country offer their own special edition version of the Elddis Autoquest motorhome, the Sunseeker, and it will be on show at the event – with great Easter savings offered.

Other manufacturers (among many) making an appearance include Lunar, Bailey and Swift, with caravanners having the whole Easter bank holiday weekend to enjoy the show.

It runs from Saturday April 7th until Monday April 9th, from 9.30am until 4.30pm. Adult tickets are £7, seniors £6 and children go free.

Couple’s Coachman VIP caravan parked at their vow renewal

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravan lovers Chris and Linda Pearse renewed their wedding vows recently and their brand new Coachman made an appearance as a VIP witness.

The couple from Basingstoke have been married for 20 years and to celebrate their porcelain anniversary they decided to renew their vows before heading off on a second honeymoon.

In light of their love of all things caravan, they decided that their Coachman VIP 460/2 should be parked at the venue so they could hop straight into their towcar after the ceremony.

“To celebrate being together these past 20 years we decided to get married and what could be more appropriate than to park our new van at the wedding venue,” Linda said.

It is not the first Coachman the happy couple have owned either. In 2005 they bought their first VIP 460/2 and earlier this year they traded it in at Chichester Caravans for the latest model.

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Friendly Club survey reveals surprising facts about caravan insurance

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by Tom Lowenstein

New data released by the Camping and Caravanning Club’s insurance provider, Club Care, has revealed that the average claim made by a caravanner is worth 16 times the value of insuring the tourer in the first place.

Club Care’s study also reveals that the majority of claims (32 per cent) were made for damage repairs and a further 27 per cent were “impact-related claims”.

These figures highlight the importance of taking out a good caravan insurance policy, the broker adds.

Nine per cent of all claims were related to caravan thefts, with the research revealing that the majority are stolen between May and August, with a spike in thefts around the May Bank Holiday.

What’s more, just three per cent of all caravans stolen in 2011 were recovered, further emphasising the need to store your caravan in a safe place.

The vast majority (57 per cent) were stolen from outside people’s homes, with 27 per cent were taken from non-CaSSOA approved sites.

Britain’s caravanners do appear to be relatively safe when it comes to towing, however, with just eight per cent of all insurance claims relating to road accidents.

For more results from this survey, head over to the Club Care Insurance website.

FUEL CRISIS: Easter caravan holiday plans in chaos as petrol stations run empty

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by Marcus Dubois

Caravan holidaymakers across Britain will be nervously watching the signs at petrol station forecourts this weekend, after a record surge in demand for fuel.

The threat of a possible tanker driver’s strike over Easter led the Government this week to call for motorists to top up their fuel. On Wednesday the Cabinet Officer Francis Maude exhorted drivers to keep “maybe a little bit [of petrol] in the garage as well in a jerrycan” – a statement which led to thousands of drivers heading to fuel stations across the country to collect fuel reserves.

His advice was subsequently been criticised by the AA and the Fire Brigades Union, both of whom pointed out the danger of storing fuel at home. Politicians also pointed out that a jerrycan has a capacity of 20 litres which exceeds the official limit for safely storing petrol at home.

Running dry

The Petrol Retailer’s Association reported a 170% increase in petrol sales on Thursday as panicked Britons queued at stations. Meanwhile sales of diesel surged by almost 80% in response to the news.

Across Britain there have been reports of petrol stations closing altogether as extraordinary demand led to forecourts drained of fuel. Filling stations in Weymouth in Dorset displayed “Closed” signs today while waiting for tankers to arrive, while in the East of England a number of garages have asked drivers for a minimum spend to discourage drivers looking for a quick top-up.

The national crisis has understandably led to caravanners expressing serious concerns over their holiday plans this weekend. With stocks of petrol low across Britain, some holidaymakers believe they will be unable to fill up with enough fuel to make it to their chosen campsite.

No round trip guarantees

One Caravan Times reader was due to set off for Scotland on Saturday – but with most of the petrol stations in his surrounding area displaying “empty” signs, his holiday plans are now in jeopardy.

Fred Scuttle reported that “with most of the filling stations round us already empty, we’re wondering what chance we have of getting fuel once we head off to the remote parts of the Highlands?”

Furthermore, he was more concerned about the possibility of further fuel shortages en route. “Normally we’d just fill up the car and once we get past Glasgow we’d fill it up again which would easily get us to our destination, but now there is real uncertainty about what we will find when we get up there – and will we be able to get enough fuel to actually get us where we want to go?”

Latest news reports indicate that union Unite has ruled out the threat of strikes by fuel tanker drivers over Easter, in the hope of working with conciliation service Acas to come to a solution. Meanwhile a 46-year old woman suffered serious burns yesterday after petrol ignited while she was decanting it in her kitchen.

Are your Easter holiday caravan plans in chaos due to the petrol crisis? Have any petrol stations closed in your area? Click here to have your say and keep the Community up to date in our forum topic

Club Care insurance launches online tool to find nearest caravan repairer

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by Tom Lowenstein

If you’ve ever needed repair work done to your caravan and didn’t instantly know where to get the work done, you’ll know how difficult finding a trusted and reputable repair shop can be.

What’s more, a recent study by Club Care Insurance indicates that as many as one-in-30 caravan owners will make a claim on their insurance this year, meaning the need for a quality repairer is all the more pressing.

Well now, a brand new tool from The Camping and Caravanning Club’s insurance service is designed to take the stress out of finding a caravan repair specialist.

Its new website lets caravanners search through more than 300 repairers that Club Care Insurance has used to carry out work in the past, so locating one wherever you are in the UK has never been easier.

Club Care’s client director Nigel Coppen commented that it can be difficult when you damage your tourer and the new service is designed to help reduce the stress.

“At Club Care we want to make it easier for you to find someone capable of repairing your vehicle wherever you may be in the UK,” he said.

To access the repairer locator click here

Elddis Caravans wins International Safety Award for 6th consecutive year

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by Tom Lowenstein

The health and safety standards at caravan makers Elddis have once again been recognised after it picked up its sixth successive International Safety Award.

Presented by the British Safety Council with support from the Health and Safety Executive, the award is an acknowledgement of the outstanding commitment to workplace safety made by the caravan manufacturer.

The awards are available to every kind of industry right across the world and more than 600 applicants entered this year, with Elddis’ prize testament to the firm’s commitment to safety standards.

Health and safety officer at Elddis, Mel Dunn, said that the company sets itself targets to improve its performance every year, and this helps it stay alert and drive up standards.

“The benefits to the company are that it leads to a safer working environment for all and at the same time employees are given the opportunity to gain a recognised qualification in health and safety,” he added.

This year, the British Safety Council raised the standards for its international awards and it said that the quality of applicants was exceptional.

“We would like to congratulate all winners on this achievement and they should all be very proud,” it said in a statement.

VIDEO: Whale explains how to prepare your caravan for the spring season

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by Chris Jefferies

Spring is in the air here in the UK, and people are starting to take their caravans out on holiday for the first time all year, after a respite during the winter months.

A crucial detail to remember is that there is some initial preparation needed in order to get the best out of your caravan. This includes checking the water pipes and making sure there is no stagnant water built up from the previous year.

CaravanTimes paid a visit to Whale in Northern Ireland, a company that builds water pumps and under-floor heaters, to ask for an expert opinion on how to get your caravan ready for its first holiday of the season.

Aiden Devlin from Whale gives his advice on what to do before going out on your first trip of the year, and also offers some common issues caravanners have had in the past.

Caravanners urged to give their tyres a ‘health check’ after a long winter

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by Tom Lowenstein

A leading not-for-profit tyre safety organisation has advised caravan owners to carry out a full tyre ‘health check’ this Easter to avoid any potential problems over the holiday period.

With most caravan sites now open for the season, the Easter bank holiday weekend is likely to see many of the estimated 2 million UK caravan owners hit the road, so TyreSafe have recommended the check-up as a precautionary measure.

Caravans that have spent the winter outside and have been exposed to cold weather and damaging UV rays may have seen their rubber tyres degrade, while under-inflated tyres can blow-out at high speed, with potentially fatal consequences.

While TyreSafe advises caravan owners to have their wheels seen to by a professional, anyone carrying out the inspection themselves should make sure to check both the tread and sidewall. If there are any signs of cracking, bulges, lumps or cuts then immediately consult a professional.

TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson said: “Exposure to the elements for long periods without movement can be a real cause of rubber damage to caravan tyres, often seen by cracking or a drop in pressure.

“Therefore it’s vital to ensure that the tyres are properly inspected before use and correctly maintained.”

Morris Leisure caravan park hosts Betws y Coed fun run

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by Tom Lowenstein

A five-star Morris Leisure caravan park nestled in the Welsh national park of Snowdonia is to play host to a one-mile children’s fun run this weekend.

The former Caravan Club affiliated site, Riverside Touring Park, has agreed to support the popular Betws y Coed half marathon by helping organise the fun run that will coincide with the main event.

Around 400 competitors are expected to take part in the 13-mile race, and the children’s race has been put together for young people who can’t compete in the longer version.

It will begin at 12.15pm on Sunday April 1st at the entrance to the Riverside Touring Park, taking a route through the caravan site and the golf course next door.

Managing director of Morris Leisure, Edward Goddards, said the company was delighted to support the Betws y Coed half marathon because of the people it would bring to the village.

“Thousands of people come to stay at Riverside because it’s a five star park close to the village and within half an hour of most attractions in Snowdonia,” he said.

“When we are busy, so too are the other businesses in Betws y Coed and surrounding towns and villages.”