Bailey Approach motorhome range passes Euro safety tests

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by Tom Lowenstein

The new motorhome range from Bailey Caravans has won acclaim for its safety standards, after passing the strict European tests needed to achieve EC Vehicle Type Approval.

Fans of motorhomes will now be able to get behind the wheel of one of Bailey’s Approach SE vehicles with complete confidence after it was deemed to comply with the most stringent of regulations.

Conformity of Production systems also received verification – this ensures that all models produced by Bailey will comply with the European legislation.

This initiative works in conjunction with the National Caravan Council certification scheme, which ensures that all caravans and motorhomes comply with legislation, standards, and health and safety codes of practice.

Following Bailey’s own strict testing procedure, the company slightly tweaked the new tourer however.

While its patented Alu-Tech bodyshell performed well in the examination, it has since been slightly modified, with Bailey re-designing the floor, furniture and under-locker lighting after the tests identified some room for improvement.

The Bailey Approach SE has been nominated for the CaravanTimes 2011 Innovation Award. To vote for your favourite tourer, caravan park and dealer, and be entered into our prize draw to win an Amazon Kindle, click here.

Local companies bid to re-develop former Essex caravan park

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by Tom Lowenstein

Caravanners in East Anglia will soon have one more destination to head to, with a decision to be made shortly on which company will acquire the lease to develop a new caravan park in Essex.

Competition to run the caravan park is heating up, with seven companies in the running to develop a site in Burnham-On-Sea, the Burnham and Maldon Standard reported.

Maldon District Council agreed to lease the land at Millfields back in July and began soliciting bids from organisations who are experienced in managing caravan parks.

The land at Burnham-on-Crouch was formerly a touring and static caravan site, and the council are hoping that it can be turned back into a thriving destination for caravanners.

Today, councillors will finalise the lease arrangement for the land, with officers recommending that a 99-year lease be offered to the prospective bidders.

It is hoped that by re-developing the land the local economy will receive a kick-start from the boost in tourism.

Gardening recognition is blooming marvellous for Lancashire caravan park

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by Tom Lowenstein

A Lancashire caravan park is celebrating after being awarded a Silver Gilt in the North West in Bloom competition.

Wyre Parks’ Claylands Caravan Park was recognised for its fantastic floral displays and landscaping in the awards presented by Radio Lancashire’s Stephen Lower, the Garstang Courier reported.

The award follows a string of gongs recognising the impressive work of the caravan park on the banks of the River Wyre, which has been run by Fred and Margaret Robinson for over 50 years.

Over the years, the four-star Camping and Caravanning UK park has picked up two David Bellamy Conservation Gold Awards and was awarded Caravan Holiday Park of the Year by Northwest Tourism in 1998.

The Foxhouses Holiday Home Park which is also operated by Wyre Parks picked up the same award at the ceremony, which was held last week.

The company’s Andrew Brewer told the local newspaper: “The management and staff were delighted to hear of our success and with quality standards at caravan and holiday home parks increasing steadily, we are thrilled that our hard work has been recognised.”

The awards demonstrate that the parks are continually improving and striving to maintain the highest standards for visitors to the area, he added.

COMPETITION: Vote for your 2011 Caravan of the Year and win a Kindle

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Update: Thank you for all your responses, this competition is now closed.

by Chris Jefferies
Every December, caravan enthusiasts are bombarded by recommendations from ‘so-called’ experts who claim to know what was the best caravan of the year, but only one poll is based on the experiences of the caravanning public.
Yes, it’s that time of year again when we ask you, the CaravanTimes reader, to vote in our annual Readers’ Awards poll.
This year there’s even more reason to get involved and vote for your favourite, as we are giving away our biggest Christmas prize hamper yet.
Vote in all seven categories below to be in with a chance of winning loads of exciting prizes, including:

  • A 2012 classic caravan calendar, including 12 vintage prints
  • A copy of Andrew Jenkinson’s latest book The Story of Sprite Caravans
  • And our top prize – a Wi-Fi enabled Amazon Kindle

This competition is only open to CaravanTimes members, but non-members can sign up for free by simply entering their e-mail address.
The poll will close at midday on Friday 16th December when we will notify the lucky winner and the four runners up, and the presents will be sent out just in time for Christmas.
Have fun voting and good luck!
Update: Thanks for all your entries, this competition is now closed

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
1. To enter a Caravan Times competition you must be:

(a) UK resident; and

(b) 18 years old or over at the time of entry

(c) A Caravan Times member.

2. Competitions are not open to employees (or members of their immediate families) of Caravan Times, or any other subsidiary of Adfero.

3. No purchase necessary.

4. Only one entry per person.

5. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost or delayed, or which are not received for any reason.

6. The winner will be selected at random by the editor of Caravan Times, whose decision is final.

7. The closing date is as specified in each competition, and we reserve the right to amend the competition details at any time.

8. If you win a competition, we will notify you by e-mail. The organiser’s decision will be final, and no other correspondence will be entered into.

9. No part of a prize is exchangeable for cash or any other prize.

Airstream to launch new five-berth family caravan at London show

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by Chris Jefferies
Airstream Europe has announced a brand new addition to its iconic range of silver bullet tourers in the form of the five-berth International 685.
Due to be launched at the NCC Motorhome, Caravan and Camping Show in February, this model will offer a slice of classic Americana that is big enough to accommodate larger families.
The 685 is the first European Airstream caravan to feature a bunk bed arrangement and the triple bunk in this model is certainly out of the ordinary.
Instead of simply stacking all three bunks on top of each other, the middle bed is set at a right-angle to the other two, resulting in more headroom for all the youngsters in the back.
Better still, the bathroom door can double up as a solid dividing door when opened by 90 degrees, meaning that parents can enjoy added peace and quiet in the front of the tourer.

A family affair
As you would expect from an Airstream, the build quality of this tourer is unrivalled, with Italian-made aluminium alloy framed beds that are at least six-feet long.
A convertible double bed in the front end, a nearside kitchenette and an offside bathroom complete this unique layout.
This new model has been five years in the making and was designed in reaction to customer feedback from larger families, following the launch of the International 684 in 2006.
Michael Hold, sales director for Airstream Europe, said: “The interest over the years in a large family-orientated European Airstream has always been there and now we can deliver a travel trailer that comfortably fulfils the requirements of a family of five.”
Any aspiring Airstream owners will need a seriously heavy-duty towcar though, as you can expect this twin-axle caravan’s MTPLM to be in excess of two tonnes.
What’s more, the new family-sized Airstream will not come on the cheap – prices start at an eye-watering £59,980.
However, if this is within your price range, then you can place your order now for spring delivery, or if you’d prefer to wait until you can see one for yourself, then head to the NCC Motorhome, Caravan and Camping Show, which runs from February 14th to 19th at the London Excel Centre.
Airstream has been nominated for the CaravanTimes 2011 Heritage Award. To vote for your favourite tourer, caravan park and dealer, and be entered into our prize draw to win an Amazon Kindle, click here.


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Former Discover Leisure employees start up caravan service centre

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by Tom Lowenstein

This troubled economy has stolen more than its fair share of jobs, but after a hard-up caravan and motorhome retailer closed it doors for the last time this year four workers refused to take it lying down.

The out-of-work employees from the former Discover Leisure outlet in Oakmere decided to set up their own business when the company they worked for went into administration in October.

Now Roger Firth, Nichola Floyd, Gary Stevenson and Andy Roberts are the proud owners of A&E Leisure, a company which carries out caravan and motorhome services and repairs, just down the road from the old Discover Leisure site in Chester, the Northwich Guardian reported.

Speaking to the local newspaper, 28-year-old Roger said: “Sixty-nine staff lost their jobs when the old Harringtons site closed down.

“A&E Leisure was born more out of necessity than anything – we all needed a job and needed money coming in so we got together and thought ‘let’s have a go at it’.”

Now the old servicing team from Discover are back together, they just need the customers to bring them business.

Who knows, if all goes well maybe they will be able to save more than just their four jobs.

Caravan Club improves booking service ahead of annual rush

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by Chris Jefferies
They say the early bird catches the worm, and whilst this has never been comprehensively proven, what we at Caravan Times can confidently tell you is that the early booking gets you the best spot with the Caravan Club.
Each year in December, the outdoors organisation opens up its booking system for the following year to its one million or so members.
This invariably results in a hectic scramble to bag the perfect pitch for that all-important summer family getaway, and with some sites booking up quickly for peak season, it’s important to move fast.
Proceedings will get underway at 9am on Wednesday 7th December this year, with the bookings processed the following week.
This time around, the Club is making a real push for members to book online and several improvements have been made to the booking process on their website to make the whole experience easier to complete.
In addition, there will be plenty of money-saving offers available across the 200 sites and 2,500 Certified Locations, such as ‘Kids for a penny’, midweek discounts and ‘Only eleven’, which gets you a pitch for two adults and two children for just £11 per night (at selected sites).
For help picking your ideal caravan park, the Club will also be sending out the Essential Guide to The Caravan Club Network 2012 booklet alongside the December 2011 edition of the Caravan Club magazine.
When searching for your favourite site, don’t forget that the Caravan Club has recently changed the names of 13 of their most popular parks.
On your marks…
As always, Caravan Club members will be able to reserve their spot without paying any deposit, but this year a new ‘three strikes’ system will be in place for those who do not give enough warning that their plans have changed.
The Club said in a statement: “The minimum notice required for any pitch cancellation is 72 hours. Members who cancel inside 72 hours, or fail to turn up at a booked pitch, three times during 2012 will forfeit their ability to book for 14 days – any forward bookings will also be cancelled.”
What’s more, anyone planning to leave a site earlier than planned must give 72 hours notice, or they will incur a charge of one extra night’s stay.
These changes are clearly intended to stop frivolous bookings, but nonetheless it’s safe to predict a flurry of eager and highly organised caravanners booking their 2012 getaway next week.
Are you preparing for the annual caravan site bookings rush? What do you think of the Caravan Club’s online booking system? Share your thoughts in our community forum.

Magazine artist all set to take her caravan boutique on tour

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by Tom Lowenstein

A one-of-a-kind vintage caravan has cropped up in Nottingham, with funky decorations and a big stack of ‘zines for sale from inside its cosy confines.

The ‘Caribou Caravan’ is the brainchild of Annelise Atkinson, a designer, artist and printer who used the tourer as a travelling boutique from which to sell ‘zines – homemade magazines made by a global subculture of artists.

Having bought the caravan from a wheeler dealer in Bournemouth, Annelise brought it all the way back the midlands to house her business, which is currently residing at the Hopkinson’s Gallery in Nottingham, Leftlion.co.uk reported.

“The idea of the shop is that it is a travelling boutique, and can bring artists’ work to a wider audience and spread the good word of ‘zines around the country,” she explained.

Determined to take hehr ‘zines to the wider public, Annelise will soon take the Caribou – a cross between caravan and boutique – on tour around festivals and markets and anywhere else she sees fit to travel.

The Caribou Caravan is currently on display at Hopkinson’s Gallery on Station Street in Nottingham.

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Tornado tears up tourers as it rips through Welsh caravan park

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by Tom Lowenstein

Staff at a caravan park in Anglesey must have thought they had accidentally stumbled on a Hollywood movie set earlier this week (November 29th) when a tornado ripped through the site, leaving a trail of destruction behind it.

The Sandy Beach Caravan Park was struck by the twister just before midday, tipping over caravans and throwing debris across the site.

Five tourers and a static caravan were destroyed by the freak storm, which had staff diving for cover as it tore straight through the park, the Daily Post reported.

“It was so sudden, the first we knew was when a staff member rushed in to say the caravans were being lifted in the air and bits flying all over the place,” owner of the park John Seymour-Jones told the regional newspaper.

“We went out and could just see a line of vans knocked over and a static van with its roof ripped off.”

Luckily the park had closed for winter recently so no staff or caravanners were hurt in the storm.

Caravan insurance: What does your policy actually cover?

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by Chris Jefferies
Picking the right cover for your caravan can be a baffling experience at times, with dozens of suppliers offering different products and very little to tell them apart.
To tackle this problem, independent finance research company Defaqto has run the rule over the caravan insurance market and revealed some very interesting findings.
For starters, there are 41 different caravan insurance providers in the UK, offering 66 different types of caravan insurance between them, so it’s no wonder than picking a policy can seem confusing.
The most common bonus you can expect is a ‘new-for-old’ replacement when your caravan is written off – as offered by 82 per cent of products.
What’s more, Defaqto found that no-claims bonuses are available on 45 per cent of caravan insurance policies (similar to the bonus you’d get for not claiming on your car insurance for a year).
Another thing to bear in mind is hidden fees, as 70 per cent of policies will charge an administration fee to change something in your document and 41 per cent will charge you to get a duplicate document.
These fees can be as high as £25 and £50 respectively, so it’s important to check if they apply before buying a policy.
In reaction to this research Edward Cross, insurance expert at Towergate, has the following advice: “Insurance is about more than just price, look at the cover you’re actually getting. Also consider what that provider’s reputation in the market is. I would urge customers to do online research and find out who is reliable.”
For more advice from Towergate read their article: How to choose the right caravan insurance policy

Scottish caravan show to host Fifer Pod campervan range launch

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by Chris Jefferies
Christmas hasn’t even been and gone yet and already the excitement is starting to build for the 2012 caravan show season.
With a new show launching in London and a new venue for the Manchester caravan show, there is plenty to look forward to, but for those north of the border, the Glasgow show is the main one to look out for.
Running from February 2nd to 5th, the Scottish Caravan & Outdoor Leisure Show at the Glasgow SECC will feature stands from more than 150 companies, including a major product launch from East Neuk Campervans of Anstruther.
The award-winning van conversion specialists will be unveiling their hotly anticipated Fifer Pod range of campervans at the four-day event.
Details are sparse so far, but if the previous Fifer Touring range (pictured above) is anything to go by then you can expect a high-quality camper, as East Neuk has been honoured by the Caravan Club’s Motor Caravan Design & Drive Awards for three years in a row.
Other attractions planned for the Glasgow show include a chance to take a good look at the brand new range of luxury slide-outs from Eterniti Caravans, as well as dozens of other caravans, motorhomes and accessories on show.
What’s more, visitors can enjoy ‘A Touch of Scotland’, a new exhibit that brings together the very best of food and drink from the local area.
Advance tickets are on sale now and are available until 31st January 2012 at the price of £7 for adults and £6 for seniors, while children under 16 go free.
To book now call the organiser’s ticket hotline on 0844 395 4000

Britain’s biggest bull makes for unusual caravan park pet

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by Tom Lowenstein

There’s a rather unusual attraction drawing visitors to the Dulhorn Farm and Caravan Park in Somerset, and it’s no ordinary bull.

A giant steer called Field Marshall patrols the farm and is proving to be a rather large tourist attraction.

Standing at a huge 6ft 4 inches, the caravan park is now waiting for Guinness to confirm that he is the biggest bull in Britain, the Daily Mail reported.

Farmer Gary Bowden has looked after Field Marshall since his previous owner, Arthur Duckett, died last year.

“He’s very docile – which is fortunate because you wouldn’t want him running around angry. People are just amazed by him,” Mr Bowden told the national newspaper.

Field Marshall is now taking part in a ‘guess the weight’ competition, which will help raise money for the Dorset Air Ambulance.

On a hearty diet, the giant animal has stopped growing in height but Mr Bowden predicts that he may have put on a few pounds since he took part in a similar competition last year.

“I would say although he hasn’t grown in height since then he’s definitely thickened up,” Mr Bowden said.