By William Coleman
It is shaping up to be an impressive 2018 Auto-Trail. They have a lot of new and exciting announcements coming up over the next few weeks leading up to the Christmas season.
Auto-Trail are getting ready to introduce the world to the new Imala 732. Auto-Tail have given us this video ahead of the full video article to share with you guys. Stay tuned for the full video coming very soon.
By William Coleman
Earlier this year we sent our very own Alessi out with celebrity cook and campervan enthusiast Martin Dorey in the Auto-Trail Imala to see if they could live off the land. See how easy it is to get fresh seafood and the finest veg available along the coast of Cornwall.
Check out our trailer ahead of the release of the full video. And stay tuned for a lot more exciting Imala content over the next few weeks
By William Coleman
The Dorset Tourism Awards took place earlier this month and made the staff and family owners of Shamba Holiday near the New Forest extremely happy honouring them for all their hard work and commitment to their guests.
Shamba Holiday Park, which is a five star caravan and camping site near Ringwood, was named by judges as the winner of the silver award in the parks category, in what was a very closely fought competition for the top spot.
The glamorous event where the Shamba site was crowning was announced took place at a ceremony held at The Lighthouse in Poole on 16 November and was attended by hundreds of Dorset tourism businesses.
Anne and Martin Gray stepped up to receive the award on behalf of the park. Anne and Martin’s family have own the park and is managed by their son who has been running it for over 20 years.
The win bring with it more than just a new level of prestige. Those who win the award get fast tracked to the South West Tourism Excellence Awards next February, and could go on to compete in the national VisitEngland finals of April 2018. So this win mean a lot to the park and could lead to a very impressive 2018 for them.
This years award win, which scores of Dorset’s park were eligible for, find itself next to placed next to one of many accolades that the family park has won over the years. Which include a top five pennant accolade from the AA and the DAvid Bellamy Conservation Award at its maximum gold level.
Their success does not stop there. Last summer the company bagged a top platinum accolade, by judges from the Loo of the Year Awards, for their swish amenity building.
However, Andrew Gray said that Shamba’s latest award from Dorset Tourism has a special significance for the business: “These awards put a strong emphasis on the hospitality and quality of service provided for holiday guests, and these has always been high on our list of priorities,” he said.
“Our aim is to provide first-class surroundings for visitors, and to exceed expectations by creating a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere for people to enjoy their stays.
“This is often mentioned in our customer reviews, so naturally we are delighted that the Dorset Tourism judges were also impressed with what they have found here.
“A big share of the credit for this award must go to our team of staff who help us maintain our high standards, and do a great job of making our guests feel at home,” added Andrew
The site is open all year round and provides a wealth of facilities for families venturing to Dorset to make the most of its countryside and beaches. The site also boasts a 40 foot swimming pool with a retractable roof for when the sun in out in all its glory.
Once you’ve spent the day relaxing by the pool you can dance the night away in their modern clubhouse with professional entertainment and year round activities for all ages. Not to mention the bar, cafe-restaurant, shop and relaxation areas.
Shamba is a member of the Best of British group, a consortium of independent parks providing some of the highest quality standards and levels of hospitality in the UK.
There is more information about the park at www.shambaholidays.co.uk
By William Coleman
With award season having just finished we are seeing all the great accolades that have been awarded to sites all across the UK. A family run site has done something amazing work to bag an elite green award for their site.
Moss Wood have been getting youngsters involved in wildlife discoveries which has earned the site a very rare environmental award. A great pioneering step for this holiday park to keep the youth interested in nature.
The family owned site is located in the village of Cokerham can now put the Special Distinction from botany expert David Bellamy in their trophy case follow his annual conservation award. This green achievement means that the park is one of just 15 elite sites to be awarded this accolade, out of around 3,000.
Bellamy was especially impressed with a hugely successful nature discovery day help this summer at the park. He also had high praise for what the site were doing, an amazing outdoor classroom where local children and holiday guests can connect with the magic of the natural world.”
The event was a great success with a large attendance of youngsters and families taking part in the nature hunt around rural Lancashire’s abundant flora and fauna. There is so much youngsters and adults can learn about the wild of the British countryside, and Moss Wood are keen on teaching.
There were loads of activities for everyone to get involved in such as expert led pond dipping in the park’s wildlife lake. Where children had a great time exploring their nets to see all sorts of critters from the water. Then there was the constructing of bird boxes and bug hotels.
Guests were also able to explore a recently opened 1.5km nature discovery trail, and a 3000 square-foot wildflower wilderness attracting honey bees and butterflies.
Environmental initiatives such as these have resulted in Moss Wood winning the David Bellamy Conservation Award at its top gold level for twenty consecutive years.
However, says the park’s Henry Wild, this year’s Special Distinction has been a source of particular pride for his family and staff:
“We’ve always tried to make Moss Wood a perfect fit to the beautiful and unspoiled countryside in which we are fortunate enough to be located,” said Henry.
“The park attracts people with a keen interest in wildlife, and we enjoy doing all we can to help both guests and the local community to be involved with our conservation work.
“For children especially, taking part in activities such as pond dipping is a fantastic way to become inspired by nature and to share in its wonderful secrets,” he added.
Moss Wood provides holiday homes to buy as well as pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes. There is more information about the park at www.mosswood.co.uk
It’s great to see so much attention being paid to nature by parks across the UK. If you believe in climate change or not there is obvious signs of damage being done to woodlands across Britain, and the world. So every little bit of support mother nature can get is more than welcome in my books.
By William Coleman
Glamping is the new leisure industry craze that is sweeping the globe. Something that I initially thought was a joke created by ITV for the Only Way Is Essex is slowly becoming one of my favourite retreats. Now with winter almost upon it its have an even bigger appeal. Now sites are being nationally recognised for their glamping facilities and winning prestigious awards.
Lomond Woods Holiday Park, which is a family owned site, has been crowned Scotland’s premier glamping following a great win at a major tourism award scheme. Members of the family owned business proudly stepped forward to receive the honour at the finals of the 2017 Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards.
The idyllic site is based a quick walk away from the banks of Loch Lomond somewhere I have personally visited and I can safely say that it’s stunning. Surrounded by mountains, vast stretches of lakes and countryside views. The five star park attracts visitors from all over the world. If you have visited the site and the surrounding area it’s clear to see why this area gets so much attention.
Lomond Woods Holiday Park provides a great range of glamping accommodation. The judges of the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards marked the site out as an ideal venue for couples and families visiting the popular region. Alongside the glamping huts there are also luxury lodges, some with their own personal hot tub for those nights that need to be spent under the stars, as well as pitches for touring guests.
Lomond Woods is one of five top-rated parks in northern and central Scotland owned by the Wood family who first started out in business 35 years ago
Paula Smith, Park Manager at Lomond Woods Holiday Park said that everyone at the park was over the moon at its new accolade:
“Everyone has worked extremely hard over the last year to grow our glamping offering, and to ensure we provide customers with a variety of glamping options to suit every style.
“Our category had some very strong competition from other excellent parks in Scotland, so we are even more thrilled to have taken the overall accolade.
“We would like to thank our loyal customers who nominated us and to the award organisers for an absolutely fantastic evening,” said Paula.
Now in its second year, the Scottish Outdoor and Leisure Awards highlight businesses making outstanding contributions to the country’s tourism industry.
Earlier in the year, the public were invited to vote for their favourite Scottish holiday experiences across 17 different categories – and more than 35,000 votes were cast.
There is more information about Lomond Woods Holiday Park and the other parks in membership of Wood Leisure at www.woodleisure.co.uk
By William Coleman
Caravan and Motorhome Club announce the 2017 caravan design awards and light weight leisure awards 2017
This is the 23rd Caravan Design Awards and 16th Light weight leisure awards from the Caravan and Motorhome Club. These awards are the most prestigious in the industry with the club representing over one million members. The awards are strictly judged and coveted by manufacturers and dealers. The video below gives an overview of the event, the winners and some of the industry reaction.
The work that goes in to judging all the entires is huge. There are 5 industry expert judges working tirelessly for 5 days at the NEC to get around andsee every model entered. Each judge focus’s on one area and all results are collated, added and reviewed by the panel. A design award for a model can increase sales and we have heard can even effect resale prices, so the club have a huge job making sure everything fully assessed.
For a full list of the winners and runners up along with a judges comment on each you can find these on the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s website
Lastly a note for anyone in the industry who does not enter, perhaps you are a smaller manufacture or even new – it doesn’t matter, the club they encourage manufacturers of all sizes from all over the world so enter your caravan or trailer next year.
By William Coleman
With Christmas just 5 weeks away we are all starting to gear up for all the festive activities and fun. Salop leisure are fully embracing the Christmas cheer and the spirit of giving. Very shortly hundreds of Santas will be journeying from the North Pole to Shrewsbury all in the name of charity. They will be raising funds for the Severn Hospice with a charity fun run.
The Salop Santa Dash on Sunday December 3rd is going to a full on fun event for the whole family. The Dash had two options for the daring Santas who are taking part. They can run one or two laps of a 2.5 kilometre course around Salop Leisure and the adjoining Love2Stay glamping and touring resort, which we actually covered in a previous article Love2Stay £5.5M site success.
There is a £10 entry fee which includes a Santa suit and all they money raised will be donated to Severn Hospice. There is a limit of 500 entry spots for the run and is on a first come first served basis. For more details please visit www.salopsantarun.co.uk.
The Salop Santa dash comes from the creative mind of Salop Leisure’s marketing manager Ed Glover who is being helped by Simon Macdonald from Love Fitness at Salop Leisure who organised the most successful Mercedes Benz Shewsbury 10km run and UK Mud Run. On top of that the event is also be supported by Rybrook MINI Shrewsbury.
“It’s a huge honour to host the first event of this kind at Salop Leisure,” said Ed. “We enjoy coming up with new ways of raising money for local charities and hope everyone gets behind this event to help us raise a significant sum for Severn Hospice.”
Simon added: “We think it will be a great family event in the lead up to Christmas and our advice is to book your places early, as there is already huge interest from people wishing to take part.
“Run, jog or walk with hundreds of other wannabe Santas and enjoy a well-earned mulled wine or hot chocolate at the end!”
For those fitness lovers or for those who want to preparing physically for the winter months can visit Love Fitness at Salop Leisure. They will be welcoming members of the public to visit their boutique fitness studio and purpose built bootcamp training facility where you can run an assault course in the run up to Christmas, burn some pounds off before we put a load on after eating turkey and Quality Street by the ton.
Emma Robinson, marketing co-ordinator for Rybrook MINI Shrewsbury, said: “We are very pleased to be supporting the Salop Santa Dash to raise funds for such a fantastic local cause.”
Charity work is a very difficult thing. A lot of companies rely massively on the contributions of the public. Lucy Russ, Severn Hospice’s manager, explained that the charity needs to raise £7 million a year which equals £24,000 a day to provide services to more than 2,000 people across Shropshire and Mid Wales annually.
“We support local people and their families when they need it most, either in the hospice or in their home,” said Lucy. “Severn Hospice is delighted to be the chosen charity for the Salop Santa Dash and we are looking forward to getting people involved in celebrating Christmas whilst at the same time raising funds.”
The Salop Santa Dash is just one of many action packed Christmas events planned by Salop Leisure and Love2Stay to make Christmas 2017 one for the books. Other highlights will be a 16×9 meter ice rink for the skaters among us and there is the Shropshire Handmade and Vintage Christmas Fair with a special Santa’s Grotto.
The gift fair will kick off the festive celebrations on November 25-26 where there will be up to 60 stalls selling many different types of handmade and unique craft and giftware for Christmas. The 2016 festivities at Salop had an attendance of around 10,000 people.
The Grotto will be open every weekend leading up until Christmas on selected evenings so make sure the kids are on their best behaviour and have their Christmas list ready. You can evening sit down and have a nice cup of tea with Santa on selected dates between 3-6pm on selected dates.
The new ice rink will be located at Love2Stay and will be open to the public who will park at Salop Leisure and be transported on a festive land train to and from the resort. Schools will be invited to send groups of children to enjoy the ice skating and other facilities.
For full details of the Salop Leisure’s Christmas events programme, visit www.salopchristmas.co.uk.
By William Coleman
Caravan shows are more than just an industry highlight. They are a place where everyone comes together to see what’s new, meet like minded people and plan their future holidays by looking at both new vehicles and destinations to visit around the globe. Now Scotland’s largest exhibition is making a grand return to Glasgow from 8-11 February 2018.
The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show, will once again be sponsored by Scotland’s leading motorhome dealer BC Motorhomes. The show will take over the entire SEC in Glasgow once more to welcome over 200 exhibitors and outdoor experts across the four day leisure event. For anyone is Scotland who has a passion for the outdoors this show is the place to be.
The 2018 event is poised to be bigger than ever with an even bigger family camping area, more accessories and hundreds of models, layout and specifications all in one place. Not only is this event great for the season staycationer but it’s the perfect launching point for all new comers to the industry.
Jamie Taylor, Group Show Director QD Events, said: “With more people than ever before choosing holidaying at home over travelling abroad, the show is the ideal place for visitors to learn about the new adventures on offer on their doorstep, and further afield in Scotland and the UK.
“With record visitors to the show last year we anticipate even more visitors in February. There truly is something for everyone, from those who already have an interest in the outdoors, to first timers.
“The Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show is a must-stop destination for all outdoor lovers and we are delighted that BC Motorhomes are joining us as sponsors again this year. With so many exhibitors, exclusive visitor only deals and expert advice all in one place it shouldn’t be missed.”
The show will be highlighting the first sightings of brand new 2018 models from a variety different holiday types such as luxury lodges, eco pods and holiday homes. There will be big brands on display such as Airstream, Swift Elddis, Lunar, Bailey, Roller Team and Rapido. There really is something for everyone at the show.
Back by popular demand, visitors will also be able to purchase the ‘must have’ tents and accessories for their outdoor adventures at the Accessory Superstore. On show will be marine products including jet skis and dinghies, as well as other marine accessories.
On top of all the great brands and products on display guests will also be able to wander through the Holiday Park Village where staff will be on hand to provide advice and offer suggestions to make sure their caravanning experiences is the best it can be.
In addition, a number of clubs, associations and holiday parks will be there to help you pick out your next destination whilst free caravan towing or motorcaravan maneuvering sessions are on offer from the Caravan & Motorhome Club.
Tickets on sale now, book yours and find out more about this year’s exhibition at www.caravanshowscotland.com
Caravan And Motorhome Club Black Friday Special
By William Coleman
With the Black Friday sales a few hours away The Caravan and Motorhome Club are embracing the sales season with a fantastic new member offer. Any new member who joins the Caravan and Motorhome Club from 20 November to 3 December 2017 will receive a complimentary Site Night voucher to use before 31 May 2018.
Harvey Alexander, director of marketing at the Caravan and Motorhome Club, said: “We are proud of the wide and relevant variety of great deals and benefits that Club membership offers people access to for just £49 per year. From helping you get out on the open road with car discounts and fuel discounts to offering money off clothing, equipment and cameras, membership of the Caravan and Motorhome Club enables people to have amazing and affordable outdoor experiences. I’m delighted that we’re able to offer a free Site Night with our Black Friday offer – there couldn’t be a better time to sign up.”
The CAMC membership costs £49 a year which includes access to over 200 Club sites and 2,500 privately owned places to stay within the UK. New members may decide to venture north to the Club’s most northerly Site of Dunnet Bay Caravan Club Site or opt to explore the English Riviera at Start Bay Caravan Club Site – the UK is their oyster. Plus, there are more than 300 sites across Europe including France, Spain and Germany. Members can also take advantage of expert advice, overseas travel services, insurance services and exclusive member offers and discounts with brands including Hyundai, Cycle Surgery and Mountain Warehouse.
For those lucky new members who take advantage of this great Black Friday offer will receive their voucher within 4 weeks of the promotion’s end date. The voucher covers a maximum of 2 adults and 2 children. Becoming a new member can be done over the phone or online.
For more information visit: www.camc.com or call 01342 318 813
By William Coleman
Pudsey Bear may the the most recognisable charity mascot in our country. So when the BBC One Show’s Children In Need Rickshaw Challenge journeyed into Cumbria in November it was met with more than just a hero’s welcome by the locals and Silverdale Holiday Park.
The reason for such a warm reception was because they were welcomed to a party at the Silverdale holiday park, which is located just over the Lancashire border. The Silverdale site took the opportunity to donate a £500 cheque to the Pudsey Bear TV fundraising titan.
The generous donation was greatly appreciated and received two thumbs up from the One Show’s Matt Baker who cycled alongside the team off six riders on the 500 mile marathon. The charitable cheque was handed over to Matt Baker by Silverdale’s marketing executive Ellen Cartwright who was alse joined by other staff and holiday guests for the early morning meet up.
Not only was the park giving over the donation but they were also tracking the progress the team were making during their fundraising journey. They tracked them live on the BBC Children In Need web page. Using their mathematical skills along with the website they estimated that the team would arrive at around 7:15am.
Once to park owner Michael Holgate heard that the park staff were tracking to team to cheer them on he decided they deserved more than just cheers of support. He made to choice to contribute financially to the amazing effort being put in my the rickshaw riders.
Silverdale’s donation, he said, would be supporting a raft of extremely worthwhile causes which are funded by cash raised through the Children in Need appeal. Since 2011, The Rickshaw Challenge has raised over £16 million, and every penny that’s donated goes towards helping children and young people across the UK.
The team started their journey on Thursday 9th of November from the New Broadcasting House in London, along every leg of the way they were followed by the One Show studio by Matt’s co-presenter Alex Jones. Team Rickshaw worked their way across the UK and crossed the finish line in Glasgow on Friday 17th November, during BBC Children in Need’s 2017 Appeal Show.
The rickshaw was pedalled by six young riders, all of whom have been supported by BBC Children in Need funded projects.
Michael Holgate said that everyone from the park had laid on a fantastic welcome, and earned a well-deserved thanks from the One Show team.
By William Coleman
For anyone who loves getting away on a touring holiday or wants to put their leisure vehicle to use they are not using it then you need to check out Camplify. They are the world’s fastest growing, and Australia’s largest, peer to peer caravan hire and RV-sharing community. The UK launch took place in September of this year. We have managed to write some articles about the company, meet the UK team and even get an interview with the company founder.
Following their UK launch the company has enjoyed a rapid growth and be able to expand their team by appointing two new positions at their UK head office. Kay Knight joins as Digital Marketing Manager and Lauren Fox as Social Media executive, on a UK apprenticeship scheme.
Kay has been working in the UK holiday industry sector since 2009 when she joined Bourne Leisure as Email marketing Executive. During her 6 years with the company Kay worked on a number of online marketing roles, culminating in her appointed Digital Acquisition Manager in 2015. Kay then moved to leading UK holiday park operator, Park Resorts, as Search Engine Marketing Manager. Within this role she was responsible for the overall company strategy for PPC, SEO & Digital Content Marketing. Kay will be using her extensive expertise within the digital marketing arena for her new position at Camplify, helping the company grow its online presence to continue attract UK customers.
Lauren Fox has joined Camplify on an apprenticeship scheme straight from sixth form college. Lauren will be responsible for looking after Camplify’s UK social media channels and supporting Kay in digital marketing activities.
Both the new recruits will report directly to Camplify’s UK Manager, Chris Laxen, who we met at the Caravan and Motorhome Show and was good enough to spare some time for an interview. The team is being supported by leading travel PR agency Nobull Comms.
“We’re delighted to welcome both Kay and Lauren to the Camplify UK team. Our Australian CEO, Justin Hales, was on the lookout for people who would live and breathe the Camplify company ethos as well as those with relevant experience, digital marketing expertise or those with a fresh perspective. The UK apprenticeship scheme was a no brainer for us and we’re so excited to help Lauren meet her full potential while being trained by Kay, who is a shining star within the sector,” says Chris Laxen, UK Manager, Camplify.
Camplify announced its expansion into the UK with a soft-launch in September 2017, with the company focussing on helping RV owners to list their caravans, motorhomes, campervans, trailer tents, static caravans and holiday lodges for hire on the website. The consumer launch is expected in February 2018.
This game changing idea is something I am very excited to use. Having seen some of the amazing and unique touring homes available, the converted fire truck is a standout, it’s clear that these guys are going to bring a lot of new people to the industry we all love.
By William Coleman
The ever growing demand for holiday homes has no sign of stopping anytime soon. The industry is in a boom right now and thousands of Brits are staying home for their holidays, as well as hordes of holidaymakers from abroad choosing the UK as holiday spot. This Dorset park has responded to the demand and is eagerly awaiting 80 news caravans.
Shorefield Holidays are getting their staff at Oakdene Forest Park, near Bournemouth, following their major investment for the fleet of new homes. The delivery of the new luxury caravans will happen just in time for the beginning of winter.
2017 saw a record breaking number of staycation visits for the company. Now the group is giving holiday guests some of Southern England’s most highly specced and luxurious to stay in. With the industry coming on in leaps and bounds I am seeing that the quality of rental homes are becoming better and better each year. What was thought as luxury 5 years ago is now somewhat of an industry standard. So now with a new wave of luxury homes coming out you will not want to leave them.
Shorefield Holidays is a family run company which is preparing to celebrate their 60th anniversary next year. The company own own seven multi award winning holiday parks in Dorset and Hampshire.
The Oakdene site, which is set in 55 acres of idyllic countryside near the Hurn and Avin Forest, is very popular with families and has perfect access to sandy beaches for those sunny days where sand castles have to be built.
Each park comes with a wide range of on-site facilities and activities for all ages. The Oakdene site has a bar/restaurant and a popular showbar which host many different professional acts and singers in their nightly shows.
The 80 new holiday homes are due to arrive very shortly include high end models from the UKs top manufacturers, some include a staggering 4 bedroom and others with their own private hot-tubs.
Simon Pollock, chairman and MD of Shorefield Holidays, said: “This investment underlines the continued success of all our parks, both for holidays and holiday home ownership.
“The popularity of the staycation looks set to continue, and we look forward to welcoming even more families as we add to our fleet of accommodation,” he added.
Established in 1958, the company has invested many millions of pounds in its parks’ accommodation and facilities over the past five years – with more to come.
In this autumn’s Hoseasons awards, the group’s Shorefield Country Park was declared the overall Diamond award winner in the South of England category.
Oakdene Forest Park also gained honours as one of the top three South of England parks in the “relax and explore” category.
There is more information about the parks at www.shorefield.co.uk
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