by Ed Davies
Our November competition giving away two £180 Pioneer stereos has now closed and the lucky winners have been announced
The winners, chosen at random, will be sent the prizes in the post and will be given all the instructions on how to install the stereos.
The winners of the competition this time around are Neil Goucher and Edward Keep.
They will soon be contacted by email asking for their home addresses so the stereos can be sent out to them.
by Ed Davies
Ladram Bay Holiday Park in Budleigh Salterton is flying high after a hat-trick of awards this autumn, including an honour from botanist David Bellamy for its honey bee friendly policies
The triple triumphs for the park began at the start of November when it was named as the Devon, Somerset and Dorset winner of the Hoseasons “family fun” award.
The major holiday bookings agency announced Ladram Bay’s accolade at its annual conference in Birmingham, based on parks which produce the highest customer satisfaction rating.
It was the sixth year in succession that the Carter family, owners of the park for over 70 years, has been celebrated in the finals of the event.
Ladram Bay next stepped into the spotlight at November’s finals of the Devon Tourism Awards, held at a glittering ceremony at the Great Hall at the University of Exeter.
It was declared by judges to be among the top three holiday parks in the county, and family members stepped up to receive the bronze honour in its category.
The park’s environmental policies were marked in the third of the accolades it received this month: the David Bellamy Conservation Award.
Given to parks making exceptional efforts to protect and enhance the natural world, the award was made to Ladram Bay at the top gold level for the third year running.
Professor Bellamy also designated Ladram Bay as an official “Honey Bee Friendly” park as part of his new initiative to help protect the threatened insects.
He praised the park’s extensive areas of high nectar-bearing flowers which provide vital foraging resources for both honey bees and common and less familiar butterflies.
Also highlighted in David Bellamy’s wildlife audit was Ladram Bay’s widespread planting of native trees, and the siting of nesting boxes for bats and owls, as well as bird-feeding stations.
Ladram Bay first began welcoming camping guests in the 1940s, and has since grown to become one of Devon’s most popular holiday parks attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year.
It provides a raft of attractions as well as holiday homes to rent or own, brand new glamping pods, and pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents.
Director and family member Zoe House said the three awards provided a great conclusion to what has been a busy and successful year for the park:
“It’s been a fantastic twelve months for us at Ladram Bay, and our hard-working team members here have all gone the extra mile on our customers’ behalf,” she said.
“It’s therefore very appropriate that their efforts should be recognised in all of these three highly regarded awards which the park has received over the past few weeks.
“Our staff play an invaluable part in maintaining the high quality standards of customer care and hospitality which have led to our two tourism awards.
“They also have a vital role in helping implement the various sustainability policies we have in place, and which led to David Bellamy’s gold conservation award,” added Zoe.
Ladram Bay’s general manager Claire Williams said the park would continue investing in its customer facilities:
“We’ve had a great reaction to our most recent developments which include a new swimming pool complex and a Jurassic-themed adventure golf course,” she said.
“But we are always looking for additional new ways to improve the customer experience, especially for the many families with children who are our core market.
“Bookings for next year are already looking very buoyant, so we are all cautiously optimistic about bringing even more visitors to this glorious region on 2017,” added Claire.
by Ed Davies
It is awards season and the south west is at it again but this time it is the Devon Tourism Awards shelling out all the honours
Beverly Holidays’ man Drew Baker was given the gold award in the Unsung Hero For Customer Service category of the awards.
He beat 75 other finalists to the prestigious title and the accolade recognises Drew’s achievements in ensuring that Beverley’s guests enjoy outstanding levels of personal service and hospitality.
Drew stepped up to receive his honour at the glittering finals of the Devon Tourism Awards which were held this autumn at the Great Hall at the University of Exeter.
Mr Baker said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have received this title. Customer service is an area for which I feel a real passion and which is at the heart of everything we do here at Beverley Holidays.
“My aim, and that of all our hard-working team members, is to ensure that holidaymakers enjoy a great experience from start to finish – and leave not as guests, but as friends.”
The customer service superstar’s award followed hot on the heels of his recent success in the Herald Express English Riviera and South Devon Tourism and Hospitality Awards 2016.
Drew, a popular figure among holidaymakers at the multi-award winning park, came away from that ceremony with a sparkling silver award for his skills.
by Ed Davies
A Camping and Caravanning Club member has been honoured with a Legion d’Honneur by the French government for his military service while liberating France during World War Two
Aged just 98-years-old, Jim Pass, from Bradway in Sheffield, was awarded a Chevalier Légion d’honneur at Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington near York on Sunday November 13.
Mr Pass, who is also a lifelong caravanner and member of The Camping and Caravanning Club, was presented with his medal by the French Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
He said: “In my 14 years as Chairman of the Club’s Communications Committee I spent lots of time recruiting new club members at the Earls Court Exhibition Centre.
“I have so many great memories of my time with the Club.”
On average, just ten British nationals receive the medal each year.
The Légion d’honneur is the most esteemed order for servicemen and women who fought to protect France in times of war.
Speaking about his wartime exploits, his wife Rita who attended the ceremony with Jim, said: “I feel very proud that Jim has been recognised in this way. He served over seven years during and shortly after the war.
“On D-Day he was on Sword Beach unloading ammunition. I’m proud his actions have been recognised.”
Awarded by the French Government, the latest medals have been presented in recognition of those who helped to win France’s liberation from the Nazis during the course of the Second World War.
Upon returning home, Jim took up more leisurely pursuits and became an active member of The Camping and Caravanning Club.
Jim sat on the Club’s National Council – effectively its board of governors – plus various committees and has enjoyed decades of happy caravanning.
Well known within the Club for his spirit of adventure, in 1988 Jim camped for the first time in a tent and completed his Camping Club Youth Test – at the age of 70.
Jim continued to go caravanning, along with wife Rita, until just three years ago. He remains the Vice President of the British Caravan Club, the latest in a long line of titles held by the former soldier.
by Ed Davies
With more than 860 campsites in the AA’s roster having been visited throughout the year the winners for Scotland, England and Wales have been announced
Its inspectors made their way around the sites assessing them for touring pitches, facilities and hospitality before grading them from one to five Pennants, including the Gold Pennants awarded to the best parks.
The winner for Scotland was the Blair Castle Caravan Park at Blair Atholl in Perth & Kinross.
For England and the overall winner was the Vale of Pickering Caravan Park, Allerston in North Yorkshire.
The site features a new, state-of-the-art facilities block with six fully-equipped wet rooms and a very smart dishwashing room.
The Welsh winner was the Fforest Fields Caravan and Camping Park, in central Wales located on a long established hillside farm owned by the Barstow family, a few miles from Builth Wells and the Royal Welsh Showground.
Katie Barstow, Fforest park co-founder, said: “We are utterly stunned by this prestigious award. Over the past 26 years, we have grown the site carefully, adding lakes and landscaped areas but always trying to stay true to the beautiful natural landscape of Mid Wales.
“We welcome the most lovely visitors every year, families, couples, walkers, stargazers and those just looking for some fresh air in the wonderful countryside and to enjoy the local area. We are so proud that what we’ve created is something that has become so loved.”
All the winners appear in the new AA Caravan and Camping Guide 2017.
Each entry within the guide includes location, ratings, contact details, directions, prices, opening times, facilities and a description to help select the right site for your needs.
The AA Caravan and Camping Guide is available from The AA Shop for £12.99 and as a free app for iPhone, iPad and Android.
by Ed Davies
Family and staff at a Dorset holiday park are celebrating after being named as the county’s overall park winner in the keenly contested Dorset Tourism Awards
Wareham Forest Tourist Park scooped the top gold accolade in the competition which celebrates Dorset’s top tourism providers.
The announcement of Wareham Forest Tourist Park’s success was made at the Dorset Tourism Awards’ glittering final in October, held at the Bovington Tank Museum.
For the Birch family, the honour completes a hat-trick of awards received this summer by the park which is based in the picturesque town of Wareham with direct access to Wareham Forest.
In July, the business joined a small elite of UK caravan parks flying the coveted AA Gold Pennant, the most prestigious award given out by the AA to its highest rated parks.
In order to qualify for the award, Wareham Forest Tourist Park was subjected to a rigorous inspection regime which scrutinised almost every aspect of its facilities and services.
The verdict was that the business could truly be described as a caravan and camping park right at the top of its game.
Next came the news that the tranquil 55-acre park had once again received the prestigious David Bellamy Conservation Award at its maximum gold level.
The award was made in recognition of the raft of initiatives taken by the family owners to protect its wildlife-rich natural environment.
Wareham Forest Tourist Park was bought by husband-and-wife team Tony and Sarah Birch 13 years ago, and is today run by the couple with help from their daughter Chrissy and managers Adam and Nicky Wake.
From the start they have invested much time and energy into creating first-class surroundings for holidaymakers with their own touring caravan, motorhome or tent.
Their reward has been to see a continual increase in visitor numbers from the UK and overseas, and levels of loyalty which result in some 75% of guests each year making return visits.
As well as acres of unspoiled wooded parkland to explore, holidaymakers also enjoy a popular heated outdoor pool and first-class shower and toilet facilities.
The park also recently created a new children’s play area, new waste disposal points, and a “pooch pampering” facility where guests can treat their dogs to a warm shower.
Tony Birch said that achieving the gold distinction in the Dorset Tourism Awards was especially pleasing as the park had never before entered the competition:
“This is a fantastic honour to win because the awards are judged across a wide range of criteria, including the hospitality provided and the quality of welcome enjoyed by guests,” he said.
“That’s why a large share of the credit should go to our staff, for they help to create the relaxed and friendly atmosphere here which guests so often mention in reviews.
“We have always tried to put our personal stamp on Wareham Forest Tourist Park, and to run the park along sustainable lines – which is why all three awards are a wonderful encouragement.
“I hope the resulting publicity will benefit all tourism businesses in the region by highlighting what a great place Dorset is for family holidays,” added Tony.
The park is a member of the Best of British group which comprises some 50 independently owned parks in Britain which have all achieved recognition for their high quality standards.
by Ed Davies
A Windermere holiday park’s bid to raise funds for a cancer charity has received a £2,000 boost after its manager took on a gruelling challenge in China this autumn
Tim Lovatt of Park Cliffe, who is aged 56, joined a five-day trek organised by Pancreatic Cancer UK along a switchback stretch of the Great Wall of China.
Friends, family and local sponsors all pledged contributions for Tim’s bid which he funded himself.
And thanks to Tim, park director Susan Dickson hopes that the business will now be able to make a sizeable contribution to Pancreatic Cancer UK by the end of the year.
The charity was adopted by Park Cliffe as its fundraising cause for 2016 in memory of Susan’s father Frank Holgate who died from the disease in January last year.
Frank was a pioneer of holiday parks in the Lake District, and his original business – Silverdale park – is marking its sixtieth anniversary this year.
Tim and his wife Arlene have worked as managers at Park Cliffe for 13 years, and both are popular figures with holiday guests, many of whom are regular visitors.
They also help organise many of the other fundraising initiatives which take place on the park each year, including celebration nights, wine tastings, a duck race, and other special events.
Tim said the trek was tough in parts, but that there was a great spirit of camaraderie among the 20-strong group which encouraged everyone to press on.
He was congratulated by Susan and her husband Derek on his return, and Tim has hopes that the £2,000 already raised will be added to by other donations.
Not that Tim is any stranger to adventure, for a few years ago he scaled Mount Kilimanjaro – Africa’s highest peak – to bring back thousands of pounds for local good causes.
“I think it’s fair to say that Tim goes the extra mile in everything he does, and he and Arlene are definitely the powerhouse behind our fundraising!” said Susan.
“Pancreatic cancer in the fifth biggest killer with a very low survival rate of just four percent, so we’re grateful to everyone who has supported this very worthy cause,” she added.
Park Cliffe, based on the shores on Windermere, was the overall gold winner in the 2016 Cumbria Tourism Awards for Excellence.
by Ed Davies
Members of the Cumbria Centre of the Caravan Club from Workington and Cockermouth have helped to raise more than £25,000 for Cancer Research UK
The charity was chosen by former chairman Stephen Riley and his wife Margaret and club members across the county helped raise the cash over 12 months from October 1 last year.
Nancy Moffat, of Cockermouth, and Workington members Alison Graham, Helen Fowlery and Margaret Smith all had a big input in fundraising.
They organised events including coffee mornings, afternoon teas, a bike ride, a walk across Morecambe Bay and concerts in West Cumbria and ran two pop-up shops in Workington to raise the funds.
Margaret said: “We are overwhelmed and delighted. If someone had told us that we would reach anywhere near that we would have laughed.”
The Caravan Club is an organisation for caravan enthusiasts and its members regularly meet at rallies.
Nancy became the new chairman last month and will pick a new charity to support for the next year.
by Ed Davies
Registrations for Connect Direct, Swift Group’s exclusive online customer service account, last week surpassed one thousand members
Following its successful introduction in 2014 for premium range caravans, Swift Group decide it would increase investment in Connect Direct expanding it across all new caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes for the 2017 season.
The service was developed to be a proactive device for customers and an extension of the existing customer service operation at Swift.
Connect Direct provides a host of benefits for owners: notification of when vehicle services are due; a service history record; updates and links to vehicle information and direct contact with Swift Group amongst other benefits.
Customers contact Swift through either a dedicated telephone number, email address or live link facility.
If a vehicle develops a problem the owner can contact Swift directly who will work with them and their chosen dealer to resolve it.
“The growth in Connect Direct registrations is tremendous news, especially for new owners, who are now benefiting from enhanced customer service,” said deputy managing director, Amy Archer.
“As a company we lead the industry in many areas and to be at the forefront on customer service is especially rewarding.
“Ensuring our customers can enjoy their leisure time with the added peace of mind they have from the direct support of our dedicated customer services team is really important to us.
“Connect Direct takes our customer service offering to new levels, and the registration figures show just how relevant this offering is to our customers today.”
by Ed Davies
Plans for a new caravan park on the site of a former police dog and horse training centre have been rejected
The Caravan Club had applied to build 62 pitches on the Bower Ashton site in Bristol but Bristol City Council planning officers said it was at risk of flooding, had poor access and was an “inappropriate development in the green belt”.
The club would not say if plans would be resubmitted but confirmed it is in “ongoing dialogue” with the council.
The current caravan club site in Baltic Wharf, which has been open since 1978, is due to close in 2018.
The council owns the site and initially wanted to build a primary school on the land but is now considering other options.
The Caravan Club said it had considered 59 alternative sites within a five mile radius of Bristol and the Bower Ashton site was the only suitable one.
In the planning application it said the site would bring an estimated £1m into Bristol and support employment in tourism.
by Ed Davies
The north’s largest outdoor leisure show for caravan and motorhome owners will be back next year and hype is building as to what is on offer
The Caravan and Motorhome Show, which kicks off on January 19, will have more than 200 exhibitors including leading manufacturers and is set to pitch up at Manchester’s EventCity.
Handy snippets of advice will be given by the region’s premier dealerships and the show will provide a place visitors can come and compare caravans and motorhomes side by side.
The four day show will come to an end on January 22 and this year will host its largest ever selection of accessories.
Rob Debenham, show manager, said: “We are really excited about the 2017 show, as we have some brand new attractions in store for our guests – I think we are on track to deliver our best show yet.
“It really has something for the whole family, and with kids under 16 going free, it is a great value day out and of course, it’s the perfect chance to find your ideal caravan or motorhome.”
Tickets to the show also include a free show guide and free entry into the co-located destinations: The Holiday & TravelShow.
Last year the show saw 33,907 visitors over four days and exhibitors indicate that it was responsible for approximately 30% of all caravan sales in the north of England and 10% of all Motorhome sales in 2016.
The box office is now open and tickets are available online or by calling 0844 873 7349.
Booking transaction fee applies; advance booking closes 18 January 2017, 9pm. Standard advance ticket £8.00; on-the-door £9.50. Calls cost 7ppm plus network extras.
by Ed Davies
In our latest competition, CaravanTimes is giving away two £180 Pioneer car stereos
The catchily-named single DEH-X7800DAB has a DAB/DAB+ tuner, is compatible with both Apple IOS and Android devices and its Bluetooth connectivity allows for hands-free calling and wireless music streaming.
The stereos are available for two lucky winners, who need only fill in the form below to get a chance to win. They will then be announced in our newsletter on November 25.
A spokesperson for Pioneer said: “We have also invested heavily in audio technology meaning that the DEH-X7800DAB really does punch above its weight in terms of audio output.
“This impressively loaded unit even boasts a 13-band Graphic EQ and FLAC compatibility, so it is no exaggeration to say that the DEH-X7800DAB represents all the in-car audio control you will ever need.”
Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on November 25 and will be notified via the email address supplied in the entry form
Only one entry per person
No purchase necessary
No cash or alternative will be offered
No employees of CaravanTimes or StantonPace Ltd may enter
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over
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