Park Holidays up for sale at £250 million

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by Joe Jeffrey

PwC instructed by private equity firm as Park Holidays goes up for grabs

Caravan park company, Park Holidays, has been placed up for sale for a cool £250 million. The company, owned by private equity firm, Caledonia, has instructed PwC to help assess its options, with indications that the company will be sold to another private equity firm.

As Britain’s fourth largest caravan holiday operator, Park Holidays is set to see earnings rise to £35 million this year, as the current offer price reflects a significant increase on the £172 million the company sold for to Caledonia in 2013.

According to various sources, it is thought a deal will be struck within the next three months, with numerous companies already expressing an interest.

Park Holidays currently has 25 caravan parks in the south of England which has seen significant success over the past few years owing to the rising trend in staycationing on British soil. According to VisitEngland, £1.9 billion was spent on breaks at holiday and caravan parks during 2015.

The move comes following the merger of Parkdean Holidays and Park Resorts in a £960 million deal last year as previously reported on CaravanTimes.

Win tickets to see Golden Years with Bailey of Bristol

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by Joe Jeffrey

Bailey offers chance to win tickets to caravan heist movie featuring stellar UK cast

As reported previously on CaravanTimes, a Bailey caravan is set to play a central role in a new film, Golden Years, alongside an all-star cast featuring some of Britain’s best-loved actors, due to be released in Odeon cinemas across the UK from 29 April 2016.

The all-star cast includes the likes of Bernard Hill, Virginia McKenna, Simon Callow, Una Stubbs, Phil Davis, Sue Johnston, Alun Armstrong and many more. Co-written by John Miller, Jeremy Sheldon and TV presenter Nick Knowles, the film follows the story of couple Arthur and Martha Goode, played by Bernard Hill and Virginia McKenna, who refuse to fade away into their declining years, or accept the injustice of old age, so after the loss of their pensions in the financial crisis, decide to fight back and are forced into a life of crime robbing banks to get their money back to help save their community and local bowls club.

Described as a heist film with a comedic core, Golden Years features the ‘Valencia Getaway’ caravan (in real life the best-selling Bailey Unicorn Valencia) prominently throughout as the base from which the leading couple commit their criminal activities across the country.

Now, Bailey of Bristol is offering you the chance to win a pair of tickets in their exclusive subscriber competition to watch the new Golden Years film at an Odeon cinema near you.

To be in with a chance to win, simply answer the following question and email your response, along with your name and email address to:

marketing@baileyofbristol.co.uk%26su%3DGolden%2520Years%2520Competition

Which Bailey caravan has a starring role in the new Golden Years film?

Good luck!

Toyota Prius gets new tow package for UK

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by Joe Jeffrey

Toyota Prius gains ability to tow caravans following introduction of new discreet accessories

Toyota Prius owners in the UK will now be able to haul a caravan behind their eco-friendly hybrid.

Proving that it isn’t just the big innovations in technology and performance that matter, Toyota has engineered the new Prius to be able to tow a trailer or lightweight caravan for the first time in its 19-year history. The fact the world’s best-selling hybrid car can now sport a tow hook and pull a trailer or light caravan, Toyota says, adds another dimension to its practicality and extends its appeal to a wider range of customers.

The Prius’s new-found ability is thanks to heat management measures that have been introduced in the hybrid system’s main electric motor-generator and the differential. As a result, the car has a maximum towing capacity of 725kg – ideal for trailers or smaller, lightweight caravans.

Attaching the hitch seems simple enough, and the accessory will come complete with clear green and red indicators to show when a secure connection is in place. And, for when you aren’t towing something, the company has afforded drivers the option to simply unhook the hitch and store it in the boot.

Toyota claims that thanks to improved head management of the hybrid system’s generator and differential all hardware required is concealed underneath the number so as to not spoil the Prius’s defined shape. A spokesperson for Toyota said: “Most of the connecting hardware is concealed behind the lower lip of the rear bumper, so the clean lines of the rear of the car are preserved.”

The all-new Toyota Prius has also recently secured the top five-star rating in independent Euro NCAP safety testing, so if you’re looking for something different and safe to tow your trailer or caravan with next time around, this could be a wise choice.

What do you think? Might a Toyota Prius be the next car to be added to your wish list?

Striking highlight of Cumbria park’s £1m leisure makeover

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by Joe Jeffrey

Cumbria caravan park features new high-tech blowing alley and more

Holiday guests and local residents are having ball after the opening this month of a new £1m makeover and extension to the leisure centre at a top South Cumbria holiday park.

Among the extra facilities at Silverdale Holiday Park near Arnside is now a US-style ten-pin bowling alley with electronic scoring and computerised stats such as ball speed.

But bowling is not the only striking new attraction at the park. A new kids’ soft-play zone, function rooms, bar extension and extra restaurant seating have also been served up.

In addition, the leisure centre now includes an enlarged supermarket with an emphasis on locally sourced food and drink, from Lakeland artisan bread and cured meats to Cumbrian craft beers.

According to park owner Michael Holgate, its latest investment is already receiving the thumbs-up from both holidaymakers and local people belonging to its leisure club.

The new features join the leisure centre’s swimming pool complex with spa and sauna, and a professional gymnasium with state-of-the art exercising equipment

In 2016, Silverdale Holiday Park is marking its sixtieth year under the Holgate family’s ownership – and Holgate says all the signs are that this could be its busiest season ever:

“We finalised plans for our new developments before Cumbria’s flooding problems arose, but were determined to press ahead so they would be ready for the new season,” he said.

“In the event, the initial fall-off in enquiries in December was quickly replaced by a strong upswing as the year got underway – and business levels are now higher than this time last spring.

“Cumbria will always remain a dream holiday destination for many people, and I think visitors have been given extra confidence by the resilience shown by our tourism industry,” Holgate continued.

Silverdale Holiday Park provides caravan holiday homes to buy and to let, pitches for touring caravans, motorhomes and tents, and luxury timber-built camping pods.

Its many accolades include Cumbria Tourism’s overall holiday park of the year award two years ago, and a top gold award in 2016 from botanist David Bellamy for its environmental care.

However, believes Michael, it is the verdict of guests which counts above all else – and says he is delighted that the park’s latest developments appear to have bowled another winner.

There is more information about Silverdale Holiday Park, and the five other Cumbria and North Lancashire parks belonging to the Holgates group, at www.holgates.co.uk
 

Over 80 per cent of people have a pet name for their caravan

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by Joe Jeffrey

Poll shows caravans are named by many for many a reason

UK caravanners love their caravans so much that over 80 per cent of owners have given them a special name, according to Caravan Guard.

In a recent poll conducted by the caravan and motorhome insurance specialist, a massive 81 per cent revealed they had a special pet name for their tourer.

Girls’ names came out top in the naming poll but there are also caravans on the road who are named after lost loved ones, favourite places to visit or a fun name as described by their owner.

Children and grandchildren often get involved in the naming ritual too, with caravans being named the likes of ‘Nanna-van’, ‘Connie’, the Sterling Continental and ‘Pistachio’, the Coachman Pastiche.

Names beginning with B seemed to be a favourite, with ‘Bertha – the 5-berther’, ‘Betty’, ‘Bessie’, ‘Betty Boop’, ‘Bailey’, ‘Bella’, ‘Big Bertha’ and the Bean family’s ‘Beanpod’ all making it onto the list.

Other caravan names are just a bit of fun, like ‘Stalker’ because, according to the caravan’s owners, “she follows us all the time,” and ‘Eva’ as “that’s what we do” (heave-her).

Meanwhile, girls’ names which all got a shout out were April, Anna, Claudette, Charley, Caroline, Daisy, Davina, Daniele, Fergie, Helga, Isobel, Jennie, Libby, Louisa, Louise, Miranda, Mary, Maggie, Mabel, Peggy, Patsy, Rosie, Rene, Ruby, Sue, Sophy, Tilly, Taylor, Vanessa, Wendy, and Wilma.

Others choose to use their name to describe their tourer, like Caravan Guard customers, Doug and Sara, who named their Compass Corona ‘The Burrow’, and Mike Potter naming his Lunar ‘Augustina’ because she was bought in August, whilst continuing to remain “a dream to tow and brings sunshine into our lives every time we use her.”

All-in-all, we were quite disappointed not to have seen a mention of a ‘Caravanny McCaravanface’ but oh well. Does your caravan have a name? If we were to tell you some of the names we here at CaravanTimes have chosen for ours, you might just view us in a different light, so we’ll remain shtum for now.

Saga Insurance reveals unusual caravan insurance claims for the over 50s

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by Joe Jeffrey

Saga unveils crazy caravan claims made by the over 50s

It’s true to say that caravanning appeals to more people now than, perhaps, ever before. But, as the next generation of caravanners, motorhomers, and recreational vehicle users spend more and more time in the great outdoors, those over 50 are still up there with the best of them, so much so in fact that around 347,000 people over the age of 50 embarked upon this type of holiday last year. It’s not always plain sailing though, as Saga Insurance has found, and it’s also not always as simple as claiming for a broken window latch or door handle either as the insurance company can attest. So read on below to find out more about some of Saga’s more usual caravan claims.

Loo looter

One policyholder kept his caravan in storage over winter. However, when he got a call from the storage unit manager saying someone had broken into his caravan he dashed over to assess the damage. At first sight it appeared the thief had just stolen the usual items but on closer inspection the customer noticed that the robber had made off with the fridge and toilet.  While it only cost £500 to replace the loo, the thief caused more than £7,000 worth of damage ripping out the various fixtures and fittings.

Blooming blowtorch

A customer liked to park his caravan on his drive so he could keep a close eye on it. However, he got a bit of a shock when he spotted a neighbour using a blowtorch to kill some stubborn weeds. The overzealous gardener got too close to a bush causing it to catch fire and blister the caravan’s paintwork. It cost more than £2,000 to repair the damage and it’s safe to say this Saga customer probably won’t be visiting their neighbour for a cup of tea any time soon. 

Runaway wheelie bins

A customer parked his caravan on his drive for the evening so he could clean it the following day. However, when he woke up he discovered a runaway wheelie bin had crashed into his motorhome multiple times causing more than £4,000 worth of damage. 

Tipping point

A policyholder popped to the shops and while he was out the weather took a turn for the worse. When he got home he got a nasty surprise as he discovered his caravan lying on its side. The strong winds had tipped his caravan over causing almost £2,000 worth of damage. 

Humongous hailstones

One policyholder was on holiday in their caravan when bad weather woke them up. When they peeked out of the window to see the storm in action they noticed golf ball sized hailstones hitting the caravan. The hailstones dented the caravan so much that it cost almost £5,000 to fix.

Un-pheasant experience

A customer’s holiday ended rather unpleasantly when a pheasant tried to make a dash across the road. As well as damaging the customer’s car, the colourful bird bounced off the caravan causing almost £2,000 worth of damage.

Roger Ramsden, chief executive of Saga Services, said: “Last year we were clearing up after Kamikaze pigeons, this year we’ve been fixing damage caused by runaway wheelie bins. It’s fair to say that owning a caravan and holidaying in one is more adventurous for some than others. A caravan calamity can be made worse if you don’t have the right insurance.”

Have you ever had reason to claim on your caravan insurance under unusual circumstances? If so let us know in the comments below.

The Caravan Club highlights spring time adventures for all the family

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by Joe Jeffrey

Spring into action with some inspiration from The Caravan Club

Despite some intermittent rainfall as would be expected for April in the UK, the sun has started to shine, and flowers are finally in full bloom. And now, just in time for the season of new beginnings, The Caravan Club has announced some brilliant spring time adventures for the whole family. Whether spending a day in brightly blooming gardens, watching lambing season on a farm, or simply getting out and about in the elements, check out some of The Caravan Club’s ideas below to gauge a little bit of inspiration for your next adventure.

Explore life on the Farm

Spring is the best time of year to be on a farm, take the whole family on a trip to the Dorset countryside and spot new born lambs in the fields. Stay at East Fleet Farm Touring Park, the perfect location to be in the heart of all the farming action. The 22-acre site sits on 200 acres of working farmland located on the stunning coastline of Chesil Beach allowing for beautiful walks, cycling and taking in the fresh air.

A pitch at The East Fleet Farm Touring Park costs from £22.00 for two adults and two children per pitch, per night.

Discover the gardens at Blickling Estates

Set in the tranquil heartland of the Norfolk Broads the Norfolk Broads Caravan Club Site is a short drive to Blickling Estate and is a National Trust heritage site boasting some of the best gardens in Europe making for a lovely day out. There is nothing quite like the first signs of spring and throughout the gardens guests will see plenty of signs of new beginnings whilst discovering the spring colours of the blooming flowers. Nearby the site, guests will have a variety of walks to choose from such as the miles of waterways, as well as a trip into Norfolk, to see the daily farmers market, castle and Norman cathedral.

A pitch at the Norfolk Broads Caravan Club Site costs from £23.80 for two adults and two children, per pitch per night.

Outdoor breaks with the whole family

Families can take to the great outdoors at New England Bay Caravan Club Site which is set on the landscaped grounds on the edge of Luce Bay. The site offers guests access to the beaches where they are invited to partake in watersports, sailing and sea fishing. Close by visitors can walk along the miles of wild flower lined paths in the unspoilt forest of Galloway.

A pitch at New England Caravan Club Site costs from £17.80 based on two adults and two children per pitch, per night.

For more information, visit The Caravan Club’s official website here or call 01342 326 944. Where will your next adventure take you?

Hadrian’s Wall caravan park up for sale at £800,000

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by Joe Jeffrey

‘Heritage Site of the Year’ up for grabs in once-in-a-lifetime sale

A unique opportunity to take over a popular caravan site near one of England’s greatest landmarks is set to be made available available – if you’ve got a spare £799,000 laying around.

Hadrian’s Wall Camping and Caravan Site is situated in a tranquil beauty spot on the edge of the Northumberland National Park amidst magnificent unspoilt landscapes.  Some of the most dramatic stretches of the spectacular 75 mile Hadrian’s Wall are located less than half a mile from the site.

Hadrian’s Wall has recently been awarded BBC Countryfile Magazine‘s ‘Heritage Site of the Year’ and Northumberland National Park also won ‘National Park of the Year’ by the same publication. Thousands of tourists, walkers and cyclists flock to the area each year.

Aside from its 50 touring/motor home pitches, the 4.5 acre caravan site offers top quality amenities including centrally heated WCs and shower rooms equipped with free hairdryers and shaver sockets, a laundry room, BBQs for rent, secure accommodation for bikes, motorbikes and horses, shop and cafe, reception, free Wi-Fi, fridge freezer, wild camping meadow and a centrally heated bunk barn which sleeps up to 10 people.  There is also a substantial stone-built four bedroom detached house with a private garden.

To add further appeal to the area, The Sill, a £11.2m initiative located in Northumberland National Park is set to install a Landscape Discovery Centre as well as other learning and participation activities for the general public. This development is expected to complete in 2017 and presents a great opportunity for the business to capitalise on the increase in footfall.

Andrew Birnie, director in the Newcastle office of Christie & Co, who is handling the sale said: “This is a beautiful and rare freehold site in one of Britain’s most picturesque spots. The superbly maintained site has long been a favourite with campers, cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts, many of whom return year after year to enjoy the site’s relaxed atmosphere.

“The current owners have developed the park over the years from meadow land into an established site with extensive facilities. There remains considerable scope for growth however, with increased marketing and further expansion of the popular and underdeveloped wild camping meadow.”

Graham Reid, current owner of the business, said: “We have lived here for 45 years and are very proud of the fact that over the last 25 of those, we have managed to develop the site into a great lifestyle business with wonderful accommodation.

“Sadly, it is now time for us to hand over the reins to younger people to develop the site in their own way. It’s been a pleasure to watch the site grow and see happy holiday-makers return year on year.”

Five-star Solihull caravan park to offer 1990s prices for 20th anniversary

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by Joe Jeffrey

Somers Wood Caravan Park celebrating in style to mark 20th anniversary

A caravan park is set to offer caravanners the opportunity to pitch up at 1990s prices to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year. Somers Wood Caravan Park will also hold a series of birthday events to mark the occasion at the adult only park located in the village of Meriden, in Solihull, West Midlands.

Festivities for the anniversary, set to take place between 17 to 23 October – immediately following the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2016 at Birmingham’s NEC – will see pitches made available for £20 for a two-night midweek stay, whilst a series of surprise specials for returning guests has also been planned. Special commemorative mugs will also be given to the first 20 guests booking midweek breaks between 9 and 26 May before the main celebrations begin.

Owners, Angela and Marc Fowler, acquired Somers Wood at the end of 1994 and, since that time, a number of eco-friendly facilities have been introduced to the site which has since gone on to be five-star graded by VisitEngland.

Somers Wood for is ideally situated for visitors to Birmingham’s NEC, so the celebration seems perfect timing for those looking to book a break in conjunction with the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2016.

Con woman given suspended sentence after conning caravan holidaymakers out of thousands

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by Joe Jeffrey

Criminal con woman given 100 community service for duping caravanners out of thousands

A 24-year-old woman from Wiltshire has been given a 40-week prison sentence suspended for two years after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud in which she duped people into paying money for caravan holidays that did not exist.

Carpenter pleaded guilty at Chippenham Magistrates Court to a series of frauds involving coercing people into paying money for a caravan holiday rental which did not exist, as well as fraudulently using a bank card and completing credit applications.

Carpenter was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £5,235 in compensation to her 23 victims.

DC Melissa Carr, from Wiltshire Police, said: “Carpenter took advantage of innocent members of the public who were simply trying to book a holiday.

“On numerous occasions she persuaded people to transfer hundreds of pounds to her on the promise of securing a booking for a caravan holiday, which did not exist.

“We would like to use this opportunity to encourage people to be cautious when booking holidays online and always use a reputable agency or website to reduce the chance of fraud.”

With an influx of UK holidaymakers planning their summer holidays around this time, it certainly pays to ensure you book through a reputable booking agency of holiday park; and remember, if a deal looks too good to be true it usually is. What do you think of sentence handed out by the judge? Let us know in the comments below.

Have you won a Nixon Unit EXP Alarm Chronograph watch?

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by Joe Jeffrey

Read on to find if you’re a winner in our latest competition

A few weeks ago, CaravanTimes has teamed up with the UK’s leading online watch retailer, WatchShop.com, to offer one lucky reader the chance to win an essential piece of equipment needed to ensure your next trip in the heat outdoors goes without a hitch – the Nixon Unit EXP Alarm Chronograph Watch worth £125.

Designed specifically with caravanners and campers in mind, the Unit EXP Alarm Chronograph Watch from top quality watchmakers, Nixon, protected in a polycarbonate case featuring stainless steel bezel and custom silicone band for durability and comfort, is certainly targeted at those who enjoy the great outdoors.

Features include an LED flashlight capability to light your trail, as well as a thermometer and essential compass so you can prepare for your hikes in style and find your way wherever you are. It’s even got a handy little Morse code function which helps you find your keys in the eventuality that you drop them en route.

Other specs include:

Movement: Custom digital with LCD display in either positive or negative high contrast. Functions include LED Flashlight, compass, thermometer (in either celsius or fahrenheit) , time of day (12 or 24 hour), day/date, calendar range from 2005-2105, dual time, alarm, chronograph, timer.
Dial: Positive or negative LCD display with custom injection molded polycarbonate dial ring and backlight function.
Case: 50mm wide, 100 meter / 10ATM custom molded polycarbonate case in matte finish. Solid Stainless steel bezel with integrated pusher guards. The case is equipped with a domed hardened mineral crystal, 4 custom molded stainless steel pushers, and a stainless steel screw-on caseback. The band is secured with solid stainless steel screw pins.
Band: 24mm custom molded silicone band with soft touch feel and ultra comfort, patented locking looper, and custom molded polycarbonate buckle with stainless steel screw bars.

The results are in. CaravanTimes is happy to announce the winner is Alan David

Congratulations, Alan, we’ll be in touch soon to arrange delivery.

Don’t worry if you didn’t win. If you’ve still got your heart set on wearing a snazzy Nixon Unit EXP Alarm Chronograph watch around your wrist, head on over to WatchShop.com to order yours now. Also, make sure you keep checking back for more great competitions coming to CaravanTimes soon.

COMPETITION: Win one of five CoPilot sat nav apps

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by Joe Jeffrey

Enter our latest competition to win one of five CoPilot Caravan sat nav apps

When it comes to caravanning and motorhoming, part of the excitement of holidaying in the UK or further afield is travelling to and from new or favourite destinations and, it could be said, the holiday begins as soon as we hop in our car or leisure vehicle and cross our fingers in the hope that we won’t be stuck in a jam, get lost en route, or for that matter end up driving down a road too narrow for our caravans or motorhomes. It’s not always plain sailing though, and many of us depend upon our trusty sat nav devices to enable us to get from A to B.

Nowadays though, with a plethora of choice on the market when it come to sat navs, it’s true to say that not all of those available enable us to plan our route in advance, making allowances for the height or width of our vehicle – until now. As previously reported here on CaravanTimes, CoPilot has teamed up with global leader in GeoLogistics solutions and navigational software, ALK Technologies, in order to produce a brand new online navigation app specifically for caravanners, motorhomers and other leisure vehicle users in mind.

The CoPilot Caravan app for smartphones and tablets enables users to take the strain out of being in control of a caravan or motorhome by automatically generating customised routes based on vehicle size and class, taking into account each vehicle’s height, weight and length, so as to avoid narrow local roads and while preventing dangerous or costly run-ins with low bridges and other restricted roads. What’s more, clear, easy-to-follow directions, on-screen alerts for potential hazards, voice-guided turn instructions, automatic route recalculation, advanced lane guidance at motorway exits and junctions, plus speed limit warnings are just some of the additional extras which come as standard.

It does’t stop there though, and the CoPilot Caravan app also provides access to millions of useful pre-installed locations including camping sites, motorway services and petrol stations, and, if you’re thinking of heading further afield, the app also enables the use of its built-in multi-stop itinerary builder with the ability to add up to 50 stops across the continent, saving save time and fuel costs. It also comes with 12 months of real-time traffic in order to help you avoid build ups en route, as well as free map updates of the whole of Europe should you wish to travel further afield.

For a full list of features, click here.

Don’t worry about roaming charges of excessive data use either; once the CoPilot app has been downloaded to your smart device, you don’t need to rely on phone signal or using up your data allowance to use it. Simply tap your app and go.

With an introductory price of £42.99, CoPilot Caravan is available now through Google Play and the iTunes AppStore (usual RRP is £49.99). We don’t want you to pay that though, so we are offering five lucky CaravanTimes readers the chance to win a CoPilot Caravan app of their very own in our latest competition. To win, simply complete the form below and like our Facebook page by the closing date of 6 May.

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 6 May 2016 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
This competition is open to new or existing CaravanTimes members and Facebook fans only
No employees of CaravanTimes or StantonPace Ltd may enter
The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over