Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show unveils some of the best caravan and camping sites for dogs

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by Joe Jeffrey

Check out these top sites to take your four-legged friend to

It goes without saying that, if you have a pet dog, your four-legged fur ball is most probably a dedicated member of your household and a fully-fledged qualified member of your family. As strange as it may sound to those who don’t have a canine for a companion, leaving he or she behind when we galavant off into the sunset in our caravans or motorhomes can be a daunting prospect.

Now though, organisers of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show have highlighted some of the most beautiful – and accommodating – places to visit for a dog-friendly getaway; after all, a camping and caravanning holiday should be accessible for all and that includes man’s (and woman’s) best friend.

Thetford Forest Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Positioned within Britain’s largest lowland pine forest, the spacious 150 pitch tree-lined camping area is perfectly situated to explore the local countryside. The Peddars Way National Trail is close by and it’s only a half an hour drive to the Norfolk coast if you are after some seaside fun.

Cadeside Caravan Club Site

This exclusive site has just 16 touring pitches, perfect for an intimate weekend walking your ‘best friend’ around the most beautiful landscapes in Somerset. The site has several dedicated dog walks close to the campsite and is only a 15-minute walk from the local village.

Wolverley Camping and Caravanning Club Site

Right in the heart of Worcestershire, Wolverley campsite offers dog lovers great scenery to enjoy their stroll on a lovely designated dog walk. Also only a short drive away is The Wyre Forest, one of the largest surviving areas of ancient semi-natural woodland in the country.

And if it’s a touch of camping you’re after, Caravan, Camping & Motorhome organisers have some great campsites too.

Cobleland Campsite, The Trossachs

Sitting on the banks of the River Forth in Scotland, Cobleland campsite is a site of natural beauty with a vast array of walking tracks and stunning forest walks to be explored and enjoyed.

Hollands Wood Campsite, New Forest

Perfect for all kinds of campers, Hollands Wood in the New Forest National Park is set amongst 22 hectares of stunning oak woodland, with space for 600 pitches. The site is animal-friendly with its direct access to 143 miles of track through the forest giving you plenty of space for you and your dog to enjoy.

To find out more on pet friendly camping and caravanning holidays make sure you get your tickets to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, taking place at Birmingham’s NEC from 23 to 28 February here now. And remember, the dog agility arena is back by popular demand, showcasing an array of doggy talent too!

TyreSafe research reveals regular tyre checks would reduce thousands of road casualties and save millions of pounds

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by Joe Jeffrey

5,677 incidents on road of which 989 people were killed or seriously injured due to unsuitable tyre conditions

Every year, tyre-related incidents result in thousands of casualties and cost the economy tens of millions of pounds and, it goes without saying, ensuring your tyres are in good order before setting off with your caravan is of paramount importance. Now, TyreSafe has highlighted how motorists could help dramatically reduce the number of incidents and costs by carrying out regular monthly safety checks.

Following extensive research by the not-for-profit organisation, including the collation of government and road safety stakeholders’ data, TyreSafe has identified the important need for a change in driver behaviour, with the organisation urging all Britain’s motorists to ensure their tyres are inflated to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressures for the load, as well as having sufficient tread depth and ensuring all tyres are in roadworthy condition.

The facts collated by TyreSafe are pretty phenomenal in the grand scheme of things, with the total number of casualties resulting from tyre-related incidents over the last five reported years totalling 5,677 of which 989 people were killed or seriously injured, annually averaging 1135 and 198 respectively. Also, where casualties arise from an accident caused by a vehicle defect, tyres are the single largest contributory factor over the last five reported years, accounting for 36 per cent of the total.

It was also found that the estimated cost of tyre-related incidents to the economy over the last five reported years is £416 million, averaging a whopping £83.2 million annually, whilst TyreSafe’s survey, in partnership with Highways England, revealed potentially up to 10 million, or more than one-in-four cars and vans on Britain’s roads, was driven with an illegal and dangerous tyre in 2015.

Additionally, Highways England attended 38,247 tyre-related callouts on the motorway and major ‘A’ road network alone in 2015. The vast majority of these incidents resulted in the vehicles coming to a halt on the hard shoulder of these high speed roads, leaving them in a vulnerable and potentially dangerous situation. On average a vehicle is included in Highways England statistics if you are on the hard shoulder for just 12 seconds.

“What we’re urging motorists to do is carry out tyre safety checks on a monthly basis which will substantially reduce their risk of becoming involved in a tyre-related incident on the roads,” said Stuart Jackson, TyreSafe chairman.

“Vehicles have become progressively more reliable over the years so fewer of us need to carry out the weekly maintenance we once did on components like oil and water, but tyres are still in direct contact with the road and all the potential physical objects on them. Even new tyres lose pressure over time and can become damaged by potholes or kerbing.

TyreSafe has now released advice on how to carry out routine tyre checks but has also urged those who are unsure how to check their tyres properly to visit their local TyreSafe retailer who will be able to help.

How to Check

TyreSafe recommends drivers check their tyres’ Air pressure, condition and tread depth at least once a month and before long journeys. The simple maintenance routine can be carried out in just a minute or two.

A tyre’s air pressure influences the way a vehicle handles and how much fuel it uses. If it is not inflated to the manufacturers recommended inflation level, the vehicle will not brake and steer as it should, there is an increased risk of a sudden deflation and the fuel consumption will rise.

The correct pressures can often be found in the door shut or filler cap, but it will certainly be in the owner’s manual or on TyreSafe’s pressure checker which can be found here. Drivers are reminded there are two pressures, one for when partly-loaded and the other when fully-loaded.

While you’re checking pressures, it’s a good opportunity to have a look at the tyre’s condition. Tyres are never manufactured with lumps, bumps or objects sticking in them, so if you see any of these, you’ll need to have the tyre inspected. If objects like stones are wedged in the tread, remove them if you can.

The minimum legal tread depth is 1.6mm, the maximum penalty for driving with a tyre below that is three penalty points and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre. TyreSafe’s ’20p test’ provides you with a quick check to see how close your tyres are to that limit. Place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves at three points across the tyre and then repeat around its circumference. If the outer band is visible, the tyres may be unsafe or illegal and need to be checked by a tyre professional.

Do you check your tyres as often as you should? And do you have any more advice you can offer our CaravanTimes readers? Let us know in the comments below.

The Caravan Club contact centre scoops top customer service award

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravan Club comes 28th out of 50 in annual customer services awards

The Caravan Club‘s contact centre has scooped a top award in the ICMR Top 50 Companies for Customer Service Awards.

The Club ranked 28th out of just 50 companies chosen across the UK for outstanding customer service, and joins the list of just a handful of companies bestowed with the honour including The Co-operative Bank, Met Office and Aviva.

Caravan Club representatives received the award at a gala evening held at Manchester United FC’s Old Trafford football ground, including the Club’s head of operations – membership services, Peter Martin, who said: “When we were told that we’d not only made the top 50, but were 28 in the UK in our first year, it was a very special moment for all of us.

“The results will help to identify areas for improvement and help us deliver our aspiration to provide even greater service to our members in the future,” Martin added.

Winners of the ICMR Top 50 Companies for Customer Service Awards are chosen by way of a ‘mystery shopper’ test, whereby awards organisers contact each individual call centre to make general enquiries without actually revealing their true identity. The nationwide programme is the UK’s largest mystery shopper event and held in high esteem throughout the customer services industry.

Have you won tickets to the Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show?

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by Joe Jeffrey

Read on to see if you’ve won a pair of tickets to the biggest and best show north of the border!

A couple of weeks ago, CaravanTimes gave you the opportunity to win a tickets the Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show at the SECC in Glasgow, taking place next week from 4 to 7 February.

Visitors to the show can look forward to exploring the very latest models on the market in one destination with all the popular touring models on display plus an impressive range of holiday homes and luxury lodges. With all the major dealers present, visitors can take advantage of some fantastic show only offers.

There will be a number of holiday parks on hand so that visitors can discover the beautiful sites available across the UK, and both The Caravan Club and The Camping & Caravanning Club will be offering advice on the best options for your next break away.

Additional highlights include:

– Knaus will be bringing their UK spec Caravans to the show, offering visitors the first opportunity to see the models in Scotland
– Pathfinder will be bringing it’s very own grand design, Sunrise to the show – with a curved eco roof and luxurious interiors throughout
– New Family Camping area from PJ Outdoors showcasing a range of family tents from Vango, Outwell and Kampa and camping accessories
– Adventure Leisure Vehicles will be showcasing their latest models
– Go-Pods will be showcasing their 2 berth micro tourer caravans. Light enough to tow with even a small engined car & easily stored inside most garages
– More Caravans and Motorhomes on display than ever from all the major manufacturers and dealers
– Free caravan towing and motorhome manoeuvring sessions courtesy of The Caravan Club
– Free fun activities for children
– Farmers market

And now the results are in. We are happy to announce the winners are:

William Todd, David Fish, Alison Stipetic, Gordon Esson, Liz Sharkey, Gina Robertson, Anne Mackie, Douglas Williams, Raymond Armstrong and Arthur Shuttleworth

Congratulations to the above-named. We’ll be in touch soon with details on how to get your tickets.

Don’t worry if you didn’t win. Tickets are still available on the show’s official website here, so what are you waiting for?

Experience expert tuition at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Brush up on your towing skills at this year’s Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show

Whether you’re a new or experienced caravan owner, it’s never too late to learn some new skills and improve your towing. And now, this year’s Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show is giving you the opportunity to do just that, offering you the opportunity to get behind the wheel, hook up a caravan, go for a drive and have a look around the very latest in tow cars from the show’s Official Towcar Partner, Hyundai Motor.

It goes without saying that, with the right tuition, you will inevitably be prepared for every eventuality, remain safe and stay on the right side of the law, and good towing technique is crucial to your safety and the safety of other road users, whether it means giving yourself more time and space, accelerating slower, taking corners wider than normal or always having a good view of the rear of your unit.

It’s true, there’s a lot to remember, but that’s where the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, taking place from 23 to 28 of February at the Birmingham NEC, comes in to make sure you benefit from a team of qualified instructors who will be on hand during to show you everything you need to know.

A spokesperson for show organisers NCC Events said: “At NCC Events, we work with our partners to ensure we communicate key elements that will ensure a happy holiday. One of our initiatives for 2016 is promoting the importance of towing properly. We are proud to be working with Hyundai Motor and offering this complimentary tuition at the show in February.”

To get your tickets now, for what is guaranteed to be a great show, click here now.

CaravanTimes takes to the slopes to put the Bailey Approach Advance through its paces in the ultimate winter test

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by Joe Jeffrey

We put the Bailey Approach Advance to the ultimate test in Austria

With caravanning and motorhoming no longer being strictly reserved for the summer months, many manufacturers take this into account when building leisure vehicles dedicated to year-round use. And, irrespective of the sheer amount of research and technology involved in building an all-singing, all-dancing, all-weather caravan or motorhome, nothing proves a leisure vehicle can withstand adverse weather than really getting into the thick of it and testing it out for yourself.

Now, CaravanTimes has taken to the chilly slopes of Austria to put the Bailey Approach Advance motorhome to the ultimate test as part of Bailey’s Snow Season, and we’ll be spending this weekend seeing how it withstands freezing cold temperatures and buckets of snow to boot.

The fun doesn’t stop there though, and CaravanTimes will also be meeting up with professional snowboarder Simon Cudlip, 26, and blogging sensation Faye Young, 22, who are currently in the Alps making the most of what their Bailey Pegasus Brindisi has to offer, as previously reported here.

Driving to meet Simon and Faye was easier than we thought. Despite navigating along icy, winding mountain roads after reaching Austria following our rather gusty ferry ride, the Approach Advance’s 2.2 Hdi 130 bhp engine complete with a 6-speed manual gearbox certainly helped Team CaravanTimes along the way. And, despite temperatures dropping into the minuses, the Whale floor mounted 4kw space heater and blown air heating system, doubled with Bailey’s Alu-Tech bodyshell technology featuring thicker body panels and top-notch insulation, certainly kept us nice and toasty.

Upon arriving to meet Simon and Faye, we were surprised at how cold it was and, after the obligatory snowball fight, clambered back inside our Approach Advance to warm up and take in the beautiful surrounding sights in true style. We can’t wait to hit the slopes though and look forward to what the weekend has in store as we put the Advance to the test.

Keep checking back on CaravanTimes for more news about our Austrian adventure coming soon. And while you’re at it, keep tabs on Bailey’s Snow Season adventure with Simone and Faye at Bailey’s blog here, or by searching for the handle #BaileySnowSeason on Twitter.

Increase in popularity of caravanning drives surge in crime, police warn

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravanners urged to implement security measures following huge spike in caravan crime

A huge rise in the popularity of caravanning is helping to drive a rise in crime rates police have said.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) has revealed that 614 caravans were reported stolen in 2015, up 20 per cent following a decrease in caravan crime the previous year.

The most noticeable spike in caravan thefts was in the South West, which saw six times the rate when compared to 2014. The North East and Home Counties also saw a stark rise.

Tim Booth, from NaVCIS said of the findings: “2015 saw a very buoyant market for the sales of touring caravans in the UK with high demand from consumers for this type of product.

“We’ve been working with the industry to help reduce caravan thefts year-on-year so to see an increase this year is significant.

“Many of the thefts were the result of offenders targeting caravan storage areas, not just the ‘informal farm storage areas’ but also the more robust secure storage sites,” continued Booth. “Similar offences also occurred across in mainland Europe where caravans were stolen from storage and were then immediately brought across to the UK to be sold on.”

Caravan owners are now being urged to carry out a number of simple security measures in order to prevent a further rise, including frequently checking their caravan throughout the winter months if it has been placed into storage to confirm it is still safe. Tracking devices and insurance policies should also be kept up to date.

“Whilst many newer caravans are equipped with tracking equipment, a high proportion of these require the owners to be aware that their property has been stolen.

“In many cases it was some considerable time before the owners became aware and the activation of tracking equipment failed to reveal the current locations.”

Outrage as Norfolk caravan park turns away recently-widowed motorhomer for being ‘single’

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by Joe Jeffrey

Recently widowed motorhomer “banned” from caravan park following husband’s death

A caravan park in Norfolk has come under fire after reportedly refusing to allow a recently-widowed motorhomer to pitch up because she was ‘single’.

Annette Gration, whose husband of 40 years had passed away just four months prior to the incident, visited Searles Leisure Resort, in Hunstanton, with her best friends, Sue and John Gill, having previously visited the popular family-run park with her late husband on previous occasions.

After booking two pitches next to each other in advance before arriving at Searles, Sue’s husband was reportedly advised by a park representative at check-in that because Annette was ‘single’ she would no longer be entitled to stay at the park, despite being advised that Annette had only recently lost her husband.

Reluctant to upset their friend, the Gills, who were visiting Annette to help take her mind off of losing her husband to cancer after nursing him for the last 18 months of his life, advised Searles’ check-in staff that Annette’s son would also be arriving later in the day to stay in Annette’s motorhome with her, at which point Annette was allowed to stay.

Sue said of the whole experience: “We chose Searles because it had some excellent reviews on the internet, plus it had an indoor swimming pool. Searles fitted the bill perfectly.

“Annette had never driven a motorhome whist her husband was alive, so driving and looking after her motorhome alone is still a very new and slightly daunting experience for her. She was trying hard to be brave and I knew that if I announced to her that she could not stay at Searles it would be deeply upsetting and was not something I felt she could have handled.” 

Of the incident, Sue continued: “Sadly, the check-in drama has left a very nasty taste in our mouths and I cannot understand why any single person who is using their own caravan or motorhome is viewed so negatively by Searles.”

Annette, 58, spoke to CaravanTimes about her experience at the hands of Searles and the upset of being told she could not stay at the site.

She said: “I felt like I was being treated like some sort of criminal or threat to society. It played on my mind all the time I was there. On arriving home, I kept thinking of this whole new world I was now in because I was a widow.

“After fighting cancer with my husband who was only 59 when he passed away, I felt sick inside that I was now being treated like such an oddity. I definitely feel this is discrimination.”

CaravanTimes contacted Searles which, according to its website, prides itself on ‘core family values’ including being ‘friendly and courteous’ whilst promoting ‘fun and happiness’, but company representatives declined to comment.

Annette has also emailed the park’s managing director, Paul Searle, to ask as to why she had been “banned” from the site owing to her husband’s death and is still awaiting a reply.

Department for Transport begins consultation on stricter penalties for mobile phone use behind the wheel

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by Joe Jeffrey

Study finds 16 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds have used video-calling apps whilst driving in the past year

The Department for Transport (DfT) has opened up a public consultation on stricter penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone whilst driving.

The DfT’s consultation is looking for feedback on proposals for increasing the fixed penalty notice level from £100 to £150 for all drivers in a move which has been welcomed by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

It also invites views on increasing the penalty points from three to four points for non-HGV drivers, and three to six points for those that hold a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) licence and commit the offence whilst driving an HGV.

Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research said: “Forcing all drivers caught using a hand-held mobile for the first time to attend a re-education course would be a really positive step.

“For many, smartphone use has become an addiction that we can only start to cure through some form of therapy. The IAM does not object to tougher penalties but we do believe that the real deterrent is fear of being caught. That fear can only be increased by increasing the numbers of traffic police on our roads.”

The IAM found in a previous study that nine per cent of drivers surveyed admitted taking a selfie whilst driving within the previous month – a figure that increases to 19 per cent for 25-35 year olds.

The survey also discovered eight per cent of drivers admitted to driving while using a video-calling application such as FaceTime and Skype to make and receive video calls, rising to 16 per cent among 18 to 24 year olds.

Grieg added: “Technology has caused this issue and technology offers one route towards reducing the distraction effect of mobile phone use. It will not be easy to retrofit many of these solutions but the IAM is supportive of trials and pilots to show whether automatically switching off phones when moving can deliver safer roads.”

Grey Gappers drive off on Elddis motorhome adventure of a lifetime

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by Joe Jeffrey

Karen and David ride off into the sunset courtesy of 2016 Elddis Accordo 254

You may recall that, back in November, CaravanTimes reported on a particular gap year with a twist, which would see one 50-plus couple embark on an epic motorhome tour thanks to Elddis. And now, the wheels are spinning and the couple from County Durham have set off on what can only be described as a journey of a lifetime on board a brand new Elddis Encore 254.

Following a number of years planning for their journey, Karen and John have begun their adventure after just one month’s motorhome refresher training having not taken to a motorhome for over ten years.

Planning to spend a full 12 months travelling around Spain, the Grey Gappers – as Karen and David have come to be known – seem to have taken the first leg of their journey in their stride, thanks in part to the trusty Encore 254 provided by Elddis.

Of the adventure that awaits, Karen wrote on her blog: “We studied the various ‘How To’ books on the subject – the best one we found being ‘Go Motorhoming and Campervanning’ from Vicarious Books. It has loads of information on all topics set out in logical order. We also read many blog’s – www.ourtour.co.uk being particularly useful – and Jason and Julie have been extremely kind and helpful to us!”

“We are lucky enough to be in a new Elddis Encore 254, which has a fixed bed which has proved marvellous. The motorhome is very well finished and drives like a dream. That said, going away in it for a year with no overnight test runs has meant it has taken us a lot of time to get used to doing anything in it.

To be even more comfortable during their Spanish adventure, both Karen and David have also embarked upon another mission – to learn Spanish in an attempt to fit in with the locals. Karen said: “As we are in Spain for a year we decided to go back to School in Vejer to learn a bit of Spanish to enable us to be part of Spain while we are here.

“It is much harder that we thought, the idea is to live, see and taste Spain for a year, to do this we will need to get better at Spanish.  So to be near the school we are staying at Camp Vejer, it is about 3km outside Vejer and has electric hook up, fresh water, clean toilet and shower block with hot water 24/7.  It is empty at this time so the bar and café are not open, but the family that run it Miguel and Eva, their daughter Sala and Willy have made us welcome and we feel that staying here is like being part of a family! We have been to birthday party and had the most wonderful homemade paella. The weather turned bad on Wednesday and Miguel took us with his daughter to school. This is now the routine and we are not allowed speak English at camp as Eva says we will never learn otherwise. All great fun!”

To follow Karen and David as they continue their journey, make sure you check out their informative website here.

Army deployed following more flood and storm chaos across UK

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by Joe Jeffrey

Environment Agency deploys temporary defences and pumps as government rolls out army to deal with flood devastation

Flood alerts and severe weather warnings are in place across many parts of the country today as Storm Jonas continues to bring a deluge of strong winds and heavy rainfall, with military personnel deployed to some parts of the UK hit worst during last month’s devastating flooding.

At time of writing, North Yorkshire currently has three Environment Agency red warnings in place, with flooding expected to resonate from the overflow of the River Swale, affecting amenities close to it including Brompton-on-Swale Caravan Park and Rockcliffe Caravan Park.

Strong winds brought havoc to many parts of the country yesterday, which saw many road closures and the North East being hit hardest, including the A66 between North Yorkshire and Cumbria which was temporarily closed.

Environment secretary, Elizabeth Truss, said troops and temporary flood defences are now being deployed to flood-risk areas, whilst further funding was assured to those worst hit.

Truss told MPs: “Our immediate effort at the moment is make sure the response is ready in areas we think are affected. We already have military personnel deployed in Calder Valley, one of the areas we’re concerned about.”

With the sheer number of flood alerts in place across the country, including Wales, Scotland, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Devon and Cornwall, the Environment Agency (EA) has deployed a number of temporary defences and pumps.

The Met Office has said the impact of the rainfall would be made more severe because land is still saturated by the three bouts of heavy flooding over recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Neil Davies, the EA’s national flood duty manager, said: “With heavy rain this week, people in the North and South West need to be prepared for the risk of flooding. EA teams have been helping communities recover from the severe floods over Christmas. We are now preparing for further flooding as rain is expected to fall on ground left saturated after the wettest month on record.”

We here at CaravanTimes have visited the length and breadth of the UK during our time spent visiting many caravan parks and manufacturers and to imagine the destruction caused by the flooding across the country over the past number weeks is devastating to say the least – especially when considering the sheer amount of beauty many parts of the UK behold. Our thoughts are with those affected by these treacherous weather conditions at this time.

ISIS terror attacks see rise in caravan sales

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by Joe Jeffrey

Surge in caravan and motorhome sales attributed to Islamic State

UK holidaymakers are buying more caravans and motorhomes in order to holiday in the UK, owing to the rise of Islamic State terrorist attacks across Europe it has been claimed.

The news comes following a 12 per cent increase in visitors to the annual Caravan & Motorhome Show 2016, held in Manchester last weekend, whilst one particular caravan dealership has attributed the rise in popularity to the threat of more terrorist tracks taking place over the coming year.

Steven Burnley, director of caravan and motorhome retailer Wandahome (South Cave) Ltd, told the Daily Star:

“With the threat of terrorism people are seriously considering if they need to fly this summer.

“There is a general sense of concern about travelling into Europe and staying at hotels.

“We read and we hear about terrorism and certain things happening in the world that are a concern to all of us.

“Caravan, motorhome and camping holidays in the UK is a really viable alternative.

“The industry is going from strength to strength.

“It has never been in such a good position.”

Recent terror attacks in France, Egypt, Tunisia and Turkey have led to a large decline in holiday bookings, whilst tourism has also been hit in the greek islands including Kos and Lesbos which have recently become a haven for refugees fleeing Island State-occupied territory in both Syria and Iraq.

Are you more inclined to holiday at home due to the recent spate of terrorist attacks, or do you see yourself going abroad in the next 12 months?