New Coachman Caravan layouts for 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes visits Coachman Caravans in Hull to take a look at their all new layout lineup for 2015

Highly regarded for all the right reasons across the industry, Coachman Caravans has added a whole new range of quality-built caravans for 2015. Not only that, but the manufacturer has also opted for something uniquely different following the introduction of a mid-bathroom, end island-bed layout on both new Laser 650/4 and VIP 545/4 ranges.

CaravanTimes took a trip to Coachman’s headquarters in Hull to find out what made them take the decision to provide ‘proper separate bedrooms’ to their 2015 lineup, as well as why they opted for a central bathroom, enabling more privacy and comfort throughout.

Additionally, we take a look at the versatile Laser 620/4 – a twin-axle, end bathroom four-berth offering for 2015, which looks set to offer lots more space for your travels whilst remaining original and unique when compared to other industry offerings in many ways.

So take a look at the video and let us know what you think. We reckon you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what Coachman has done.

Win tickets to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes offers you the chance to win a pair of tickets to the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show at Birmingham’s NEC next month

You couldn’t help but have heard about the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show by now and that’s certainly for good reason. The show, which hits the NEC in Birmingham from 17 to 22 February, is set to be one of the biggest and most exciting we’ve seen so far.

Despite already having had one ticket giveaway back in December, we’ve decided to hold another competition to give you the chance to win one of 15 pairs of tickets to the show everyone’s talking about.

Everyone who’s anyone in the world of camping, caravanning and motorhoming will be at the NEC, with plenty of celebrity guests coming along for the ride, including Sally Gunnel, Matt Baker and Melodie Baker – we understand security will have Ray Mears’ photo at all entrance points in order to prohibit entry (that last bit was a joke).

Advance tickets are on sale now, but as part of our latest competition we’re giving 15 lucky visitors to the site the opportunity to win a pair of tickets.

To enter, simply fill out the form below and like our Facebook page here before the deadline of midday on Friday 13 February. Don’t forget to include a valid e-mail address so we can let you know if you’ve won.

Good luck! We’ll see you there!

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 13 February 2015 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

Ray Mears fired from Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show following Room 101 caravan controversy

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by Joe Jeffrey

Justice served as Ray Mears forfeits five figure fee following caravan gaffe

Survival expert Ray Mears has been sensationally dropped from the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 following a diatribe on Room 101 in which he branded caravans “hideous” and “ghastly”.

The outdoor enthusiast proved he was less than enthusiastic about caravans during his appearance on the BBC’s Room 101, as revealed on CaravanTimes earlier this week, when he chose caravans as his top pet hate during the show’s ‘wild card’ round.

On the subject of caravans, the bushtrail and survivalist expert said: “I just think they’re hideous. Huge swathes of our coastline are just covered in these things.”

Describing caravans as something akin to “mobile breadbins,” Mears went on: “I wouldn’t mind so much if they could be painted green, but they have to be painted white.

“You go down to Devon and all you can see are cities of these displaced urban people in their ghastly white caravans.”

Pelican Communications, promoters of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC between 17 and 22 February have since confirmed Mears’ sacking, saying: “We booked Ray Mears in November, after the show was filmed, and there was never any mention of what he had said when we signed him up.

“There was no way we can now have him come along to speak at our event, he has slagged off the community we are in charge of promoting and protecting.

“We can’t align with someone who doesn’t agree with our core values. He has insulted the people who come to the show.

“It’s all a bit elitist, saying that you are okay going outdoors if you are staying in a man-made shelter.

“It’s a shame because we are all about getting kids off their backside and into the outdoors, an ideology I’d have thought we would have shared.

“He has lost a five figure sum.”

CaravanTimes reached out to Mears following his appearance on the show, but has yet to have received comment.

People power has certainly prevailed, and it certainly looks as though show organisers have sat up and listened to caravanners’ comments in light of Mears’ appearance on Room 101 and the news which followed on CaravanTimes.

If you didn’t catch what Mears said the first time round, check it out from the 22-minute mark below, whilst patting yourself on the back if you were one of the many caravanners who took it upon themselves to make their opinion heard.

And remember to make sure you let us know what you think of the disposal of Raymondo’s services in our comments below; after all, it really is apparent that your comments count. So much so in fact that, in order to celebrate the strong community spirit shown, we’ve decided to set up a new competition for you to win tickets to the show. Click here to enter now.

NCC releases official statement on Ray Mears Room 101 caravan controversy

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by Joe Jeffrey

NCC express their disappointment in Ray Mears following comments made on Room 101

Organisers of the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015, the National Caravan Council (NCC), have released an official statement regarding the recent controversy surrounding Ray Mears’ appearance on Room 101 and their decision to withdraw Mears from the show, set to take place at Birmingham’s NEC from 17 to 22 February.

The statement reads: “Following his recent appearance on BBC’s Room 101 and after careful consideration, we have decided not to work with Ray Mears at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015 so he will no longer be appearing as a speaker at the event in February.”

Mears’ comments, which can be read here in full, seem to not only have taken the UK and Europe’s caravanning community by surprise, but also the NCC, as the statement continues.

“We enlisted him as a credible ambassador because of his love of the great outdoors, something which our industry and community share. Therefore we were disappointed to hear his comments on TV, which were made and pre-recorded before we entered into discussion with Ray’s agent. We feel his agent should have made us aware of this pre-recording the moment we began communicating.

“Knowing that these comments would come to light and then agreeing to work with one of Europe’s largest shows of its kind, with tens of thousands attending, we feel he has acted in a less than professional manner,” a spokesperson for the NCC continued.

The question remains, what next for Mears? As previously stated, CaravanTimes has reached out to the survivalist for comment in order for him to provide his side of the story, but we have yet to hear anything – perhaps he’s playing dead. Our invitation still stands though – you’ve got our number.

Greenline 484 campervan proves popular at Caravan & Motorhome Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Innovative Greenline eco-campervan made to save space and the environment

Following on from our write-up on the Mogo Freedom, which featured at the Caravan & Motorhome Show in Manchester last week, another innovative leisure vehicle we came across was the Greenline 484 slide-out campervan from Greenline Leisure Vehicles.

Making its debut at the Manchester Caravan & Motorhome Show 2015, the Greenline 484 looks like it could be set to revolutionise campervan practicality with its slide-out functionality, literally enabling you to pack a whole lot more space into a standard van.

The initial range is based on the Renault Trafic/Vauxhall Vivaro and each campervan is fully customisable dependent on customer requirements – be it the number or travel seats (from two to four), additional berths or different types of kitchen unit, the Greenline is seriously versatile.

A great deal of design work has gone into making the Greenline 484 something that managed to garner so much attention and positive feedback at the Caravan & Motorhome Show 2015 last week. For example, the battery and gas tank are mounted under the floor, whilst a fresh water tank remains concealed inside in order to prevent water from freezing during the winter. The slide out functionality on the also allows for better height and width, including a bed that lays at almost 1.3m wide.

The environment has also been highly considered and is also a reason as to why Greenline have opted for such an innovative slide out design which allows for the features of a larger van to be incorporated into something much more compact and fuel efficient with an impressive 48mpg. Materials used in the conversion process are also assessed for sustainability.

Check out the photos in our gallery by clicking here and let us know what you think.

125,000 rural drivers set to benefit from fuel rebate

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by Joe Jeffrey

17 areas of UK set to benefit from fuel rebate scheme

Good news for caravanners and motorhomers comes today, following news that approximately 125,000 drivers within rural locations throughout the UK are set to benefit from fuel rebates.

Following approval from the European Commission, the Rural Fuel Rebate Scheme is set to come into effect, which will allow for retailers to claim as much as 5p per litre fuel duty relief on both unleaded petrol and diesel, with savings going straight to the customer.

The rebate scheme, which has been in effect in the Northern Isles, Hebrides, Isle of Scilly and Islands of the Clyde since 2012, looks set to come into force in 17 areas of the UK including Devon, Cumbria and North Yorkshire as soon as it has sought final approval from other EU member states via the EU Council.

News comes at a time where fuel prices have plummeted to the third lowest in 25 years – great news for those wishing to hit the open road and make the most of it while they can.

University of Central Lancashire works with Lunar Caravans to create caravan of the future

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by Joe Jeffrey

Lunar Caravans teams up with designers of the future to create micro caravan

Students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are working with Lancashire-based Lunar Caravans to create the micro caravan of the future.

The design students from several courses across the University are looking at ways to make caravanning more appealing to a younger audience by coming up with smart interiors, multifunctional fittings and energy efficient ideas for future designs with a particular focus on small caravans.

Lunar, which has been trading for 46 years, has taken the step of creating and delivering a prototype micro caravan to the Preston campus specifically for the UCLan students to test out their ideas before presenting back to the company next year.

Lunar chairman and CEO Brian Mellor commented: “We are a very proud Preston company so it gives us great pleasure to be associated with our city’s university and working together for the good of local students, local business and the community.”

The collaborative venture means that the final year undergraduate product design students and postgraduate interior design and surface pattern design students can work on a real-life industry projects and potentially see their designs manufactured by Lunar in the future.

Graham Hill, Product Design course leader, said: “The project has allowed all of the students to work with a genuine client and get feedback from industry designers, which is invaluable. Our students will bring fresh eyes to it and Lunar has encouraged them to think freely and not be constrained by current design trends.

“Although we are still in the middle of the project we’re already seeing exciting ideas from students across all courses who are coming up with creative solutions to making small spaces work efficiently, producing energy smart vehicles and devising special functionality designs that will ultimately mean a person can tailor a caravan design to suit their individual needs.”

UCLan final year product design student Urte Jurkeviciute is already working on her designs. She said: “I’m looking at ways to open up the caravan space and align it more closely with nature. With clever use of space and lighting I want to make a small space feel much bigger and airy.”

“It’s fantastic that we have a full-size prototype to work on. It makes it much easier to test our designs and helps us to visualise our ideas. It’s exciting to work with an industry client and have the chance of seeing my work manufactured by them. It’s the ideal grounding for my future career.”

MA Interior Design course leader Steve Bennett added: “This collaboration fits in with the University’s ethos to engage with businesses and communities to prepare our students for the real world. I hope this is just the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership.”

The students will showcase their final designs later next year when Lunar will also decide whether to take any ideas forward.

In addition, students studying fashion brand management have also worked with Lunar Caravans to conduct initial customer demographics research to analyse the caravan market.

We here at CaravanTimes can’t wait to see the results and wish all of the students involved in the project every success.

Ray Mears hits out at caravans on Room 101 in advance of appearance at Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Ray Mears expresses his dislike of caravans and caravanners during Room 101 rant

With less than a month to go before the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show 2015, special guest speaker Ray Mears has hit out in a scathing attack on the caravanning community.

Appearing on BBC One show, Room 101, where celebrities compete to have their pet hates banished forever, Mears, 50, nominated the caravan as his number one peeve.

On the subject of caravans, the bushtrail and survivalist expert said: “I just think they’re hideous. Huge swathes of our coastline are just covered in these things.”

Describing caravans as something akin to “mobile breadbins”, Mears went on: “I wouldn’t mind so much if they could be painted green, but they have to be painted white.

“You go down to Devon and all you can see are cities of these displaced urban people in their ghastly white caravans.”

Ironically enough, Mears also chose to send “fakes” to Room 101, stating: “I can’t stand fakes of any description.

“I like reality, and the world seems to be increasingly full of make-believe fakery and I think we should be aware.”

Hmmm. so let’s get this straight; Mears can’t stand fakery of any kind, but is more than happy to stand in front of a sea of caravanners whilst talking about the virtues of this popular pastime, having previously expressed a strong dislike for them? Pot, kettle Ray?

In light of Mears’ comments, show organisers, the National Caravan Council (NCC) exclusively told CaravanTimes: “We were planning promotional activity at the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show using Ray Mears and we were disappointed to hear his recent comments made on television about caravans.

“Consequently the activity with Ray is under review. Having said that we would like to extend an open invitation for Ray to take a holiday in a caravan which will show him what a fantastic experience it actually is and how it enables millions of people to enjoy the great outdoors.”

If the NCC does decide to allow Mears to remain as special guest speaker at the show, we can’t help but feel as though the outspoken toff may need to bring the best of his survival skills to the stage in order to fend off the swathe of angry “urban people” in attendance. Isn’t that worth the admission price alone? If so, get your tickets here now!

CaravanTimes has reached out to Mears for comment and we’ll be sure to update you, should he decide to come down from his tree house anytime soon.

Thieves target Dickens Festival caravan

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by Tom Walsh

Owners of caravan used for the Dickens Festival left devastated after thieves steal vehicle containing rare and expensive memorabilia

The Isle of Thanet’s annual Dickens Festival has been dealt a blow after thieves stole a caravan containing rare and expensive memorabilia.

Owners Mark Hemmings and Louise Woodcock were left devastated when they discovered the distinctive 1970s Avondale Perle Orestes caravan had been taken on the morning of 15 January.

The caravan not only had some rare items relating to Charles Dickens but also provided facilities for a dressing room and office for when the festival is on.

Police are now appealing for any witnesses to the incident which took place between 22:40 GMT on January 14 and 09:15 GMT on January 15 to get in touch. The van was stolen from a driveway in Brooke Avenue, Garlinge.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Kent police to help them with their ongoing enquiries.

The Dickens Festival takes place in the Isle of Thanet every year, celebrating the life works and novels of Charles Dickens.

Westfalia Pinpointpal set to stop thieves in their tracks

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by Joe Jeffrey

Innovative Pinpointpal GPS tracker device offers real time tracking for your caravan or motorhome

Ever woken during the middle of the night in a cold sweat, having dreamt that someone’s just towed your beloved caravan away only to go and check on it to ensure it’s safely where you left it? Well, that situation may never need arise, owing to a nifty little innovative and affordable GPS tracking device known as Pinpointpal.

With various stories trickling through in recent weeks surrounding caravan theft, it goes without saying that ensuring our caravans and motorhomes are secured when parked up or stored away for the winter is a must, and Westfalia, world’s leading suppliers of towbars and vehicle-specific wiring kits, may just have the perfect solution.

Designed and developed in Britain by experts in mobile communications, the Pinpointpal GPS tracker is an easy-to-install tracker system, which connects to a free downloadable app on any smartphone. Providing you with real-time information on the whereabouts of your pride and joy 24-hours a day is something that needs to be accurate and reliable and, having seen the Pinpointpal in action, it’s certainly both of those things.

Included in the subscription based service for two years from purchase are movement alerts which send automatic notification to you if your vehicle has been moved outside a virtual ‘geofence’ boundary set, enabling you to inform the authorities should someone wish to try their luck and pinch your home on wheels.

For more information, head over to Westfalia’s official site now to find out more.

Swindon Caravans takes first place in Dealership of the Year category in CaravanTimes Caravan & Motorhome Awards 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Swindon Caravans voted best dealership in CaravanTimes Awards

Swindon Caravans has won the Dealership of the Year category in the CaravanTimes Caravan & Motorhome Awards 2014.

Established in 1988, family-run Swindon Caravans secured 13.60 per cent of the voting share in the Awards, voted for by readers of CaravanTimes.

In second place came Read Caravans in Blackburn, with a respectable 12.20 per cent of votes, whilst third place was awarded to Sharman Caravans in Suffolk who received 8.80 per cent of the voting share.

The CaravanTimes Caravan & Motorhome Awards, saw an unprecedented number of people cast their votes for 2014, far surpassing previous years’ awards, and voting in the Dealership of the Year category proved more popular than ever before.

The relationship between caravanners and motorhomers and their preferred dealership isn’t just determined by the choice of ranges on offer, but more so by customer experience, as well as quality of customer service received, whether that is before, during or after making a purchase as our Awards have shown.

To take a closer look at all of the results in our Awards, visit our forums by clicking here.

COMPETITION: Win tickets to the Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show

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by Joe Jeffrey

Enter our latest competition to win a pair of tickets to the Scottish show of the year

As one leisure show opens, another one begins to build up pace and that’s how we here at CaravanTimes like it.

This time, however, caravanners, motorhomers, holiday-homers (is that even a word?) and lots more will convene north of the border for all the Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show has to offer.

The Show will give visitors the chance to see all the latest models, accessories and will even have a Park Village area, providing you with ideas on the next big caravan and motorhome trips. Free parking has also been thrown in, along with exclusive offers and deals only available at the show, so there’s really no better time to be at the SECC.

CaravanTimes is offering you the chance to be part of the action in our latest competition where we’re giving away 15 pairs of tickets to the show, which takes place between 5-8 February.

Now here’s the easy bit. All you need to do to take part is like our Facebook page and complete the form below.

All that remains to be said is good luck! Hurry though, the closing date is 30 January 2015, which is also when we’ll be announcing the winners.

Competition rules:
The lucky winners will be picked at random at midday on 30 January 2015 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