Pensioner carried away in stolen caravan

A pensioner has become the latest victim to have his caravan stolen whilst still on board.

William John Roberts bedded down for the night in his 25 foot Hobby caravan, only to be rudely awoken the next morning as crooks drove it over a kerb.

Mr Roberts parked his ‘van in the driveway outside his home, which is currently undergoing renovations, just 24 hours before the robbery. Thieves removed a pillar to gain access to the rig, and proceeded to run over a kerb at a roundabout startling Mr Williams awake.

The 73 year-old describes how plates, cups and glasses fell off the shelves, and acknowledged he was fortunate not to sustain any injuries. He told the Daily Post: “I was lucky I didn’t cut myself.”

The uninsured caravan came to a halt at a lay-by along the A55, when Mr Roberts seized the opportunity to flee the vehicle. He said: “When we stopped, I got out and dived over the barrier and into the bushes. I got to my feet. I was a bit shaky”.

The incident was clearly very distressing for Mr Roberts, who has seven children but lives by himself in Towyn, North Wales.

John Wilson, the joint owner of a local caravan supplier, described the frightening event: “He was very shook up. I was concerned for him. The most terrifying thing was he was screaming through the caravan windows.”

In an act of neighbourly generosity, J&J Caravans who have known Mr Roberts for fifteen years have lent him a Super Sprite caravan. Mr Wilson told the Daily Post: “I’ve loaned him a caravan and bedding as a gesture of goodwill because he’s homeless.”

The caravan was recovered and transported to the North Wales Recovery base in Conwy. A man and woman denied theft at Llandudno magistrates Court, but were refused bail.

Meanwhile, a couple in their sixties were recently caught inside their caravan when a thief drove off with them still inside.

Lotto Millionaire will keep on caravanning

A national lottery millionaire vows to keep caravanning after winning a share of a £2 million in a lotto rollover.

Wally Jinks, 51, will share the jackpot with his friend of seventeen years Alan Stringer, 50.

Mr Jinks and his wife Dawn are avid caravanners and regularly tour the Yorkshire coast. When asked what he plans to spend the money on, Wally said he was in no hurry to make any extravagant purchases – but his grand plan was to upgrade his caravan and towcar outfit.

He said: “We’re going to upgrade our caravan – we tour caravans. We’re going to buy a new car as well. Not a brand new one, a Shogun.”

The couple were on holiday in Jersey at the time of the win, but didn’t find out their numbers had come up until eleven days later when they returned home. Ironically, Wally had lost his wallet while they were away and had to borrow some cash from his wife, none the wiser of his new millionaire status.

Wally, a self employed tyre-repair man, won’t quit his day job saying he doesn’t want to let his business partner down. Mr Stringer, an electrician by trade, also has no plans to quit work: “You’ve got to keep your feet on the ground” he said.

The pair, both from Edenthorpe in South Yorkshire, won a total of £2,033,705 after matching six numbers in the lotto rollover. They have been playing the lottery since 1994 entering with three lucky dips.

Caravanners have `many years` before road pricing

Caravanners concerned by the prospect of road pricing making the journey to their favourite site more expensive should not worry.

The RAC Foundation has claimed that a move from road tax to individual tolls for journeys is “inevitable”.

However, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) suggested that such a move would not occur for a long time.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig explained that while it would be a sensible step for the UK, it would be “many, many years” before such a policy is brought in.

According to the expert, the reason for this is that no government would be willing to deal with the fiscal impact of a changeover.

“The vast majority of taxes from car use go straight into general government spending now,” he said.

Mr Greig added that the imbalance between road tax and government spending on transport is something that no ruling party would be willing to forgo.

New eco-friendly facilities added to Camping and Caravanning Club Site

The Cheddar Camping and Caravanning Club Site has invested £80,000 into innovative environmental technologies at their site in Somerset.

The club site is run by franchisees Alan and Kate Sefton who are dedicated to reducing the impact their park has on the environment.

The Sefton’s have integrated an aerated water system into the showers which reduces energy consumption. The showers are now configured to mix air bubbles into the water supply reducing the volume of water needed without compromising the pressure.

A new ventilation system has been installed which removes 80 per cent of heat from extracted air which is returned back to the washrooms to remove humidity. In addition, new waterless urinals have been installed whereby waste is broken down using bio-friendly products.

Alan and Kate are dedicated to making sure the changes benefit both the environment and future guests. Alan said: “Our green facilities have been designed to the highest standard, ensuring all our campers have an enjoyable stay.”

He added: “We are committed to providing an eco-friendly setting to help contribute towards the preservation of our planet.”

The improvements are sure to make the site a top contender in the 2010 ‘David Bellamy Conservation Awards’.

The awards were set up in 2006 between the Conservation Foundation and the British Holiday & Home Parks Association and are led by environmental campaigner and botanist David Bellamy.

The awards champion holiday parks ‘that are working to protect and enhance Britain’s environment’, with an emphasis on reducing their use of energy and water and helping wildlife.

To date, over half of the Camping and Caravanning Club’s 110 sites have been awarded the top David Bellamy Gold award.

In other news, the Camping and Caravanning Club recently added more eco-friendly wooden camping pods at their Thetford Forest site .

Air passenger duty harming UK tourism

The number of Brits enjoying caravan holidays in the UK could rise this year as the government plans to increase the controversial air passenger duty.

According to UKinbound, the tax is harming the country’s tourism sector as it puts Brits off flying abroad and discourages foreigners from visiting.

The duty is a disadvantage to UK businesses competing with European rivals, who are not forced to subject their customers to such extra costs, explained marketing and communications manager Ian Dulson.

Ryanair has already revealed that it plans to cut UK flight activity by 16 per cent as a result of the proposed increase to the tax.

“The main thing that’s really hurting us, especially in terms of people coming here or travelling further abroad, is passenger duty,” Mr Dulson explained. “In effect, it’s like a tourism tax.”

He noted that a flight from London to Germany would cost around £11 or £12 more than the same journey from a French airport.

Tingdene Parks to rejuvenate derelict caravan park

by Holly Tribe

A £2 million deal has been agreed to redevelop a vacant camping and caravanning site in Suffolk.

Tingdene Parks, an established caravan park operator, have taken on a 99-year lease for the council-owned site in Lowestoft. According to The Advertiser24, the firm intends to provide 50 static caravan pitches plus facilities for touring caravans and campers.

The site has been the subject of local consternation for several years after Waveney District Council stated it could no longer afford the upkeep and maintenance and proposed to sell it.

After strong opposition from the local community, the case was opened up to a public consultation in 2006. The Council then announced it would look for a suitable alternative “to transfer the operation of the site to a third party with the experience of running and managing such operations.”

A £4.5 million re-development deal was agreed with Park Holidays in 2007, but the contract fell through when the leisure firm backed out of the deal, deciding instead to invest the money in their existing parks.

The contract was re-tendered by the council and finally, the North Denes caravan and camping park has a new operator.

Tingdene Parks run eight other caravan sites along the east coast of England and will proceed with a new site license application with the hope of getting the park open early next year.

In other news Park Resorts recently announced the opening of two new facilities in Lincolnshire and Norfolk .

Swift Group sign £30million financing deal

by Holly Tribe

Swift Group has signed a £30 million financing agreement with a leading commercial finance provider.

GE Capital have arranged to provide a distribution finance facility expected to bring Swift £30 million in dealer stocking funds in 2010, rising to £60 million in 2011.

The contract will allow Swift to provide their network of dealers with on site display products until they are sold to the end user.

Nick Page, the Commercial Director for Swift Group said: “Providing adequate stock funding to our dealer networks is a vital cog in the retail chain, enabling dealers to display and therefore sell more of our products.”

The deal also guarantees payment for delivered caravans and motorhomes which is essential for freeing up capital and enabling Swift, market leaders in the manufacture of recreational vehicles, to focus on product design, manufacturing and sales.

The Industry Leader for Recreational Vehicles at GE Capital’s Distribution Finance business, Maarten Endel noted: “Access to working capital is essential to manufacturers as we exit a recession and we are very pleased to be able to support Swift as the company returns to strong growth.”

Swift produce a range of caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes. Their existing $200 million funding arrangement with GE Capital has equated to the production of more than 10,000 caravans, motor homes and static homes over three years.

Mr Endell added: “We are delighted to play a role in the future growth of their business as they build on their recent success”.

Confused.com introduce a new caravan insurance comparison service

by Holly Tribe

Last year the UK tourism industry saw an increased interest in caravanning and ‘staycations’ as more families and newcomers took to the roads for the first time. Perhaps in response to this trend, the pioneers of price comparison Confused.com have introduced a tool for checking the cost of insurance for touring and static caravans.

The new tool allows consumers to access details from a range of caravan insurance providers – and is the first site to provide a comparison facility for this purpose. The new function sits in line with their existing portfolio of products.

Big name insurers such as Caravan Insurance, Towergate Bakers, InsuremyCaravan, Premiums Online, Your Leisure, AA, Better Cover and Wynchwood Insurance are signed up to the service, but the list is not exhaustive, with big name caravan insurers Safeguard and Lifesure not yet listed.

The caravan product manager at Confused.com is John Cooper. He identified a need for the market to be opened up away from specialised insurers, and provide consumers with a wider choice. His belief is that “caravan insurance has been the domain of specialists for too long. Customers now have the solution to finding the right cover at the right price.”

As we reach the midway point of 2010 the number of newcomers to our hobby shows no sign of diminishing. Last year the Camping and Caravanning Club announced it had reached half a million members, an all-time record in its 110 year history. The caravanning industry is already worth an estimated £3 billion and its popularity is rising with holidaymakers looking for cheaper summer holiday alternatives.

Mr Cooper added: “Confused.com recognised the increase in demand for such holidays with people anxious to escape for a break but without the cash to go abroad. Adding caravan insurance to our already comprehensive suite of products enables our customers to obtain cover at cheaper prices to ease the financial pressure.”

Norfolk ideal summer holiday destination for kids according to Parkdean

by Chris Malone

England may be out of the World Cup, but there is still plenty of time to enjoy the summer and the warm weather this year.

According to caravan site operator Parkdean, which runs 24 resorts around the country, Norfolk is a great place to head on vacation if you have kids.

It suggested that the area is ideal for youngsters thanks to the plethora of child-friendly activities on offer.

The firm’s own Cherry Tree Holiday Park has a full timetable of children’s entertainment and facilities to keep them busy during their stay.

An indoor and outdoor heated pool should help entertain the youngsters, while adults can make use of the fitness centre and pool view bar.

Furthermore, the surrounding area has a number of attractions, such as the Pleasurewood Hills Theme Park, which offers great rides for all the family.

BeWILDerwood is also a popular place with kids and adults alike, with its tree houses, zip wires and other forest-based activities.

Park Holidays UK offers £69 deals

by Craig Kemp

British caravan owners looking for a value for money holiday this summer may wish to check out the offers from Park Holidays UK.

The firm has drawn attention to its prices, which start at just £69 for a four-night break starting on a Monday or a three-night sojourn beginning on a Friday.

With thousands of holidays still available for September and October, the deal could be just the ticket for caravanners who are short of cash at the moment.

“As you can imagine these bargains are very popular and sell quickly – we release availability each week so keep checking the site,” the firm advised.

It added that the deals can often be booked either at the last minute or in advance, but that opportunists will get the best results as they change on a daily basis.

Even those who do not book a £69 holiday may find a trip to one of the caravan parks enjoyable and value for money.

This may be especially true over the coming weeks, with weather experts predicting a continuation of the warm temperatures experienced recently.

Parkdean: Cornwall to host foodie event

by Craig Kemp

Caravan enthusiasts holidaying in Cornwall next month may wish to pack a loose fitting pair of trousers.

According to holiday site operator Parkdean, the Looe Festival by the Sea will provide a great opportunity for Brits to try some “grazing on the quay”, with daily tasting sessions from 11:00 BST.

The event, which takes place on July 10th and 11th, is set in the historic fishing port town of Looe and attracts food lovers from far and wide.

Some of the culinary delights on offer include oat-coated mackerel burgers, festival fishcakes and king prawn shooters.

Those who prefer their grub a little less fishy could opt for Cornish Orchards’ apple juices and ciders or Cornish strawberries dipped in chocolate.

Run by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the event also gives visitors the chance to experience life as a crew member aboard the Tamar lifeboat.

Parkdean suggested that those heading to the festival will find its Looe Bay Holiday Park an ideal base for the weekend.

Earlier this year, the company noted how Cornwall had been used as a location for filming a number of movies, including the recently released including the recently released Alice in Wonderland.

Caravanners make the most of the heatwave

by Holly Tribe

Caravanners heading on holiday this week may want to leave their waterproofs and wellies behind.

The hottest day of the year was recorded in Gravesend yesterday as the mercury rose to 30.9C in the Kentish town.

The heatwave looks set to continue this week with temperatures predicted to remain in the high twenties across the South East of England.

The South East has many fantastic destinations for visitors to choose from. Campers and caravanners seeking sun could follow in the footsteps of the 100,000 tourists who made their way to the beaches of Bournemouth over the weekend.

Or, for somewhere more off the beaten track, head to Whitstable for a great example of a largely unchanged seaside town still full of independent shops and businesses. Then move deeper into Kent to discover the orchards and farmlands in the ‘Garden of England’.

Northern regions, Wales and Scotland may experience more changeable weather and some rain.

Have you been enjoying the sun this weekend? Got any tips for great destinations? Let us know of any great suggestions in our forums here.