Summer has finally paid a welcome visit. Take a moment or two to relax in the shade, therefore, and catch up on some of the latest UK caravan and motorhome news headlines.
Campers and caravanners warned to take carbon monoxide seriously
The Welsh newspaper Nation/Cymru on the 23rd of July carried an appeal for caravanners and campers to pay attention to the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. The dangers are especially prevalent when insufficient care is taken when using or failing to maintain camping equipment. Safety advice includes the following:
- never use a barbeque inside your tent, or under the awning (or inside ) your caravan or motorhome;
- don’t use any kind of fuel-burning appliance to heat your tent or under an awning;
- don’t use a diesel, petrol, or gas-fired generator inside your caravan, motorhome, or tent; and
- remember to pack a portable carbon monoxide detector with you on any camping or caravanning trip.
Further safety tips about the dangers of carbon monoxide can be found on the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website.
Broad Lane Leisure calls in administrators
A well-known supplier and retailer of caravans, campervans, and motorhomes, Broad Lane Leisure, has faced such serious financial difficulties that the company is now in administration and in the hands of receivers, reported the BBC last month.
Challenging trading conditions – prompted by a steady decline in demand for the company’s products – eventually proved too much for the West Midlands firm that was founded more than 50 years ago in 1971.
As the Alcester-based, family-run business closed its doors for business, administrators forecast the loss of some 34 jobs.
Optional fee introduced for caravans and motorhomes on the NC500
Many cities and tourist boards throughout Europe have recently highlighted the burden of over-tourism. The latest – possibly surprising – example has been revealed by the Highlands Council of Scotland, revealed the Caravan Times recently. The Council is responsible for the increasingly popular tourist route the NC500.
The 516-mile circular route through some of the most stunning regions of the Highlands starts and ends at Inverness Castle and the numbers using it have grown spectacularly in recent years.
In an attempt to regulate those numbers the Highlands Council has introduced an experimental – and as yet, voluntary – toll for drivers of the NC500. Known as the Highland Campervan and Motorhome Scheme, a £40 pass grants drivers the use of the route for up to 7 days. The funds collected will go towards improving and maintaining public toilets, wastewater drainage, and environmental protection.
At the moment, the charge is voluntary and optional – although the Highland Council hopes the majority of drivers will recognise their responsibility and contribute to the scheme.
£1M+ investment into Steamer Quay Club Campsite in Totnes
The Totnes Times on the 26th of July featured a visit by the Mayor of Totnes to work on a £1.2 million redevelopment project of the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s site in the South Devon valley of the River Dart.
The redeveloped Steamer Quay Club Campsite is scheduled to open on the 1st of October and will feature 46 new serviced pitches (for caravans without awnings), a refurbished toilet and shower block, and all-new electric vehicle (EV) charging points.
The Steamer Quay Club Campsite will be open the year around and is expected to generate as much as an additional annual £1.3 million for local businesses from holidaymakers.