Are you looking forward to your next opportunity to hitch up the caravan and take off for a weekend away – or a longer holiday in the great outdoors?
Whilst patiently waiting for that day to come around, here are a few snippets to keep you abreast of recent developments and the latest news from the caravanning world.
The evolution of the static home
If you are setting off to holiday in a static home, of course, there is not even a need to tow a caravan anywhere – it’s already pitched on your favoured site.
Static caravans have come a long way since a resurgence in their popularity after the Second World War. Just how far they have come is illustrated in a story in the Mirror newspaper on the 20th of March, following an interview with static caravan manufacturers Willerby.
From relatively early on, the static caravan included such luxuries as space-saving fold-down furniture, gas cookers and ovens, sunroofs and laminate flooring – although such creature comforts were decidedly cheap and cheerful.
Today, of course, many make themselves at home by swapping that cheap and cheerful experience for the full-blown luxury of features such as under-floor heating and hot tubs.
The rise of the staycation
The trend continues. As bookings for foreign holidays see a pronounced decline, the appeal of the staycation is confirmed by more and more Britons taking their holidays at home.
Holiday parks and campsites are already reporting that summer bookings are up by 20% compared with the same period last year, said a story in the Guardian newspaper on the 4th of March. Internet searches of campsite listings reflect a surge in interest.
Although many staycationers are now showing a preference for more remote sites “away from the crowds”, the appeal of holidaying at home comes not only from being able to avoid flying but also the comfort of familiarity with the NHS and how it works.
Warning over recent caravan thefts
Police in Sussex have issued a warning to caravan owners to be on extra alert following an upsurge in thefts, reported the Crawley and Horley Observer on the 26th of March.
The past 12 months have seen a spike in such crimes and a week marked by yet another theft of a caravan in the county. Two other thefts were also reported stolen in the neighbouring county of Kent.
Anti-theft advice from the police includes the suggestion that caravan owners immobilise their trailers by removing the wheels and wheel nuts where possible.
If you are unfortunate enough to have your caravan stolen, its retrieval will be made that much easier, of course, if you had fitted a Thatcham-approved (category 7/S7) GPS caravan tracking device.
New motorhome pick-up point in London
The Caravan and Motorhome Club has opened a new pick-up point for its motorhome rental service, which is part of the Club’s Experience Freedom initiative.
The new pick-up depot is at West Drayton, on the intersection of the M25 and M4 motorways, and close to the airport at Heathrow. It joins other pick-up points in Manchester and Edinburgh.
The rental service is part of Swift Go, which offers a range of Swift coachbuilt motorhomes and van conversions for rental – at rates starting from £100 a day (for a minimum of three nights). A full range of accessories and optional extras is available, together with access to the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s more than 2,700 campsites.