There’s good news and some less good news making the headlines in recent days, as interest in caravans and camping surges to the fore in the country’s mass release from many of the recent Covid restrictions.
Here are some of the caravan news stories that caught our eye.
Swift Group upbeat for the future
Like many other manufacturing companies, caravan maker the Swift Group recorded significant financial losses in 2020 because of successive pandemic lockdowns.
Despite this, the Swift Group now confidently looks forward to a resurgence in its fortunes thanks to the current passion for staycations in Britain.
An article in Practical Caravan last week revealed that the company sustained pre-tax losses of £7.3 million (compared with profits of £9.6 million only the year before). It closed down its manufacturing plant in Mexborough, South Yorkshire, halted production completely in the final half of the year and, received £9.5 million from the government furlough scheme.
Swift is now looking forward to a rosier future, its order books are once again strong, and it will make the most of having rebalanced its “supply and demand dynamic”, said the company.
Caravan and camping updates in the UK
It’s all systems go today for self-catering holidays in the UK – and that, of course, includes caravan and camping in particular.
As particular sites and parks reopen for business, some social distancing restrictions will remain, with the effect that certain facilities and amenities stay closed, as described in a story by the Express newspaper on the 6th of April.
Citing advice from the Camping and Caravanning Club, the newspaper also notes that caravan and campsites in Wales have already opened for those who live in the principality but that a reopening for visitors from the remainder of the UK is expected soon.
The situation with respect to caravan and campsites in Scotland and Northern Ireland remains a little unclear, with restrictions in Northern Ireland expected to remain in place until at least today. It will not be until at least the 26th of April that sites in Scotland reopen.
Caravan shortage hits parks ahead of predicted staycation surge
It’s all very well the domestic tourism industry looking forward with enthusiasm to an upsurge in demand for staycations in Britain, but what if there are not enough caravans to go around to the country’s many parks, resorts, and caravan sites?
That is the challenge exposed in a story published by the Hull Daily Mail on the 26th of March.
Factory closures or the imposition of strict social distancing requirements have meant that caravan production has slumped and uncertainties over Brexit have disrupted former supply chains for raw materials and components.
Although the owners are preparing for this year’s surge in staycationers and have placed their orders for new caravans, they are concerned whether their orders will be fulfilled.
Man who bought caravan on eBay is scammed
On the 10th of March, the Liverpool Echo recounted the sad tale of a local man who had paid £9,200 for a caravan in which he could take his 10-year-old autistic daughter on holiday.
Despite having paid over that amount for the purchase on eBay, however, the seller – identified as “redchelle14” – failed to deliver the caravan he had bought.
There is still no sign of the caravan he bought, and eBay has said only that they are “taking action” against the scammer.