30 Thursday May 2013
Posted in Places
Faye and I have recently returned from a visit to Nice – what a place! The coast road is a sensational drive and a visit to the Rothschild villa (photo) is a must.
Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews
26 Sunday May 2013
Posted in Exhibitions and Shows
There are big crowds and superb weather at Belvoir Castle for this year’s Caravan Club National. This makes up for the tremendous disappointment last year when along with many other UK outdoor events it had to be cancelled due to the terrible weather that year.
Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews
23 Thursday May 2013
Posted in Marketing
Tags
award, Brian Savage, Christopher Macgowan, contact centre, Forum Awards Centre, motorhomenews, The Caravan Club, The Club
The Caravan Club’s Sussex-based Contact Centre has been awarded ‘Best Contact Centre Improvement Strategy’ at the Annual London and South East Contact Centre Forum Awards Ceremony, which took place on 17th May at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel in London.
Based on its 2012 performance against that of 2011, The Club put forward a written submission in which it was required to demonstrate a cohesive improvement plan, together with results set against some challenging criteria, as well as a presentation before a panel of judges.
Other nominees across the categories included leading organisations such as Saga, NHS and Virgin Holidays so competition was fierce. Brian Savage, Director of Membership Services for The Club, says “We’re delighted with this major achievement which is the result of a tremendous effort by a number of people who played a vital role in The Club securing this prestigious award.”
Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews
22 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in Places
Tags
Beaulieu, Bond in Motion, chrismacgowan, Christopher Macgowan, Large Visitor Attraction, motorhomenews, National Motor Museum, VisitEngland
The Beaulieu attraction has been awarded Gold in the Large Visitor Attraction of the Year category at VisitEngland’s prestigious 2013 Awards for Excellence ceremony.
Beaulieu received its award from Sue Gill, Head of Skills & Training at Tourism South East. The VisitEngland citation stated: This attraction exceeds expectation. There are ‘attractions’ within Beaulieu that could be stand-alone businesses in their own right. Interpretation and presentation are of a very high standard throughout. Staff excel in customer care and their enthusiasm creates a ‘special’ experience for every visitor. Nothing is ‘too much trouble’ and their ‘can do’ attitude comes to the fore. Beaulieu really is a memorable and enjoyable attraction for all.
Beaulieu’s Commercial Director, Stephen Munn, said: “England is world-renowned for the quality of its visitor attractions, which number over 6,000, and with this award Beaulieu is delighted to be recognised as the ‘best of the best’.”
VisitEngland’s Chief Executive, James Berresford, said: “The quality of the 320 applications we received was very high, making the competition for a Gold Award extremely tough. It is therefore a tremendous achievement for Beaulieu to win a Gold Award, the highest accolade for Excellence in Tourism which VisitEngland can bestow. They raised the bar for excellence which others can aspire to. I warmly congratulate them.”
Beaulieu was one of the first stately homes to open its doors to visitors in 1952 and in the 60 years since, has developed into an award winning attraction that offers something for all ages and tastes. In addition to the world famous National Motor Museum it features World of Top Gear, Palace House and 13th century Beaulieu Abbey.
To celebrate Beaulieu’s 60th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the James Bond films in 2012, the attraction played host to BOND IN MOTION. This exclusive, official exhibition of 50 original James Bond vehicles, is the largest of its kind staged anywhere in the world. The exhibition has brought a whole new audience to the attraction and, due to its phenomenal success, its run has been extended to 5th January 2014.
Click HERE to go to Beaulieu website.
NOTE: The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu has a dedicated clearly signed motorhome parking area for daytime use.
Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews
15 Wednesday May 2013
Posted in Sites
Tags
chrismacgowan, Christopher Macgowan, High Onn, motorhome, motorhomenews, Stafford, The Caravan Club
High Onn Caravan Club site experiencing some lovely evening sunshine. The site is in Staffordshire and is well tucked away in the country side; it has minimum facilities, is a delight and is based on a former WWII airbase. You can always tell when sites are a bit off the beaten track when the Sites Directory and Handbook says “SatNav not recommended.”
Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews
05 Sunday May 2013
Posted in Travel
On my way home after a few days in France centred on Albert – I have a great interest in WWI history.
Christopher Macgowan
twitter: motorhomenews
