11 Monday Jan 2016
Posted in Motorhomes, Places, Sites
Tags
Christopher Macgowan, lake district, M74, meathop fell, motorhome, motorhomenews, strathclyde, The Caravan Club
My Scottish trip was great fun if a little damp and finished with a stay at Stratchclde Country Park (bottom two photos) followed by an easy run south on the M74 (top photo) and so to the Lake District and the last night spent at The Caravan Club’s Meathop Fell site at the southern end of the lakes.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
04 Friday Sep 2015
Posted in Marketing, Motorhomes
Today I attended the local launch of the Benimar range at Marquis Motorhomes in Ipswich. Marquis has the national franchise for this Spanish built range – part of the Trigano Group – and has re-introduced the product to the UK with a high spec and totally Anglicised line-up. And very impressive too.
Whilst the weak € is bad news for UK manufacturers it certainly makes these Spanish imports look attractive at the on-the-road level.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
01 Wednesday Jul 2015
Posted in Marketing, Motorhomes
As the summer heatwave arrives at last, the thought of a staycation in the UK becomes even more appealing. And more and more people are enjoying a break in their own caravan or motorhome so they can enjoy the best of British summer weather, whenever it arrives.
To meet the growing demand, BCA now stages a twice monthly Caravan & Motorhome sale at the Nottingham centre, with sales taking place every second and fourth Thursday of the month. With a wide range of vehicles to suit every budget, the early sales have attracted large crowds with nearly 100 motorhomes, RVs and caravans sold.
The next Caravan & Motorhome sales, scheduled for 9th and 23rd July, are also expected to create a lot of interest. The sale is entirely undercover with pre-sale viewing from 9.00 am, while the motorhomes are driven and the caravans towed past the rostrum, giving potential buyers every opportunity to see the vehicles.
BCA’s UK Operations Director Simon Henstock commented “The first sales at the BCA Nottingham centre at the start of June attracted big crowds of buyers who bid strongly on a range of vehicles, from caravans to luxury motorhomes. And we’re expecting strong demand for the July sales too, as there are vehicles to suit every budget”.
Vehicles lined up for the 9th July sale include a 2010 Auto sleeper Broadway Motorhome, 2011 Auto Trail Frontier Comanche Motorhome and 2014 Bailey Unicorn Barcelona Caravan. Sales start at 12 Noon.
Visit the BCA website at http://www.bca.co.uk
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
27 Monday Apr 2015
Posted in Motorhomes
Carthago Reisemobilbau was founded in 1979 by Karl-Heinz Schuler and is still managed by the owner, while employing around 850 staff. In 2013, the company moved into Carthago-City, its new headquarters in the Upper Swabian Aulendorf with a state-of-the-art motorhome production facility. Last year the owner founded the Karl Heinz Schuler Familienstiftung, or family foundation, and transferred the first shares of the Carthago Group to it. This step ensured an independent future for the company, as a foundation cannot be sold or taken over completely nor partially. The assets of a foundation may also only be used for certain purposes.
The reason for doing this was the desire of Karl-Heinz Schuler to keep the company as an entity in the long term and to secure the employment of its 850 employees. In taking this step, he has put the interests of the company and the employees before his personal interests. With the family foundation setup, Karl-Heinz Schuler is basically protecting his commercial life’s work. It means the structures of the Carthago Group will stay as they are. The family foundation comprises two members of the board and a foundation board with Karl-Heinz Schuler is the foundation chairman.
In 2011, Karl-Heinz had already given the management of the company a broad basis by introducing a multi-head management board. This contributed to the growth of the Carthago Group – the turnover in last business year was 182 million Euros. Since April this year, the management board comprised of the founder and owner Karl-Heinz Schuler, Bernd Wuschack as managing director for Sales, Marketing and Customer Services, Johannes Stumpp as managing director for Finance, Accounting and IT as well as Anton Fetscher, managing director for Engineering.
SOURCE: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
06 Friday Feb 2015
Posted in Marketing, Motorhomes
• Dealers report strong 2014 activity
• Younger buyers with families entering the market
• Positive industry news before the Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show
• More than 80,000 visitors expected for the show at the NEC, 17-22 Feb
Figures released by industry trade body the National Caravan Council (NCC) reveal that sales of new touring caravans and motorhome registrations increased significantly in 2014, illustrating that more buyers are entering the leisure vehicle market.
• New motorhome registrations increased by 18% year-on-year
• Sales of new touring caravans increased by nearly 10% (9.2%) year-on-year
For both touring caravans and motorhomes October 2014 was the busiest month, with sales of the former up 22% and registrations of the latter up 18% compared with October 2013.
According to NCC data in total 21,379 new touring caravans were sold in 2014 with 8,733 new motorhomes registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) during the same period. Anecdotal evidence suggests that buyers are increasingly younger families and the NCC is working with The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club on a new industry promotional campaign, freedomtogo.co.uk, to attract new entrants to the market.
Mark Bebb, managing director of award winning Shrewsbury based dealer Salop Leisure said: “We’ve noticed that the average caravan user is younger than they were just a few years ago. There is a rising group of young consumers in their twenties and thirties – we’ve seen a 30% increase from this group over the last three years – who’ve realised that the industry has moved forward and they’re embracing the reality provided by this leisure option, which is all about fun, freedom and adventure. We’ve also seen customers buy a caravan and then return with friends who are themselves interested in buying one.”
Jenny Summers, NCC group marketing director, said: “It is incredibly positive to see that sales of touring caravans and motorhome registrations increased so much in 2014 as it demonstrates that more people are discovering the benefits that touring in a caravan or motorhome brings. It also shows that consumer confidence is returning to the market, many exhibitors at our Motorhome & Caravan Show 2014 reported record sales, and we hope for this trend to continue at our Caravan, Camping & Motorhome Show in February this year.”
Caravanning remains a British manufacturing success story, more than 95% of touring caravans in the UK are made here and approximately 60% in the case of motorhomes. Over £2.4 billion was spent on caravan holidays across Great Britain in 2013 with more than 51 million nights spent in caravans each year2.The industry as a whole contributes more than £6 billion a year to the UK economy.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
07 Wednesday Jan 2015
Posted in Marketing, Motorhomes
Tags
Christopher Macgowan, Lomas, Louden, motorhome, motorhomenews, NCC, The Camping and Caravanning Club, The Caravan Club, Trevelyan
Caravan and motorhome industry to launch perception changing campaign in the UK
The NCC (National Caravan Council) has partnered with The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club, the UK’s two largest clubs for all forms of camping and caravanning, to launch a joint awareness building campaign to promote the lifestyle benefits of caravan and motorhome holidays.
Designed to attract new audiences to this much-loved style of holiday, ‘Freedom to go’ will draw on the appeal of the great outdoors and the freedom to explore that owning a ‘leisure vehicle’ presents.
Launching in January 2015, the campaign will include a dedicated website http://www.freedomtogo.co.uk national print and digital advertising and will be supported by a 12 month plan of press activity. “A key objective of the campaign is to decrease the average age of leisure vehicle ownership by five years and get new entrants into the market” said Jennifer Summers, NCC Group Marketing Director. “In order to do that, we aim to turn the perception of camping and caravanning on its head and illustrate the appeal of this type of holiday to modern families and adventurous travellers alike. There hasn’t been a better time to convert more British consumers to this type of holiday and grow the market for all types of leisure vehicle ownership.”
The campaign will showcase beautiful British destinations and unique adventures that touring holidays make possible whilst recommending which type of leisure vehicle will suit individual needs and tastes.
Anthony Trevelyan, Chairman of the Industry Promotional Campaign Working Group said: “I am delighted that the industry is coming together to launch this important initiative. We as an industry have a wonderful offering, it is all about the lifestyle, freedom and exploration. These are the benefits we must communicate effectively through this national campaign.”
Robert Louden, MBE, Director General of The Camping and Caravanning Club said: “The Camping and Caravanning Club is proud to support this new campaign, and we are excited by the opportunities it presents. Camping and caravanning is the perfect way to explore exciting new destinations and we want to help more people enjoy this fabulous pastime and share the same enthusiasm we feel for it.”
Nick Lomas, Director General of The Caravan Club said: “This is an important step the industry is taking. The Caravan Club is delighted to help champion this initiative. Together we have a real opportunity to demonstrate how this fantastic leisure pursuit gives people the freedom to enjoy the great outdoors, visit places large and small throughout the UK and Europe and enjoy more holidays, whether active or relaxing, more often.”
Three leading agencies have been appointed to deliver the campaign. Burn Marketing (Voted UK’s No 1 DM/CRM Agency 2014) and Capella PR (Small Consultancy of the Year 2014) are both London based with digital and web consultants Etch UK (Wirehive 100 top 25 digital agency ) residing in Southampton.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
05 Monday Jan 2015
Posted in Exhibitions and Shows, Motorhomes
Don’t miss the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2015 at the NEC (post code B40 1NT). Between 17-22 February, it’s one of the best chances to catch every industry name in one place, ready to answer any question you’ve got about anything to do with tourers and more.
This year’s exhibitor’s list is once again rammed full of the best manufacturers, dealers, accessory gurus and more, plus there will be some top name celebrities throughout the event to entertain and inform you on all things outdoors.
Of course, with five full halls to get around in one of the country’s biggest and best exhibition centres, you could easily miss so much that’s on offer. Be sure to plan your visit in advance with the floor guide to get the most out of this year’s February NEC show.
This year’s Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show will be open from Tuesday 17th February – Sunday 22nd February 2015, with things kicking off daily from 10am to 6pm. See the show website and official guides for specific times of attractions and appearances, and keep your ears open for Tannoy announcements throughout the week.
How much does it cost?
Advance* On the Door Saving
Adult £8.00 £10.00 £2.00
Seniors (60+ years) £7.00 £9.00 £2.00
Children (15 years and under) FREE FREE –
Carers accompanying a registered disabled visitor go FREE.
See below to buy tickets for the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show 2015 or call the box office on 0844 581 1250.
*Advance tickets prices £7 Senior (60+ years), Adult £8.00 when booking before 23.59hrs on 16/02/15. Children 15 years and under go free when accompanied by a paying adult/senior. Show guide is free (subject to availability).
http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
12 Friday Dec 2014
Posted in Motorhomes
Tags
"Which Motorhome", Chausson, Christopher Macgowan, MMM, motorhome awards 2015, motorhomenews, motorhomenews.me, The Caravan Club
In association withThe Caravan Club
And the winner is…
… the Chausson 610 Flash
In second place is…
… the Adria Matrix Supreme 687 SLT
And third place goes to…
… the Elddis Encore 255
Choosing our Motorhome of the Year is always a difficult task for the judges and the eight class winners left the NEC show – arriving at the Caravan Club’s Clumber Park site for final judging. Value is obviously important, but so is appeal as we, with our less predicable weather, have different requirements than our continental cousins with their nearly-always lovely summers. In the end it proved quite easy to come up with the winner as all the judges had, separately, been impressed with this particular motorhome at first sight – one at the press launch in France, the others at the biggest-in-Europe Dusseldorf show.
However after all the deliberation, our judges crowned the Chausson 610 Flash as the worthy winner of the Motorhome of the Year 2015. Coming in second was the Adria Matrix Supreme 687 SLT and picking up a creditable third was the Elddis Encore 255.
Our winner is Chausson’s Flash 610, A motorhome that takes a tried-and-tested concept and adds to it, producing a ‘van that’s comfortable, capable and versatile too.
The concept is a drop-down bed above the lounge, and here it’s applied in fine fashion, with a big, comfortable relaxing space that provides plenty of room for entertaining. Above, the electrically-operated bed can descend to two levels: the first allows the lounge below to be made into a second double bed, the second sees it arrive at sofa level, providing an easy-to-get-into double for the touring couple.
The kitchen is spacious, with big drawers and a fridge/freezer. The three-burner hob and sink – both with glass lids – take up quite a lot of the worktop, but you can always use that large lounge table.
Peter Vaughan, Which Motorhome Editor and MMM Group Road-Test Editor, said: “Taking the proven (and much-copied) layout of the original Flash 10 and adding a rear garage, the new 610 addresses the one downside of the earlier design – limited storage for bulky gear. Better still, the 610 remains relatively compact, while also being blessed with the superb on-road characteristics of the new Ford Transit.”
You can read the full road test of the Chausson 610 Flash in the January 2015 issue of Which Motorhome magazine.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
22 Saturday Nov 2014
Posted in Motorhomes
Tags
campervan, Christopher Macgowan, Ford Terrier, motorhome, motorhomenews, Turkey, Wellhouse Leisure
Tomorrow, Sunday, 23 November, David Elliott and Layne Stuart from Wellhouse Leisure are setting off on a seven day, 5,000 mile return road trip to Turkey to take one of its award-winning Ford Terrier campervans back to the Ford factory where its Transit base vehicle was made.
To follow their journey, look out for regular Tweets from @wellhousecamper with the hashtag #TerrierRoadTrip
The road trip starts from Yorkshire in the early hours of Sunday morning, followed by an early morning Eurotunnel crossing to France, and then on to their first night stop, which is expected to be somewhere near the Austria/Slovenia border. On Monday they expect to reach Bulgaria, before arriving at the Ford Transit factory in Turkey on Tuesday.
After meetings with Ford on Wednesday morning, and grabbing a photo opportunity of the Wellhouse Terrier with some of the people who helped build its Transit base vehicle, the Wellhouse road trip will start its return leg to England, expecting to arrive home late Friday night.
And why? Because this is what a campervan like the Wellhouse Ford Terrier was built to do, and it seems a good idea at the time……
A full report and photos from the #TerrierRoadTrip will follow upon their return.
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
28 Thursday Aug 2014
Posted in Motorhomes
Wellhouse Leisure has created 10 new jobs at its factory in Huddersfield to meet phenomenal demand for its new Ford Terrier campervan launched last October.
Production of Ford Terrier increasing to 250 per year – worth over £10.5 million
16 Ford retailers from across the UK already appointed as Wellhouse Leisure agents with more to follow in the coming months
Ford Terrier voted Campervan of the Year 2014 in The Motorhome Awards 2014
Wellhouse Leisure is investing over £125,000 in new equipment and recruiting 10 extra staff for its factory in Huddersfield to meet the strong demand for its new Ford Terrier campervan after its successful launch last October. This investment will enable Wellhouse to increase production to 250 vehicles a year, worth over £10.5 million, making the Ford Terrier one of the best-selling campervans in the UK and Wellhouse Leisure the biggest campervan manufacturer in the UK.
In addition, Wellhouse Leisure has already recruited 16 Ford retailers from across the UK to sell the Terrier, which is the first UK campervan conversion based on the new Ford Transit Custom. This provides Wellhouse with one of the most comprehensive nationwide networks of agents, with more Ford retailers expected to join soon, making it easy for everyone to see the new Ford Terrier as demonstrators will soon be available in showrooms in the south east and west, the midlands, Wales, northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Commenting on this success, David Elliott, managing director of Wellhouse Leisure said: “It has been an amazingly positive year for us. We have broken all our sales forecasts and records in 2012 and feel really positive about the next 12 months, which is why we’ve invested in improvements in our factory and already taken on six new people to meet the demand for this great campervan.”
Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews
