Category Archives: Motorhomes

Keen campers launch motorhome hire company as staycation bookings surge

19 Friday Feb 2021

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A passion for camping led one entrepreneurial couple from Leicestershire to invest in a new motorhome for hire business, Hey Campers – after the COVID-pandemic accelerated their modest plans.

 

Trudi and Adam Lilley have enjoyed outdoor adventuring together for the past 11 years and for five of them, have been motor-homing. After investing in their own home on wheels and choosing to let that out when it wasn’t being used by them, they saw an opportunity to take their stock of one vehicle to six – and are now looking to order more for the booming summer season.

 

Now, the duo, who have run an accountancy consultancy together for the past seven years, have taken on new premises for Hey Campers, in Coalville. With the aim of opening their depot as a show home when COVID-restrictions ease, it’s currently home to Tillie, Beni, Lexie, Lillie, Minnie and, Tessie – its six motorhomes who, as the names suggest, are already very much part of the family.

 

Hey Campers co-founder Trudi, said: “There’s so much uncertainty around holidaying and travel restrictions at the moment, but understandably, people are desperate for something to look forward to.

 

“We’ve already seen booking for half of our summer availability this year and feedback from campsites is that they’ve seen a rise in enquiries too. If holidaymakers can’t go abroad, then the chance to take to the open road and discover something new in the UK is a popular alternative, especially as motorhomes provide self-contained living with onboard bathrooms and kitchens.”

 

While the doors to the show home remain firmly closed for now, anyone interested in booking can take a virtual tour of their chosen motorhome and is well looked after by Hey Campers’ general manager and concierge, Samantha McCaffrey. Joining Hey Campers in early 2021, Samantha worked at Avis in Leicester before her role was made redundant due to forced closure of the depot because of COVID-19.

 

With extensive experience in vehicle hire and procedural management, Samantha’s passion for the role and her personal interest in the great outdoors, makes her the ideal fit for the brand. Joining as a marketing intern is also local graphic designer, Molly Jarvis. The Sheffield University student from Market Bosworth is responsible for managing Hey Campers’ social media and design. 

 

Trudi concluded: “With Hey Campers we’ve added lots of personal touches and special extras, to make sure trips in one of our motorhomes, will be truly memorable.  These include luxury bed linen, made to order food hampers, 5G enabled WIFI fitted as standard and premium sports and movie channels.

 

“Our ambition is to also explore ‘money can’t buy’ experience stays and to get the message across to all our customers that with a Hey Campers hire they can have holidays they’ll remember for a lifetime.  Just last year, Adam and I were sitting in our motorhome Tillie in Jersey overlooking the beautiful St Ouen’s bay. As I watched the waves crashing over the rocks, Adam made us a Sunday lunch with roast lamb and all the trimmings. We sat down in this perfect location to enjoy our meal and I remember thinking, what more could you want? That’s what I want for all our holidaymakers.”

Hey Campers!

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

 

This could be the first time….

06 Saturday Feb 2021

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I guess like many motorhomers and caravaners I have been booking sites ahead in the hope that one day, one of them will become a real booking and off I go! No harm in dreaming.

Anyway, things are getting close and at the end of April we have a pitch booked at the exquisite CAMC Trewethett Farm site near Tintagel. The May Bank Holiday will be a few days later on May 3rd and might I get lucky and be able to get to Trewethett at the end of April?

Fingers crossed.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Lockdown German Style

24 Sunday Jan 2021

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I am grateful to Audrey and Michael of MandA Tours for this piece about a new trend sweeping through the locked down motorhome community in Germany. Please be very clear this is a story about the lockdown in Germany and must not be interpreted as being suitable for any other country. We all know we all have our own lockdown rules here in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and I would hate anyone to misunderstand this news story from Germany, about Germany. It is a sad fact that a tiny minority of motorhome owners and users have featured in some flagrant rule breaches here in the UK and it is essential we all follow the rules carefully. Christopher.

Motorhome Dinner German Lockdown Style

Since we sent out the last newsletter not a lot has happened. Most countries are again in some kind of lockdown due to the situation with the Covid-19 Virus and there are new travel restrictions which make motorhome travel pretty much impossible at the moment.

Although in Germany we are also in lockdown and all shops, restaurants etc are closed and travel for tourist reasons is not permitted, a new trend for motorhomes has emerged – the “Motorhome Dinner”. We do not know if this is also offered elsewhere, but in Germany it works like this. As restaurants now are only able to offer a take-away service, some clever person came up with the idea that people could come in their motorhomes and the restaurant could deliver a meal directly to their door. Obviously, social distancing must be adhered to and masks are worn when in contact with staff but otherwise the only condition is that the restaurant has their own car park big enough for motorhomes. 

To use this service, you must first call the restaurant and make a reservation. Some venues offer a set menu, or you can eat a la carte. When you arrive at the restaurant you park your motorhome and ring to tell them that you have arrived. You order your food and drinks, and they bring it directly to your motorhome. If you are now thinking your meal will arrive in a polystyrene box with plastic glasses, you are mistaken. Your dinner comes on china plates and your drinks served as if you were sitting in the actual restaurant. Some restaurants even offer to lay your table, while you wait outside. You can then light candles, turn on your favourite music, and enjoy a great meal safely in your own motorhome. The only negative is that you must leave the carpark and drive home after the dinner, as overnight stays are currently not allowed, so someone has to be the designated driver!

We are really looking forward to being able to get out in the motorhome again this year, as probably you are too. With vaccinations having begun there is at least a light at the end of the tunnel. We missed the company of our customers in 2020 and hope that in 2021 things will get back to some sort of normality and that we can travel with you again. Until then, we must all be patient! 

If you are interested in a specific tour for 2021 and would like more information, visit our website.

For an overview of all the dates and prices download the PDF: Touring Season 2021, Overview Tour Dates and Prices on the main page of our website.

If you have any questions, or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail, or just give us a call! 

Stay safe.

Audrey & Michael 

2021 OUTDOOR SHOW DATES

19 Thursday Nov 2020

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The dates for the outdoor-only Warners Shows motorhome, campervan and caravan shows have been announced for 2021.

The tickets for all these events go on sale at 9am today (18 November) and subscribers can save £5 when booking in advance. Subscribers can also turn up on the day as day visitors and receive a £3 discount off the non-booked price (this applies to all shows except the new Scottish show). If you plan to rally with a club, there is a further £2 saving available.

There are some significant changes to next year’s show season, including the addition of the all-new Scottish Motorhome & Campervan Show in Edinburgh and, for the first time, there will be electric pitches available at the shows in Lincoln and Peterborough.

In addition, the events organiser, Warners Shows, has introduced a booking guarantee, which means that any show has to be cancelled, a full refund will be provided. Of course, as with this year’s shows, all the 2021 events will be compliant with any coronavirus restrictions in force and Warners Shows confirmed it is working closely with the relevant local councils to offer covid-compliant entertainment.

The New & Used Motorhome & Campervan Sale 

26-28 February 2021

East of England Arena, Peterborough

After the great launch of this new event in 2020, this free day visitor-only show in Peterborough will offer a range of both new and used motorhomes and campervans for sale, many with show-only discounts, for buyers to purchase before the season starts.

It will be one of the largest pop-up multi-dealer showrooms in the UK, with local and national dealers showcasing hundreds of new and used vehicles with show exclusive offers.

Tickets: Day visitor only. Free – register online for tickets in December 2020.

The Yorkshire Motorhome & Campervan Show 

19-21 March 2021

Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate 

There will be hundreds of new and used motorhomes and campervans for sale in an extensive outdoor and indoor exhibition area. There is also a series of seminars planned, details will be announced soon. There will also be industry experts on the stands.

There will also be thousands of outdoor leisure accessories on display from over 120 exhibitors.

Tickets: Day visitor only. Pre-booked £5, non-booked £8.

The National Motorhome & Campervan Show 

16-18 April 2021

East of England Arena, Peterborough 

This show is still the largest and longest-running outdoor motorhome and campervan show in the UK. And 2021 will be no different, with four nights of live entertainment including a headline performance from rock ‘n’ roll superstar, Suzi Quatro, and 70’s glam rockers, The Sweet.

There will be the largest selection of new and used motorhomes for sale from a huge range of dealers, making the show the perfect place to compare a large range of models and layouts. In addition, there will be a variety of exhibitors selling a wide range of accessories from must-have camping essentials, outdoor clothing, electric bikes, electricals, awnings, gadgets and more.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60 (with EHU £95) or Friday to Monday £57 (with EHU) £92. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £6, non-booked £9. 

The Southern Motorhome & Campervan Show 

14-16 May 2021

Newbury Showground, Newbury 

Calling all sixties lovers – this show in Newbury is for you with four nights’ camping with 60s-themed live entertainment. Headlining the weekend at the ticketed Saturday night show will be The Trems, Dave Berry & The Cruisers and Spencer James from The Searchers.

Along with the music, there will a large exhibition area with local and national dealers showcasing over new and used motorhomes and campervans for sale and thousands of accessories from 200 exhibitors.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60 or Friday to Monday £57. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8.

The Midsummer Motorhome & Campervan Show

25-27 June 2021

Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth 

Fast becoming one of the top shows of the year, join thousands of retro-lovers for a weekend of jive, dance and rockabilly! There will be daily free dance classes, followed by a free hair and makeup tuition from Boston Jive and 12 rock ‘n’ roll and jive bands (all included in the pitch fee). There will also be 50s-themed entertainment as well as an exhibition area with motorhomes and campervans for sale and a large range of accessories.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £70 or Friday to Monday £67. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5 (for two adults), non-booked: £5 (per adult).

The Scottish Motorhome & Campervan Show

23-25 July 2021

Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh 

New for 2021, this Scottish show will bring together the largest dealers in Scotland and the north of England to showcase the largest collection of new and used motorhomes and campervans Scotland has seen all in one place.

Rally on-site (just a short tram ride from the city centre) for four nights free entertainment, plus a headline ticketed Saturday night performance from The Bag Rockers, Rod n Faces and Shang a Lang.

Why not tie visiting the show around a larger trip or as a stop-off on the way up to do the famous ‘North Coast 500’, a 516-mile scenic route along Scotland’s Northern Coast that begins and ends in the city of Inverness, the capital of the Scottish Highlands.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60 or Friday to Monday £57. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £5 (parking an additional £5).

The Norfolk Motorhome & Campervan Show

6-8 August 2021

Norfolk Showground, Norwich

Famous for the beautiful Broads – over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways and set in beautiful countryside – the Norfolk show is perfectly placed for those looking for a great weekend away followed by a few days exploring the county.

With four nights of campers’ favourite entertainment, including – back by popular demand – Elvis Through the Years and The Kommitments. Looking for a new motorhome or campervan? Browse new & used vehicles on-site from local & National dealers.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60 (with EHU £95) or Friday to Monday £57 (with EHU £92). Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8.

The Western Motorhome & Campervan Show

20-22 August 2021

Three Counties Showground, Malvern

Renowned as one of the most popular country and western festivals in the UK, this will be the stand-out weekend in any country and western lover’s calendar! Known for its exciting atmosphere, join over 6,000 people camping against the backdrop of the beautiful Malvern Hills.

Not only will there be over 20 great country and western bands taking to the stage over the weekend, there will be the chance to watch authentic living history displays from the Lonestar Old West Re-enactment Group.

On top of all this, there will be one of the biggest displays of vehicles in the whole of the UK! Local & national dealers will be bringing a wide variety of brands in a range of styles and layouts.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £70 or Friday to Monday £67. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £6, non-booked £9.

The South West Motorhome & Campervan Show

11-12 September 2021

Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet 

Head to Somerset for this motorhome and campervan show and rally for the weekend with four nights of rock-themed entertainment, including a headline performance from Slade.

Not only will the nights be filled with exciting rock-themed entertainment, but the days will be packed in the exhibition area where there will be the biggest variety of motorhomes and campervans for sale in the South West from local & National dealers, as well as 120 exhibitors with thousands of accessories on offer. You can also attend free expert seminars from key industry speakers.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60 or Friday to Monday £57. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8.

The Motorhome & Campervan Show Season Finale 

24-26 September 2021

Lincolnshire Showground, Lincoln 

Situated near the historic city of Lincoln, many refer to this show as ‘the big end-of-season rally’ and meet up with friends they’ve met over the year for one last weekend of fun before the winter. With one of the largest exhibition areas all year, visitors will discover over 500 new and used models to choose from. It is the ideal place to take advantage of the end-of-season clearance deals as well as take a first look at new 2022 models.

Known for its best of British-themed entertainment, this year’s show will see the return of much-loved Cornish comedian, Jethro, headlining Saturday night’s show, supported by Mud II and The Moondogs.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £60 or Friday to Monday £57. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £6, non-booked £9.

The Malvern Caravan Show

1-3 October

Three Counties Showground, Malvern 

The Three Counties Showground presents a great value autumn break below the stunning Malvern Hills. Stay on site and enjoy a weekend away with four nights of live entertainment or visit for the day and browse a selection of new and used caravans, motorhomes and campervans for sale from National and local dealers. There will also be some daytime entertainment including a charity coffee morning, bingo and the ever-popular fun dog show.

Tickets: Camping pre-booked Thursday to Monday £40 or Friday to Monday £37. Day visitor tickets: pre-booked £5, non-booked £8.

 

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

CAMC National 2021

09 Friday Oct 2020

Posted by in Exhibitions and Shows, General, Motorhomes, Uncategorized

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The Director General of the Caravan and Motorhome Club,  Nick Lomas, has today announced that The National 2021 is cancelled.

The logistics of organising such a huge event are significant and the risk of forced cancellation – possibly at short notice – because of Covid-19 are simply too great.

Sad but understandable.

Bearing in mind that I witnessed last month the Southampton Boat Show being cancelled at 4pm the day before it was opening I am pretty sensitive to the cancellation risk. Equally I and many members will sorely miss this annual gathering.

Christopher Macgowan
@motorhomenews

The Adria range at Brownhills, Newark.

03 Saturday Oct 2020

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Adria is showing 2020 and 2021 models through a series of dealer events and I popped in to Brownhills Newark to take a look. With sales of new and used motorhomes running at extremely healthy levels I wasn’t too sure how many models would be on display but in the event it was a very healthy line-up.

The new generation Coral and Matrix models were on show and, like so many manufacturers, it is obvious that van conversions are becoming increasingly popular and the layouts are evolving with increasing sophistication. In my personal view, they are popular for a number of reasons but drivability is a key one where both partners in a relationship feel equally comfortable doing the driving. The Fiat Ducati with an automatic transmission is hugely popular in this sector.

A good example is the new for 2021 Twin Supreme 640SPB Family with an “any licence” 3500kg maximum authorised weight, a great layout and a transverse bed. It could be one of their star performers for 2021.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Interest in camper vans surges says the Daily Mail’s Ray Massey.

27 Saturday Jun 2020

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SOURCE: thisismoney.co.uk and Ray Massey of the Daily Mail.

Boris Johnson this week urged the nation to enjoy a ‘staycation’ in Britain, as part of the Government’s plans to ease the lockdown in England from next weekend. 

With campsites and hotels able to reopen from July 4, there has already been a surge in interest in campervans that provide flexible, mobile and self-contained accommodation. 

Manufacturers say they are getting calls from both stir-crazy couples and families wanting to explore the country safely and avoid the hassle of travelling overseas and quarantine on return. 

Campervans are ideal for creating self-contained hotels-on-wheels — ‘bubbles’ with beds, fridges, cookers, kitchen and often a shower on board. 

And there’s a good choice on the market to buy or rent. 

Volkswagen is a leading player with its recently launched, and refreshed, California 6.1. It costs from £55,339 in Coast trim, up to £69,889 for Ocean. Based on the Transporter van, the 2.5-ton 2m-tall model sleeps four and has a raised roof. It comes with a table, cupboards, double gas hob, kitchen sink, a side awning and a sleeping space. 

Powered by a 2-litre 148 hp diesel, with seven- speed automatic gearbox, it averages 33.6 mpg with CO2 emissions of 221g/km. 

The larger Grand California, from £72,745 to £82,258, based on the Crafter van, sleeps two or four, and has a wet room with a toilet and showerIn March and April, online requests for quotes went up 250 per cent for the California. Nearly 1,500 were sold in Britain last year. They are factory built — not conversions — and can be serviced at VW’s 97 UK van centres and authorised repairers. 

To be truly authentic, a secondhand hippy-trail VW ‘bus’ will cost from around £10,000 to £40,000. 

Other new options include: the Mercedes-Benz V Class Marco Polo, from £37,980 to £69,800 and the oddly-named Ford Transit Custom Nugget, from £59,608 to £63,334. 

Horsham-based converter Sussex Campervans turns a Renault Trafic or Nissan NV300 into its Manhattan and Paradise ranges, from £41,995 to £51,995. 

If ‘glamping’ is more your style, then bespoke luxury motor home firm GlamperRV.co.uk offers an office-hotel on wheels, from £75,000 plus VAT.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Third-Generation Bailey Autograph range launched.

07 Saturday Sep 2019

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The third-generation Bailey Autograph motorhomes were launched this week.

Available in eight layouts including new fixed bed and fixed island bed variants, and with and without dedicated rear travel seats. They represent what you might call “the real deal” with a Peugeot drive train, AL-KO chassis, Alde heating and a policy of no hidden extras so a dedicated motorhome owner can be assured that the level of luxury will meet or exceed expectations.

The full eight-model range – which I have to say look pretty attractive to me – will be on show in Hall 19 at this year’s NEC Show October 15th to 20th.

It is interesting how time plays tricks with our memories. Back in 2011 when Bailey announced its first motorhomes it seemed a very big deal indeed – a brave move perhaps – and certainly a strong signal that the caravan-only company was prepared to innovate, change and move with the market. During the last eight years the company has continued to dominate the caravan market – so no loss of focus there – and has become a serious and successful motorhome manufacturer fighting its way with the Hymers, Rapidos and a string of other UK and continental European manufacturers. We all know that companies often struggle with change; they either don’t change or don’t do it very well and are burdened by their history.

Not so Bailey I would suggest.

The launch was held at the delightful Stanton House Hotel near Swindon and whilst obviously the launch was the all important part, I had a bit of a trip down memory lane. The original manor house was renovated and hugely improved to meet the demands of Japanese guests from the nearby Honda car factory and their suppliers. I was a fairly frequent visitor there because of my automotive background and although the hotel has for many years embraced all visitors with or without a Honda connection, the signs are bilingual, the website is in English and Japanese and the restaurant has an exceptional Japanese influence as well as catering of course for European tastes.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

500,000 T6 vehicles manufactured. The home of the California.

01 Friday Jun 2018

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Hannover, 01 June 2018: Just three years after production of the sixth-generation Transporter began, the 500,000th T6 has rolled off the line in Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ main Hannover plant. The 500,000th vehicle is a Multivan with two-tone paint finish in Candy White and Curcuma Yellow. In total, since production of the series began in Hannover on 8 March 1956, around 8.8 million Transporters have been made.

Dr Eckhard Scholz, Chairman of the Brand Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles said: “This milestone is, above all, the result of consistent customer focus. We are gearing our production more than ever to the wishes of our customers and with intelligent solutions we are creating added value for their everyday routines and leisure activities.

At the same time the excellent production figures are indicative of committed employees and thus of a highly efficient site. This story of success is one that we will continue to write together!”

Plant Director Udo Hitzmann commented: “The sixth generation T-series has been thrilling our customers ever since production began three years ago. Continually modernised, more flexible working processes and a top team performance are the stand-out features of this ongoing ‘Made in Hannover’ success. Throughout this time the Hannover plant has repeatedly coped with changing challenges. That benefits both the T-series and our customers.”

Bertina Murkovic, Chair of the Works Council, explained: “The T is the core of our brand. The consistently high production figures underline its importance to Hannover: we are the Bulli site! Thank you to all our colleagues, who have made this fantastic growth possible.”

The T-series is produced on a three-shift basis both in Hannover-Stöcken (Multivan, California, Kombi, Caravelle, Transporter) and at the Poznań plant in Poland (Kombi, Caravelle, Transporter, pick-up). In the past year alone, 208,427 T6 vehicles were produced at the sites in Hannover (175,290) and Poznań (33,137) – in total the highest number of vehicles of this series produced for 44 years. Compared to last year, which was itself a record, the new figure means an increase once again of 4.5 per cent.

About the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand:

“All around the globe we offer the best transport solutions for our customers.” As a stand-alone brand within the Volkswagen Group, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is responsible globally for the development, construction and sales of light commercial vehicles, producing the Transporter, Caddy, Crafter and Amarok ranges. In consultation with its customers, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles draws up appropriate vehicle concepts, telematics and logistics solutions for the sparing use of resources at the highest possible level of efficiency. In 2017, the brand sold around 498,000 light commercial vehicles, which were produced at its sites in Hanover (D), Poznań (PL), Września (PL) and Pacheco (ARG). Globally, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles employs over 21,000 people, including around 14,000 at the Hannover site.

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

Thank you for a fabulous National at Sandringham.

28 Sunday May 2017

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Thank you to Rodney Lambert (Chairman of the CAMC Events Committee), his army of volunteers, Club staff, Dougal, a Shire horse and numerous other attractions for a fabulous Caravan and Motorhome Club National held this weekend in the grounds of the exquisite Sandringham Estate. 

Christopher Macgowan

@motorhomenews

#motorhomes