Britons embrace the motorhome holiday
This is an article from Times Newspaper Online by Katherine Adams, read the original post.
Holidays on wheels are enjoying a renaissance buoyed by recession and celebrity motorhomers; plus expert tips for first-time motorhomers
More people are choosing to holiday in a motorhome than ever before according to new figures released by the Caravan Club.
Already, bookings for caravan and motorhome sites across the UK are up 8 per cent on last year and experts say this is only going to increase.
Alvin Wiggins of Motorhome Groups, a motorhome hire service based in Nottinghamshire told Times Online: My customer enquiries have doubled and business in booming. Not only am I receiving enquiries from British holidaymakers that have decided to stay in the UK this summer, I 've also seen a surge in holidaymakers from the continent.
In the past decade, sales of new motorhomes have more than trebled, exceeding 11,000 in the UK in 2007, while the Caravan Club claims that caravanning is the most popular paid-for holiday choice in Britain.
So when did motorhoming officially become cool?
In 2001 Jamie Oliver hit the road in his campervan to promote his new book while Jenson Button, Mark Owen, Jason Robinson and Kelly Holmes are all reported to enjoy a holiday on four wheels.
Nikki Nichol, head of PR at the Caravan Club, which celebrates its 101st birthday this year, said: I 'm a firm believer that motorhoming has always been cool.
People are realising that motorhomes provide the ideal way to go on holiday, where you can set your own timetable and you 're free to come and go as you please and not be restricted by flight times or hotel deadlines.
Some argue that the credit crunch is to blame but Nichol says that it is something much simpler: People are beginning to fall back in love with the UK and there 's so much of the country that people haven 't explored and in a motorhome you have the freedom to do that.
However, a new motorhome doesn 't come cheap, with some costing around £250,000. Helen Avery, editor of Motor Caravans Magazine says: As people are retiring younger and getting a lump sum when they finish they have got that disposable income. The average price of a motorhome is £30,000 to £40,000 so it can be expensive but if you look at the cost of holidays over a number of years it is very good value.
There 's also a very strong second hand market where you can pick one up for around £10,000.
While the majority of her readers tend to be the empty-nester generation, the motorhome is growing in popularity amongst young couples and families.
Avery says: Motorhomes are great for families. It 's a home from home so you 've got all your creature comforts with you – your own crockery, cutlery, bedding. You literally just get up and go whenever and wherever you want.
Tips for first-time motorhomers
- Look around. There are a multitude of lay outs of motorhomes, so make sure you choose the right one. If you love cooking you'll want a big kitchen and if you like entertaining then choose one with a big lounge.
- There are two big NEC shows in October and January where you can try out different motorhomes and campervans before you make your decision.
- Consider how many berths you want and whether you want a single- or twin-axle van. Twin axles give better grip on the road but are much harder to manoeuvre, cost much more in replacement tyres and are really only necessary on large vans.
- There are motorhome manoeuvring courses that you can attend all over the country. People are not required to take a test but get to practice manoeuvring their caravans or motorhomes in an informal environment.
- Most motorhomes have diesel or turbo-diesel engines, which offer better fuel economy, but petrol alternatives are available if you prefer.
- The costs of motorhomes range from second-hand vehicles at around £10,000 to £250,000 for an American-style Winnebago. The average cost is around £40,000 or £70,000 for the top UK models. Check the vehicle has a badge stating it has been safety-check and approved by the National Caravan Council.
- Swift is the biggest UK manufacturer of motorhomes, including the Bessacarr and Ace ranges. The market is split about 50-50 between British-built vehicles and imports from countries such as America and Germany.
- It is illegal to stop on land that does not belong to you, and you will often get moved on if you pull into a quiet lay-by for the night. The best thing to do is to stay at registered camping and caravan sites which are listed on www.caravanclub.co.uk. If you want to be really remote there are smaller sites you can stay at such as the Caravan Club 's Certified Locations (CLs) and the Caravanning Club 's Certified Sites (CSs), which offer minimal facilities but are in more rural locations.
Related Links
- Search now to hire for motorhome hire
- Learn more about hiring out your own motorhome
