Holidays – The Staycation Option and Future of Quality Leisure Time

So, it’s that time of year again – you know the one, the one where we used to sit together, as a family, group of friends or couple, glass of chilled sangria in hand, holiday brochures or i-pad at the ready and try to decide where we fly off to for our annual holidays this year.

Only, this year things are going to be a little different and I don’t know about you, but for me, I certainly won’t be mask-on, boarding a bargain, budget or charter flight with 200 hundred other excited souls, potentially coughing and wheezing in all sections of the cabin whilst sharing the same recycled air and occupying the very same seat that, less than an hour previously, was vacated by goodness knows who!

And once landed, there’s the inevitable problem of proving you’ve had your covid vaccinations to a boarder official who doesn’t speak English and can’t believe you’re the same person shown on your passport. Then it’s, “where did my luggage go to?” and if it turns up, “why are my y-fronts hanging out of it?”, “Now lets just try to find our bus” – it can’t be that difficult, there’s fifty of them parked up, all numbered, drivers leaning against the cabs, smoking disinterestedly while you struggle with the family’s cases then tossing them to opposite side of the luggage compartment once you finally get their attention! But hey-ho, we’re here now and off we finally go – two hours after landing.

Then, after another hour and a half of what I like to call “sight-seeing” (which is in fact sitting on a cramped, baking hot coach with fifty other assorted families and couples, tired, frustrated, bursting for the toilet and praying that your name isn’t called out for this particularly grim looking destination you’ve just stopped at), you arrive at your hotel only to find the room isn’t ready yet and when it is, it looks out over the next-door building site or municipal dump!

As a side issue, these photographers must have amazing skills as the accommodation is never quite like the pictures in the brochure or on-line, which reminds me, I must try to track down one of those photographers some-day – my passport photo is really terrible!

The water is undrinkable, the beer, cocktails and house spirits worse, the bed uncomfortable, the air conditioning doesn’t work, the neighbouring room houses a family of banshee’s who never seem to sleep; the hotel food is usually lukewarm and finally, when you take a closer look, the bedding doesn’t really seem that clean after all; the mattress doesn’t bear thinking about and the room – well, it doesn’t look to have had a thorough clean in decades!

The lifts are crammed full of holiday makers from all over Europe, all happily touching every button and surface produced by mankind while breathing and coughing across everyone within close proximity and then, while desperately trying not look anyone directly in the eyes, you’re left wondering what hygiene standards the chefs, waiters, reception, pool and bar staff apply and finally, to top it all off, social distancing is itself a very distant memory once the beer and sangria kick-in.  Happy holidays everyone!

In fact, whilst on this subject, the very last place I could reasonably consider for a well – earned vacation right now would be aboard a cruise ship for that matter – luxurious as I’m sure they are, I couldn’t possibly imagine spending all of that time in such close proximity to a couple of thousand other poor souls also with no escape and all of their associated germs to dodge for a week or more whilst most of the above likely still applies and the added bonus of potentially becoming stranded at sea if there’s an outbreak on board and ports won’t allow you to dock!

What about any local restrictions abroad – how will you know about them? Will the shops be open, can we go to the beach, will our favourite bar be open this year, what about the curfew? Are any museums, galleries or historical sites likely to be open this year?

Then there’s the worry of getting home – what if we have to quarantine for a week or more – how much are we going to have pay for all of that and finally, please, not another week locked up with the family, please………………

And if non-of this is a concern, then there’s the excursions to worry about; a coach here, a taxi there, tours around the local must-see’s (face masks and social distancing accepted of course and whilst in blistering temperatures too). Snacks and drinks in lovely little tavernas and bars where owners and staff possibly think more about tips and profits this year than anything else – after all, you’re going to be a distant memory in an hour’s time, and they lost a fortune last year!

I’m sorry if this paints a pretty awful picture and forgive me for using more than a few clichés, but tell me some of this hasn’t happened to most of us at some time or another and tell me you aren’t having exactly the same misgivings – or am I just being cynical?

Anyway, enough of my hand-wringing doom and gloom, but I’m just saying, there must be an awful lot of other folks out there, also of a certain age and disposition thinking exactly the same as me – come on, I can’t be the only miserable git out there who’s really concerned about spending a small fortune, not really enjoying myself and potentially catching something incredibly nasty and shuffling off this mortal coil way too early (my opinion, not necessarily that of the current lady of the house).

So, with all of this to the fore of my reasoning, one – word springs to mind – staycation!

However, even that has some drawbacks; where to stay-cate for example, with whom and for how long and why are the prices double what they were last year? are just a few of my thoughts.

But it doesn’t have to be that difficult, not when you could buy the freedom of a motorhome and have as many holidays as you and your spouse could possibly ever desire.

If you think about it, it’s almost the perfect solution – your very own personal space, (or isolation pod as I like to think of them), closed to everyone but you and those lucky enough to be invited in, after thorough vetting that is!

Total freedom and flexibility, the freedom to go exactly where you want to and then do exactly what you want to do and the flexibility to do this whenever you wish and for as long as you want to, too; camp sites, wild camping, pub car parks, your friends and relatives’ driveways – it’s all very simple.

If you really think about this, a campsite could also be the perfect place to enjoy freedom and isolation.

You don’t have to use the site’s facilities – toilets, showers, shops, bars etc. because your very own motorhome usually comes complete with its own toilet and shower, kitchen with cooker and fridge (sometimes a freezer too), tv if you fancy that and they can even be fitted with wind-out awnings for additional sun shelter. Some can even have gas BBQ points fitted for alfresco cooking.

You supply your own food and drinks so, nothing you don’t really want passes your lips and the shopping, if you don’t take it with you, can be bought on route or delivered directly to your door if the need or desire’s still there to socially distance.

Your neighbours are usually several meters away from your pitch with their doors on the opposite side too, so social distancing, again, isn’t going to be an issue and camp sites are usually to be found close to beautiful countryside or coastal areas – some even have fishing lakes attached and most non-motor homers would be very surprised at just how good the vast majority of modern sites really are.

So, a motorhome doesn’t have to be huge, it can be and can also have every extra know to mankind too; but then there’s it’s size to consider, it can affect where you travel – too big and English country lanes could prove a challenge; too small and either you won’t have sufficient storage space for clothes and things or, more accurately, the love of your life will but you won’t or, joking apart, too small could potentially restrict the length of time spent away from home or end badly when, after days of constantly tripping over each other, one of you suffocates the other with a pillow during the night!

Thinking clearly and carefully about your particular needs and then having a frank discussion with a good dealer before you buy would be the best advice I can offer; please don’t take size, layout or make and model advice from a friend – no matter their good intentions, what they have suites them, but it doesn’t automatically mean that it will suit you too, you have to make your own decision this time, based on your own needs and preferences and a quality dealer really does know all the negatives and positives and will be happy to advise.

Well, to some, a motorhome could be considered as “roughing it” I suppose, but when you bother to take a closer look at most of the modern models well, nothing could be further from the truth.

Take Auto-Sleepers for example – they are the oldest UK motorhome manufacturer – 60 years this year; every-one is hand built and quality oozes from every angle. Luxurious Belgian fabrics, quality furniture, kitchens a top chef would be proud of and space abound – even in the smallest of models.

Then there’s their fabulous standard features such as large wind-out awnings, mobile wi-fi, solar panels, re-fillable gas tanks, built-in satellite navigation systems, air conditioning – cab and habitation areas too in their Mercedes range; there’s even the option of remote, self-seeking satellite TV systems if you really don’t want to miss anything.

McLouis are another surprisingly good brand, very contemporary, very Italian with lots of style and storage space, garages abound and each sleeping and travelling at least 4 people – great for families and their price point is too – squarely aimed towards the family budget.

Imagine, what could be finer than sitting under your very-own sun awning drinking wine (or gin, beer, cider or any other favourite tipple for that matter) and simply “chilling out” whilst listening to your favourite music or reading the latest novel on your kindle?

If that’s not your “thing” then how about a day exploring the local countryside or walking and cycling to places of interest; maybe visit the local beach (social distancing permitting of course) or town centre for that all-important retail therapy hit, (if the shops are open and you have a face-mask).

Then there’s galleries and museums to consider or the local country estate, farm shop or National Trust venue – really, the list of potential activities is endless as are the wonderful places one could pitch-up in the UK alone.

You never know too, the urge to go abroad could still prove too great to resist, in which case there’s always the “tunnel” for quick, easy access to France and beyond (if we’re allowed that is) or endless ferry routes for a more relaxed trip across the water.

Imagine, a lovely warm evening, sun slowly setting, the sound of the ocean in the distance, dining al-fresco with a really great burgundy, fresh-baked French bread, a lovely cheese and a simple salad, all right on your own doorstep and for as long as you feel like it……

And don’t forget, motorhomes are welcomed throughout the UK and Europe and both the UK and Europe are awfully big places to explore and finding beautiful, isolated spots to call your own for a few days before moving on isn’t difficult and the driving? Well, that’s all part of the holiday.

Remember too, once you have a motorhome, you also have the potential for hundreds of holidays, long or short, here, there, anywhere in fact – a long weekend or simple overnighter somewhere local or just a day out in the countryside for that matter, the choice is yours and endless!

So, I hope I’ve planted a seed of optimism for a brighter future this summer and holiday season; and one final fact, a motorhome is nothing like a car in terms of depreciation or residual value and if I’m honest, whilst they possibly aren’t that cheap to buy initially, they should be considered more as an investment and once owned, they will retain a huge proportion of their original value and for a darned sight longer than your average family run-around or caravan and definitely longer than your two weeks package to the sun!

You’ll definitely have so very many more memories from a motorhome holiday and adventures too so, when you sit down to consider the summer holidays, why not take a longer-term view? take a closer look at the motor home option and in particular the Auto-Sleepers and McLouis motor home ranges at Derby Motorhomes, you’re going to be very pleasantly surprised.

Staycation, in your own motorhome/isolation pod – happy holidays everyone.

By Tim Lemon, Director of Derby Motorhomes

If you managed to dodge the storms and flooding of the past few months, calmer days are just around the corner. It’s time to shift up a gear and get your motorhome back into serious work as the new season dawns.

So, what’s new on the horizon? Here are a few snippets.

Prices slashed at Derby Motorhomes

If you are looking to buy your first motorhome – or want to upgrade – we’re offering a great start to the season with some amazing price reductions on Auto-Sleepers!

The deals include £2,000 the ever-popular Burford and Burford Duo coachbuilt Auto-Sleepers, £1,500 off all of this year’s van conversion models, and massive savings on previous years’ Auto-Sleepers.

Cornish wellness retreats

If you own a motorhome, you already enjoy the outdoor life. How about combining that with a wellness retreat on Cornwall’s north coast, at Holywell Bay, near Newquay?

From the 5th until the 7th of June – and again from the 19th to the 21st of June – Trevornick Holiday Park is running wellness courses, with the price of your motorhome pitch included, writes Out and About Live.

The 5-star holiday park also boasts nature trails, a heated outdoor pool, jacuzzi and spa.

Land Rover Discovery conversion

Van conversions generally work very well – others somehow just don’t make it.

On the 1st of February, the UK’s Motor 1 magazine featured a Land Rover Discovery conversion that has been listed for sale in the United States – where else!

An interesting conversion it may be, but in terms of styling, design and general comfort, practically any other motorhome would knock the socks off it

Ladram Bay goes green

Ladram Bay Holiday Park, near Exeter in Devon is flying its green credentials as it plans to invest £300,000 on cutting edge solar energy systems in various buildings throughout its extensive grounds its grounds.

An infographic illustrates the many ways in which the park is aiming to recycle waste, avoid plastic packaging, install energy-efficient heating boilers, reduce paper usage by slimming down its brochure and relying more and more on the internet, and even investing in onsite electric vehicles to cut emissions.

Driving in Europe in 2021

Just when you thought you’d heard the last of Brexit, the BBC reminded us on the 20th of February that the UK is currently in a transition phase, during which very little will change in terms of driving your motorhome in Europe.

By the end of the year – and it might come around faster than you think – there might be a number of important changes. Preparing for them now might head off last-minute panic as you plan for next year’s holidays.

Depending on the detail of the UK’s final departure from the EU, from the 31st of December 2020, when driving in Europe you may need:

  • not only your UK driving licence but also an International Driving Permit (available from any Post Office for £5.50);
  • a “green card” showing proof of the level of insurance cover required in the European countries through which you are driving; and
  • a GB sticker on any UK-registered motorhome.

No need to panic just yet, but it may be worth keeping any changes in mind as you prepare for next year’s holidays and outings across the Channel.

 

Can’t wait to get behind the wheel of your motorhome to kick off the new season of adventures?

Here are some snippets of motorhome news that might help you along the way.

New carpark stopovers in Wales

Two Welsh towns on popular touring routes are to allow overnight stopovers for what the local council describes as “caravanettes” – motorhomes, in other words – according to UK Motorhomes.

The pay and display carparks are at Quay Street in Cardigan and New Promenade in Aberystwyth where overnight stopovers are being introduced this season on a trial basis. No other public carparks in the county currently allow such use.

Campervan refusals by DVLA

The DVLA has announced a massive increase in the number of refusals it has made of applications to reregister vehicles converted into campervans, reported Out and About Live on the 21st of January.

In just the first 11 months of 2019, the DVLA refused 9,488 such applications. This compares with 2,266 rejections in the whole of 2018 and just 622 in 2017.

The DVLA is unable to give any explanation for such a huge increase in rejections and insists that any vehicle meeting the required criteria would be passed. Nevertheless, some van converters protest that their vehicles met the necessary standards but still failed to gain registration by the DVLA.

Auto-Sleeper takes the laurels – again!

For the second year in a row, Auto-Sleeper walked away with the Best Motorhome Manufacturer award for 2020 at an annual dinner hosted by the Camping and Caravanning Club on the 17th of January.

Organised in collaboration with Practical Motorhome and Practical Caravan magazines, the awards made on the basis of owner satisfaction surveys which were run between April and October 2019.

Concerns about “smart” motorways

January saw considerable media speculation about the safety of so-called smart motorways – where the hard shoulder is effectively turned into an operational lane of the motorway and safety laybys can be as far a mile to a mile and a half apart.

Drivers of motorhomes are likely to have a particular interest – if not concern – about the debate since they are among the most frequent users of such slower lanes of traffic.

You might want to read the discussion on the subject published in Practical Motorhome magazine on the 30th of January.

Pet-friendly pubs

If you’ve braved the elements and continued outings in your motorhome this winter, you’re also likely to have taken along the family dog.

Since any bracing winter’s walk always ends best at the local pub, it can nevertheless cause frustration if the beloved pet has to be left in the vehicle – or even worse tethered outside.

For a dog-friendlier welcome, therefore, you might want to browse the top ten list of pubs suggested by the online pet food supplier Webbox.

Have motorhome will travel

If you thought you’ve spent the winter months hatching an adventurous trip in your motorhome, you might want to cast an envious eye on a family from Derbyshire who are doing just that.

Mum and Dad quit their jobs, sold the house, and together with their children aged eight and five, invested in a 23ft motorhome. They are already in northern Africa on the first leg of their worldwide travels, recounted the Mirror newspaper on the 11th of January.

The whole family enjoyed a relaxing Christmas on the road and everyone is enjoying meeting new friends from different cultures in amazing places, they told the newspaper.

Although the best of the season for outings may be coming to an end, motorhome news never sleeps – there is always something to whet the appetite for next Spring’s adventures.

Here are some of the key events and news we’ve gathered:

Motorhome and Caravan Show

If there’s one event in the year you simply cannot afford to miss, it’s the Motorhome and Caravan Show held at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (NEC) from the 15th until the 20th of October.

It’s the place to go for an early preview of new motorhome launches for 2020 and, of course, for any advice you may need on buying your first motorhome or upgrading to your next one.

As the website Out and About Live also points out, you can even get help here in planning your next motorhome holiday – in this country or abroad.

Cannot make it?

If you cannot make it to the Motorhome and Caravan Show, there are two Caravan and Motorhome Shows at opposite ends of the country just around the corner in the New Year.

The first is held from the 16th to the 19th of January at Manchester’s EventCity, where you can view all the latest models, motorhome accessories and enjoy the day out test-driving your model of choice or even letting children as young as 3 to 10 get behind the wheel of a towing vehicle.

Just a week later, another Caravan and Motorhome Show opens from the 24th until the 26th of January at Westpoint Exeter.

Owner Satisfaction Survey 2020

It’s become one of the most important yardsticks for manufacturers and dealers – and a measure likely to feature prominently in any buyer’s decision – so Practical Motorhome’s Owner Satisfaction Survey has rightly earned its place in the market for sellers and buyers alike.

Visit Practical Motorhome’s website and complete the 10-minute survey to let the rest of the world know just how happy – or otherwise – you’ve been with the motorhome you own.

Pick a reputable dealer

It really does pay to pick a reputable and well-established dealer if you’re in the business of buying a new motorhome.

On the 8th of September 2019, the BBC relayed the misfortune of a young woman who had paid over £10,000 for a motorhome which simply failed to materialise when the company All Classics UK Ltd went into liquidation.

The Leicester-based company specialised in restoring campervans in South Africa and shipping them to hopeful buyers in different parts of the world. When it went bankrupt, it left owing many thousands of pounds to its customers.

Motorhome road tax increased by 705%

From 1st September 2019, the tax payable on first registration of a new motorhome with a WLTP Euro 6D/2 engine was increased from £265 up to £2,135. Due to legislative changes, WLTP Euro 6D/2 engines are no longer subject to a commercial vehicle tax band – Private/Light Goods (PLG/PHG) – when they are first registered.

Instead, they are, for the purposes of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), now taxed as a car. This reclassification means the registration tax for a new motorhome with a WLTP Euro 6D/2 engine has increased from £265 (PLG rate) up to £2,135 – a 705% increase – plus there is significant higher ongoing yearly tax costs for a further five years.

The UK motorhome industry is asking for an urgent minor amendment to the Finance Bill to reclassify motorhomes as commercial vehicles for VED. You can join the campaign and have your say here: http://fairmotorhometax.org/

Have you been enjoying your summer out and about in your motorhome? Weather-wise it’s had its ups and downs – depending on where you happen to have been, of course.

In all the excitement of outings in your motorhome, you might have fallen behind with some of the upcoming motorhome news and events. To refresh your mind and curiosity, here are some details of a new motorhome site opening and forthcoming shows …

A new site for your motorhome in Sherwood Forest

  • called Sherwood Pines, the extensive site covers some 20 acres and will offer around 150 pitches for motorhomes, caravans, other leisure vehicles, and tents on all-weather, fully serviced plots, with electric hook-ups;
  • it is intended to keep the site open throughout the year;

The South West Motorhome Show

  • time to get your skates on if you are planning to visit the major motorhome show for this year at the Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, from the 6th to the 8th of September;

The Motorhome Show Season Finale, Lincoln

  • the historic city of Lincoln is host to the Motorhome Show Season Finale, for one of your last chances to view the pick of 2019’s models, pick up some great bargains on motorhomes and accessories, or simply exchange tales with your fellow motorhome owners;
  • the event is held from the 20th to the 22nd of September and is expected to draw around 5,500 visitors a day;

South Coast Caravan and Motorhome Show, New Forest

  • incorporated into the New Forest Show from the 27th to the 29th of September, the South Coast Caravan and Motorhome Show lets you view some of the latest makes and models of motorhome while giving you the chance to meet and grill their manufacturers and dealers;

Malvern Caravan Show, Malvern

  • held from the 4th to the 6th of October, the Malvern Caravan Show is a must not only for owners and would-be owners of motorhomes but for anyone interested in holidays outdoors – not to mention the urge to enjoy a whole weekend of fun and entertainment;
  • the show is held at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern;

The Motorhome and Caravan Show, NEC, Birmingham

  • the jewel in the crown of motorhome shows in this as in any year is likely to be the Motorhome and Caravan Show held at the spacious National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham, from the 15th to the 20th of October;

Caravan and Motorhome Show, Manchester

  • with more than 200 exhibitors and a full range of the new year’s motorhome models to view up close and personal, the event is sure to attract its usual huge crowds.

So, enjoy the Indian summer that invariably wrings out the last golden days of outings in your motorhome this year while visiting the many shows and events heralding all that next year might bring.

We are all setup and ready to see you at Warners Stoneleigh Show on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this week with a selection of new and used Auto-Sleepers.

Come and meet Tim, Richard, Mike and Dan

Bank holiday weekend opening hours

Saturday 25th May 2019 normal  10.00am to 4.00pm

Sunday 26th May 2019 normal 10.00am to 4.00pm

Bank Holiday Monday 27th May 2019 10.00am to 4.00pm for sales – service and aftersales closed.

Service Department

Closing 1.00pm Friday 21st December 2018

Reopening Wednesday 2nd January 2019 – normal business hours

Sales Department

Closed Sunday 23rd    

Closed Monday 24th

Closed Tuesday25th

Closed Wednesday 26th

Closed Thursday 27th

Open Friday 28th 11.00am to 3.00pm

Open Saturday 29th 11.00am to 3.00pm

Open Sunday 30th 11.00am to 3.00pm

Closed Monday 31st

Closed Tuesday 1st

Open as normal Wednesday 2nd January 2019

Derby Motorhomes will be at the Lincoln Show this weekend, exhibiting a great selection of new and used Auto Sleepers.

We will be on our usual stand, number 52 and have some particularly enticing offers this year; Over £8000 off a brand-new, unregistered ex display Corinium RB for example or over £2000 off our brand-new, display model Symbol and Warwick Duo too!

As we stock the entire Auto-Sleepers Mercedes range too, we also have some exciting offers available on our ex showroom display Burford, Burford Duo and Winchcombe, so you really do need to visit us at Lincoln and talk to us about a deal on a new Auto-Sleeper.

We also have some fantastic discounts on our used Auto-Sleepers with a massive £2000 discount on one of our Broadway EL duos’ and another huge £2000 saving on our Mercedes-based Hampshire!

This really is the time to get a great deal from the county’s leading, solus Auto-Sleeper main dealer. Ask our show team about special offers available when you order a new, 2019 Auto-Sleeper from us at this year’s show – you know it makes sense and if you can avoid the rush for stock at the NEC which happens every October, order now, save on the stress and get yourself a great deal.