Lobbying on behalf of the industry

flatcoat
flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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edited May 2020 in Caravan & Motorhome Chat #1

See attached: perhaps a letter of support from the Club too? (In addition to that sent to the CMO last week).

Comments

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,642 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2

    Don't know which paper this came from but some of the facts are inaccurate. When was there ever road tax on caravans? It's a bit late too about protecting jobs as Swift have already made some of their workforce redundant.

  • davetommo
    davetommo Forum Participant Posts: 1,430
    edited May 2020 #3

    It said plans to tax caravans and motorhomes as cars. They did do it with motorhomes but have since backtracked and now tax them as they always did before. I think as vans.

  • Kasspa
    Kasspa Club Member Posts: 360 ✭✭✭
    edited May 2020 #4

    On the subject of 'lobbying' had an email the other day from Comfort Insurance stating:

    The National Caravan Council (NCC), the industry body that represents the leisure vehicle industry in the UK is lobbying the government to reopen UK caravan parks as soon as it is safe to do so (private owners and then holidaymakers but without any access to facilities until is it safe) in line with proposals in England no later than 4 July.

    The leisure industry contributes 10% of GDP across Europe. The UK caravan industry comprises of 3,877 caravan parks and employs in excess of 171,000 people. There are over 250,000 privately owned holiday caravans on parks. These parks welcome over 520,000 touring caravan and 228,000 motorhome owners.

    The NCC enjoyed lobbying success earlier this year by getting the government to reverse the new motorhome Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). 

    By opening up UK leisure vehicle parks, not only will it provide a much needed economic boost to the UK economy, but will it provide a much needed opportunity for leisure vehicle owners to escape to a safe open space, where they can continue to socially distance themselves and get back to enjoying the great outdoors. 

    We wait & see......

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #5

    .....not only will it provide.... it will also boost the takings of NCC members given that it’s a trade organisation.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,642 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #6

    I appreciate that, but when was there ever plans to tax caravans as cars? I've never seen anything published to that effect.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited May 2020 #7

    Swift have just announced an £8 million pound investment in new factory?

  • 0026442140
    0026442140 Forum Participant Posts: 71
    edited May 2020 #8

    Can people stop mentioning about taxing caravans like cars, some idiot in the government may read it and think it's a good idea 😋

     

     

  • lordsward
    lordsward Forum Participant Posts: 69
    edited May 2020 #9

    Being pedantic, caravans are tied at 20% of purchase price, like a car.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited May 2020 #10

    Some desperate news from the industry here in Wales. Some think it will be Easter 2021 before sites open. Even the large organisations are running out of savings just to maintain their business. With no income likely in 2020 they feel they will not be able to weather another winter.

  • no one
    no one Forum Participant Posts: 216
    edited May 2020 #11

    Road taxing is not appropriate for trailers of any sort, however I still believe all towed rigs should have some form of annual or bi-annual safety check, Identified by a simple sticker.  I mean how many times have you seen smashed up trailers without wheels due to bearing failure or caravans that have been ripped apart because of structural failure. I know most owners are responsible people, same as car owners, but it is the rest of the population that cause the potential disasters on our roads with 'unfit' trailers and vehicles.

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited May 2020 #12

    I simply do not get the idea of sites not opening Before next year, sounds like scare mongering in the extreme. 

  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,303 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #13

    Agree, unless there is another peak which pushes the third phase of openings into Autumn. In that situation it might not be worth opening some sites

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited May 2020 #14

    Many sites close end of September and all close here at the Autumn half term.   Not all that much time to generate income.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,642 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #15

    And how is the government supposed to pay for &  monitor a scheme, following all that has been forked out so far because of the virus?

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,642 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #16

    Where did you see that, as I'm unable to find the story. However this does co firm the job losses.

    http://www.caravantimes.co.uk/features/f...newsletter

  • Cherokee2015
    Cherokee2015 Forum Participant Posts: 392
    edited May 2020 #17

     Very much doubt that - the £8m factory was back in 2017.  In January this year they closed a factory and made some people redundant.  During COVID-19 they have all but closed their factory and furloughed their staff (the same as Coachman) although I believe they intend to re-open soon).    

     

  • Sumitra
    Sumitra Forum Participant Posts: 154
    edited May 2020 #18

    Coachman are reopening on the 1st June.We are hoping (fingers crossed) to get our new one late June.

  • John Snowball
    John Snowball Forum Participant Posts: 30
    edited May 2020 #19

    What we need now is an outbreak of common sense from the clubs and the leisure industry. In England we can visit shops from June 15. How about at the same time opening CL sites and main sites to owners of caravans and motorhomes.  Much safer in the outdoors and you are using a vehicle which is owned by you and an extension of your home, This will bring some welcomed revenue to the owners of the sites and get the leisure industry moving again. From 1 July, open up all sites and caravan parks for the general public as well.

     

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #20

    I believe the club will make CL’s ‘jump through the hoops’ before they allow them to open.  According to a CL owner I was talking to he’s not at all sure, that as a busy farmer, he will be able fulfil the club’s requirements (whatever they are) so may decide to stay shut.  As this chap has two sites that could be 10 pitches lost 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #21

    Do you never leave the site and mix with local people? Have a thought for others as it’s not just all about us.

    Caravan sites are due to open 4 July, all things being equal.

     

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited May 2020 #22

    With time marching on would the club be better off lobbying Landlords/Local Auth/Nat Parks to extend the season. ie Brecon Beacons would make an excellent Xmas/New Year Site. St Davids on sand but Grass could also accommodate units  There must be plenty of other examples in the network. What I have noticed over the last few weeks is the number of New Statics being transported. One local owner tells me the discounts offered by the manufacturers as they move stock is fantastic. He has had Nat Park agreement to reduce the number of tourist pitches in favour of statics. Is this a trend

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #23

    He has had Nat Park agreement to reduce the number of tourist pitches in favour of statics. Is this a trend

    Following in the footsteps of most Continental sites. Both Clubs are at it, the C&CC more so, the C&MC only in recent times. Trouble is you have to pay for electricity use in a static!wink Ownership is not for me, rental, perhaps but I have no incentive as long as I own a motorhome.

    peedee

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited May 2020 #24

    An increasing move to "statics" would certainly have a detrimental effect on those who wish to tour. With the growth of the motorhome sector and the slightly different usage pattern, unless this section of the leisure industry and local government legislation take cognisance of the trend, there will be an increasing motivation to go "over there" with the consequent loss to the UK tourism sector.

    Often there is resistance locally to the proliferation of sprawling mobile home parks in holiday areas and an expansion of  more modest small touring sites spread throughout the whole country could help alleviate the pervasiveness of large developments in honeypot locations.

  • Fisherman
    Fisherman Forum Participant Posts: 2,367
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    edited May 2020 #25

    Whereas I dont usually speculate, but is the trend away from Mobile vans and M/H inevitable with the restrictions on engine sizes. Suzuki dont make any Diesel vehicles now, and soon all will be electric. How much and how far can these really tow. Likewise how practical is a M/Home electric engine. I am sure that in the case of the recent spate in Statics its the manufacturers scrambling for cash. Probably getting rid of 2019 and 2020 stock before restating production if they are still solvent.

  • flatcoat
    flatcoat Forum Participant Posts: 1,571
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    edited May 2020 #26

    To get back to my OP the caravan industry was specifically mentioned by the Hull reporter on yesterdays 5pm press conference. Well done that chap! 

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #27

    I noticed that but I am not sure the question was understood by the Chancellor to mean manufacturing?

    David

  • MikeyA
    MikeyA Forum Participant Posts: 1,072
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    edited May 2020 #28

    Many times during the Downing St daily broadcasts we have been told that the Ministers etc do not have prior knowledge of the question.

    This may be true but what is without doubt, is that all the questions have been pre- submitted thus allowing all the facts/ figures and replies to be carefully scripted.

    Whilst watching yesterday I noticed that the subtitles were fractionally ahead of the answers!