The holiday caravan trade body, the National Caravan Council has been lobbying the Government for caravan parks to reopen quickly, as well as many park owners across the UK.
Highlighting that caravan parks are big open spaces, brilliantly designed for social distancing, with self-contained privately owned units and the perfect antidote to lockdown, the NCC argues that caravans are the safest form of holidaying.
Guidelines for caravan parks have been issued by the NCC to make sure strict social distancing and hygiene protocols are in place for when holiday caravan owners can return to parks and a phased opening of caravan parks has been proposed to the Government. Caravan parks in Nothern Ireland will reopen on July 20th.
The robust guidance from the NCC outlines advice to enable caravan parks to develop their own COVID-19 safety protocols and give assurances that measures have been put in place to protect staff, customers and, as a consequence those in the nearby local community, so they can reopen.
“The UK’s holiday parks benefit from rural and coastal locations, away from densely populated urban areas, and each park is working to put in place social distancing measures which will make it the best option for holidays in the UK this year,” said NCC Director General John Lally. “We are working with the government to look into reopening holiday parks as early as possible with strict social distancing measures, as outlined in the guidance, to enable the industry to get back to work and hard-working families to enjoy full use of their caravans again.
“Unlike hotels, there are no safety issues with shared facilities or accommodation at caravan parks, as the units are self-contained and 95% are privately owned, thus providing a safe form of holiday accommodation.”
“Caravans and motorhomes are ‘socially distanced by design’ and rules on parks mean that caravans must be five or six metres apart. The vast majority of caravans have their own cooking and washing facilities, providing the safest form of holidaying possible at the moment.”
Rosie Kennar, Chairman of Hoburne Holidays, appeared on BBC Breakfast in May and explained how parks had invested heavily over the winter months to “make sure they’d got the very best facilites for their customers.”
She went on to tell the BBC that holiday park accommodation was ideally placed for social distancing because units are separate and self-contained.
“We’re hoping that some of our holiday homeowners would be able to come back and use their holiday homes, which they can do quite separately and individually, and then later on to introduce holidaymakers, when it’s safe to do so,” she added.
Watch this space…but we know holiday caravan owners are desperate to visit their homes and parks across the UK.
The Leisuredays insurance team are still open as usual with our team of positive people working from home. Even though you can’t use your holiday caravan right now it’s important to remain insured.
You can call our team on 01422 396770 to get a new static caravan insurance quote, see our updated FAQs relating to COVID-19, or you can now renew online.
WHERE MY CARAVAN IS THERE IS NO QUESTION OF SOCIEL DISTENCING BECAUSE IT IS A PRIVATE CARAVAN PARK.i can’t wait for it to reopen
Caravan parks should be opened. What is the difference between sat at home or in my caravan. I would still be with the same people In my caravan as I would be at home.
Social distancing would still be practiced as it would If I was sat in Wakefield or sat in a seaside town.
I can visit the coast for the day and if I want to purchase something there I would still have to practice social distancing. I really cannot see the difference.
If caravan parks are opened then surely this would help the local economies. It would help the mental health of 100’s of people.
Commercial parks which let their caravans to the public is however different as stricter measures would have to be implemented but it would be achievable.
We are paying for a service which we cannot use and that is definitely wrong.
I’ve contacted MP’s on this subject, but as to date I’ve been ignored.
Perhaps I will ‘ignore’ when it comes time for me to place my cross in certain MPs box
Totally agree.
I really cannot understand why we have not been allowed back to our caravan,, it’s on a private site social distancing no problem,but mention as to when we may be able to return
I fail to see why parks cannot be open to owners as long as we all observe social distancing. We would be safer there than at home and the risk of shopping etc would be the same…… The powers that be seem to have lost the plot. Perhaps if it was a cottage on a farm it would be different?
We were safer social distancing when we was at our holiday caravan than we are at our own home plus we had fresh sea air and able to go for short strolls around the site ideal if your disabled I really can’t see the problem with owners Returning to there Own caravans
Its ridiculoustgat we cant get into our homes
Same as mine private place no facilities and good social distancing should have never closed not near shops only the local CO OP come on minister open caravan parks they are never mentioned about the would love to have some idea when they are opening in north wales
We can not wait to be back can easily social distance with in our own our own space and balcony we are on a quiet owner’s only park in the country side people can go miles for day trips but we can’t use our caravans
Owners at caravan parks should be allowed to use their caravans now. Why not….can shop but not sit outside caravan…. Metres away from next
Like many other Static Holiday Caravan Owners we are of a certain age and have been in Lockdown now since the 24th March. You don’t need to tell us about social distance we have been practising it for long enough now that it has become a way of life and second nature.
This is our second home we go to for relaxation and to get away from rush and bustle of City Life. Our site is situated in a rural area self contained and a good distance from the nearest farm and neighbours. The majority of the Caravan and Lodge owners live within a 50 mile radius of the site and could simply return home should they need any health care so as not to be a burden on the local facilities. Like most parks social distancing measures had been put in place prior to the lockdown and all communal areas sealed off and closed.
It is now time to let us return to our Holiday Parks we are well into the main season some of us got away for a weeks early break, but some have not even opened up after the winter shutdown! Not to mention the amount of money paid out on site fee’s, the Treasury could at least refund the amount of VAT paid on the site fee’s for the time lost during the period of Lockdown.
I can not find a good reason to continue with this situation can you?
Our caravan is also on a private site with no club etc, so why not at least open private sites and look into commercial sites for social distancing etc.
Our caravan is 30 minutes down the road, same county we would use the same hospital. We can take our provisions so would not bother the local village and stay isolated in a nice country location.
I agree with all said here. As long as people social distance and use their own van here is no problem. Why not write to Boris and out line these points. I intend to , maany letters count more than one.
Our caravan park is 30 minutes down the road and we are in the same county and same hospital.we take our own provisions so wouldn’t need to go to the village.we would be isolated in our caravan in the country .
I just can’t understand why we can’t be at our caravan as it is a private park with no problem whatsoever as to social distancing I know my husband and I would benefit health wise to be there we just pray it opens back up soon
Will we get back ground rent paid for the months we were unable to use our caravan so as not to be a burden on the local hospital in Harrogate. Should Harrogate council refund us the 4mths lost already, pay £3700 for 11 MTHS on site will be lucky to to get 6 MTHS this year. I doubt the owner of our site will be giving everyone a refund for the time we are not allowed on site.
We have just finished 12 weeks of isolation and would like nothing better to go down to our static caravan and get some sea air. It is far safer there than where we live, it just seems so ridiculous to keep parks closed.
Safer on our caravan park than at home. Well apart from neighbouring caravans, no restaurants or communal facilities need be opened. We all need a safe change of scene after these last few months. Caravan parks are ideal for a risk free break.
I would very much like to dewinterise my caravan it will take ages to get it smelling better.
My husband suffers from COPD so we go down to get fresher air as we live in a town we stay most of the time on decking or caravan we do not mix wth other people only to wave or say hello very quiet site .
Im confused and disappointed that the ‘so called’ Government have not mentioned caravan parks and when they might re-open. The majority of sites are ideal for social distancing and anyway people are now well aware of the importance of keeping 2 metres apart, i find it unbelievable that non essential shops, zoo’s, safari parks and betting shops can re-open, but not caravan parks, so come on ‘head in sands’ Government lets get caravan parks open so we can get to the beach and enjoy the sea air, i miss my lodge and cannot wait to get back.
The problem lies with unfortunate owners who own caravans in Wales or Scotland where travel restrictions may still apply.
Owners caravan on the coast of Wales couldn’t access even if they tried due to the 5 mile local area travel limitation. I tend to think most owners Live more than 5 miles from their caravan…
Hopefully sense will prevail, caravan parks reopen and travel restrictions are lifted so that the approach to declining with this situation becomes consistent across the UK
I totally agree with everything said in these posts. A lot of money has been paid and no sign of any refunds. We are all self contained and should be treated like adults. Let us decide. I understand it is different if they are let to others but ours is only used by us so it’s our germs.
I couldn’t agree more with all the comments above. My private site has no communal facilities and each van is well distanced from the next. The concern about over-burdening local hospitals should owners fall ill is surely no longer the case now that we are well past the peak. We all need to boost our immune systems with sea and country air and I can see no valid reason for not re-opening parks.
I agree can’t see why static caravan owners can’t get into their own caravans, obviously with social distancing. Its safer than standing in queue for the shops. We’ve paid in full our service pitch and insurance and no sign of any kind of rebate or refund for all these months not being able to use our caravan. People can go and play bowls,golf etc with a member of another household but the two of us can’t go to stay in our caravan with social distancing and be in our own company.
It’s absolutely disgusting. From Monday I will be able to go to the town in which my caravan is in, go in every shop, but I won’t be able to go to the only safe place which is my caravan. This government needs a massive shake up.
I bet none of them miss out on their holidays or second house during the summer government recess
I agree with all the comments on going to our static caravan, l also think we should get some refund caravan owner’s should equally share the loss and give back a refund for what we have lost what do other caravan owners think
I totally agree that caravan sites should reopen, for owners at least. On matter of a TV Licence, having been prohibited from using our caravan for some 3 months and counting, does anyone know if the TV license office will be providing a refund? After all, it’s not as if we have a choice whether to watch the tv or not. Stay safe.
14/6/2020,dave and sue,our caravan is 50 miles away from our home and we class a visit as going on holiday,why are we being ignored by government,is it because they cannot go on their continental jollies?
I fail to see why parks cannot be open to owners as long as we all observe social distancing. The powers that be seem to have lost the plot.
Could not agree more!
Went up to our site in the lakes the other week as we were having a new (to us) static delivered and sited on the same pitch as our old one. We needed to transfer all our stuff out of the old one, which we have sold back to the park. We have decking around the side and the front of the van on our pitch, some of which had to be removed to switch vans. Because it is very old stuff, we decided to take the opportunity to remove all the old decking boards and fit new ones. I rang the site owner yesterday just to check if the utilities had been connected but was told we couldn’t come until the park is allowed to reopen again as it is currently closed to the public. He has been told that is likely to be July 4th.
For a start I didn’t realise that owners who pay many thousands of pounds for their vans and site fees are still regarded as ‘the public’ but there you go. So thanks to this stupid Government stipulation keeping caravan and holiday parks closed, it means my neighbours, once we are all allowed back, can forget peace and quiet for the first few days. Instead they will be subjected to the noise of hammers, drills and saws as the old decking is ripped up and a new one installed. It seems so stupid when, by allowing us access to do this work now, we would have it all completed before the Park reopens and we drive our neighbours mad!
I wish caravan parks would reopen, social distancing is not a problem there. The only thing that is worrying me is that it is in Wales and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of easing lockdown there. I can’t drive over the border yet and their travel rule is no more than 5 miles.
It looks like they might be in lockdown forever, no good when your caravan is 160 miles away, you’ve had to work through the entire lockdown and are desperate for a break away!
I would suggest that legal action should now be taken against the government, to claim back depreciation and repair bills as we have been denied access to our property. This is not the site owners fault, they are equally frustrated as we are
Everyone please get on to your MP and bombard them with any bills/costs you have incurred during this period.
Ps. You can get receipt books etc. from different retail outlets as they are now fully open!