This month’s snow has left an award-winning caravan dealership working around the clock to clear a backlog and deliver holiday homes to Mid Wales and the Heart of England parks in time for Easter.

Due to the wet winter, most parks have been delaying deliveries of new caravan holiday homes and luxury lodges until the weather improves and the ground begins to dry.

But the delay has caused a huge backlog and staff at Salop Leisure, which has bases in Shrewsbury, Machynlleth and Stourport-on-Severn, are now pulling out all the stops to ensure that the owners enjoy Easter in their new homes.

Vyrnwy Caravans delivers another caravan holiday home.

The company’s sales of new and pre-owned caravan holiday homes, lodges, touring caravans and motorhomes are 12 per cent up on this time last year. That has resulted in workshop and valeting teams having to work lots of overtime to keep up with demand. 

“I have never experienced such a busy March with people wanting to collect their new touring caravans and motorhomes ready for the Easter holiday,” said Tony Bywater, Salop Leisure’s chairman.

“Due to the strong demand for static caravan holiday homes, we are struggling to find enough transport to deliver them to parks in time for Easter. The weather has caused a massive backlog and we are now racing against the clock to make the deliveries.

“Our priority is to ensure that our customers get their caravans for Easter. Transporting caravans is a very specialist job and we must thank our contractors Vyrnwy Caravans in Llansantffraid, for the magnificent effort they have made to help us.” 

Tina Roberts, Vyrnwy Caravans’ transport manager, said the company has lost between four and five days due to bad weather and it delivers between eight and 12 caravans daily.

“Easter is the busiest time of time in the delivery calendar,” she said. “The fact that Easter is early this year, coupled with weather problems, has had a knock-on effect.

“Vyrnwy Caravans is a business based on excellent service and honesty and we always do as much as we can for our customers, but it is a specialised job that cannot be rushed.”

The company has a fleet of six lorries that collects caravans from the manufacturers in Hull daily and delivers to customers across Mid and North Wales and through to the Heart of England.

Salop Leisure’s touring sales associate director Justin Edwards said 2018 had continued where last year had ended, with sales of touring caravans and motorhomes racing ahead. 

Against a background of more expensive foreign holidays due to the devalued pound and long airport delays caused by security checks, he has noticed an increasing trend of British people opting to ‘staycation’ and invest in a touring caravan, motorhome or campervan.

Multi-million pound investments in visitor attractions and caravan park facilities in Wales, together with improvements to the road network had made the country a popular choice for memorable family holidays, he added.

“Customers are getting phenomenal value for money with the new touring caravans available this year,” he added. “Swift offers an entry level, high specification, brand new caravan from just £16,000.”

“Whilst we are enjoying a double-digit sales increase, there is also clear growth in the number of first time buyers choosing caravanning for their families. There is a noticeable confidence when customers visit our showroom.”