A record rise in the number of people taking camping holidays in the UK is one result of the credit crunch. Despite the weather, UK campsites will have a bumper August.
This year’s unexpected camping boom is down partly to the rise in the cost of living, partly to the rise in the value of the Euro, which has made popular Continental destinations 15% more expensive for Britons compared with a year ago.
There has actually been a steady rise in UK camping holidays to 4.8 million trips in 2007, but this year’s increase has caught most people by surprise, including site owners. But if, like me, you adopted the campervan lifestyle a while back, you will also know there are far, far more campervans on the roads today – sales have boomed in the past three years.
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Ludicrously expensive B&Bs
In my case, the decision was prompted by the ludicrous cost of B&Bs. I used to like B&Bs when they were pretty basic accommodation in genuine farmhouses and served genuine farmhouse breakfasts. That was before Health & Safety got in on the act – I could have died of fire, electrification, drinking dodgy well water, salmonella from the farm eggs and goodness knows what else. Today, I wouldn’t die of anything like that at a characterless urban B&B, but I might die of apoplexy at their nerve in charging £75 a night. I’d rather stay in a Premier Inn, but my campervan is even better.
According to research from Cater Allen, 32% of us spend over 10% of our income on hols and one in five of us spends over £2,500 each year on holidaying. If you’re spending that kind of money and are facing pain with the bills, this has to be the easiest way to get back into the black. Chuck all those exotic brochures away, delete the travel agent websites from your bookmarks folder and sign up for a country cottage catalogue or to one of the many UK campsite directories.
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Go French on the beach
To get more bang for your buck, get several families together and book a country ‘cottage’. Some of these big holiday properties that sleep 15 people are terrific value and have amazing facilities. Or do the French thing and have a massive multi-room tent with a kitchen containing a decent camping stove and a barbie, a TV lounge and ping-pong table. Even buying all that kit will cost you a fraction of £2,500.
You may have been spoiled by all that Mediterranean sun, but the kids don’t care. Buy them a cheap wetsuit and bodyboard and they’ll be on the beach all day in all but the most evil weather. All you have to worry about is that slow road journey down to the West, but can it be worse than a delayed Ryanair flight?
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