Caravan prices so low
“they” tried to ban them.

The International Caravan and Motorhome Show held between 14th and 19th October 2008 at the NEC in Birmingham is the Biggest indoor caravan and motorhome show in the UK. A must for all outdoor enthusiasts, this annual event is THE place to see all the brand new models from both UK and international manufacturers, hot off the production lines. Caravans, motorhomes, trailer tents, awnings, holiday homes and accessories are all displayed in one huge location. The event is a great day out for all the family where you can find everything you need for your 2009 holiday.

Avondale Coachcraft, manufacturers of quality touring caravans for more than 38 years became another victim of “The Credit Crunch” when they were forced to appoint administrators Pricewaterhouse Coopers in September this year with the loss of almost 150 jobs.

The administrators made it known that the company owns the design rights to a number of new models which, with its existing range of models, could make the business an attractive proposition to potential buyers. Discussions were thought to be taking place with a number of interested parties.

One immediate objective for the administrators was to find a buyer for more than 130 newly built 2009 model caravans.

The Caravan Company, one of the country’s top five Caravan retailers with sites in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Dorset purchased over 100 new Avondale caravans in July and August of this year. These caravans were offered for sale at extremely attractive prices and were quickly snapped up by customers of The Caravan Company.

The Caravan Company entered in to negotiations with the administrators to purchase all the remaining stock of brand new Avondale caravans. As the traditional caravan season draws to a close dealers would not normally want to take in to stock over 130 brand new caravans but Andrew Scott and Paul Clarke who are both Directors of The Caravan Company knew that these caravans would be priced right to sell and The International Caravan and Motorhome Show at the NEC would be the ideal place to promote these models.

Contact was made with Clarion Events, the show’s organisers to reserve floor space at the show. The deal to buy the caravans from the administrators was agreed with less than two weeks to go before the show started. It was all hands on deck now. Carpet for the floor area at the show had to be ordered, as did electrics and lighting for the caravans. Flower arrangements along with tables and chairs were ordered and an office with display graphics had to be designed and built for the stand.

With a great deal of hard work everything was now in place for the stand to be set up on Friday 10th October. On display would be 7 new 2009 model Avondale caravans with prices starting from just £7995 and genuine savings against recommended new retail price of up to £6240. On the evening of Thursday 9th October Andrew Scott received a telephone message from Clarion Events Show Director Sam North explaining that The Caravan Company would have the cost of floor space for the show returned and The Caravan Company would not be allowed to exhibit at the show. The only explanation given was that this was under the terms and conditions of exhibiting at the show.

Having spent a great deal of time and money getting everything in place to exhibit at the show, not to mention the cost of purchasing all the caravans from the Avondale administrators, to say this telephone message came as a shock is an understatement. Andrew contacted his solicitors and an urgent meeting was arranged for early Friday morning. The lawyers told Andrew that they should go to the NEC as arranged and set the stand up as planned, so fellow Director Paul Clarke went to the NEC with the caravans on transporters and proceeded to set up the stand as planned.

It was at this point that Andrew and Paul believe they began to understand the strange set of events unfolding before them. It appeared that some of the other dealers were unhappy that The Caravan Company were able to offer such high quality brand new caravans at prices they simply could not match. Pressure it seems was being put on Clarion, the event organisers to stop The Caravan Company from exhibiting at the show.

By lunchtime on Friday 10th the floor area had been carpeted and the caravans had been set up inside the NEC halls. An urgent hearing in the High Court in London had been arranged for that afternoon when a barrister representing The Caravan Company would seek an injunction in front of a Judge to ensure that the company would be allowed to exhibit at the NEC as originally planned.

Security staff at the NEC told Paul Clarke, who was still at the NEC to remove the caravans immediately from the halls and if he was not prepared to do this the caravans would be removed anyway. With little option Paul and his team removed the caravans and placed them back on the transporters waiting outside in the NEC car parks.

It wasn’t until after 6.00 pm on Friday 10th October that the judge’s decision came through. It was a victory for The Caravan Company. The Judge had awarded the company an injunction enabling them to exhibit at The International Caravan and Motorhome Show.

The morning of Saturday 11th arrived and The Caravan Company (with the court injunction in hand) were back at the NEC putting the display caravans back in the halls and setting up the rest of their stand. Everything had to be ready for the opening of the show on Tuesday 14th October.

In just six days The Caravan Company sold 118 brand new Avondale caravans. This was despite the credit crunch and the efforts of some people who were keen to prevent The Caravan Company from exhibiting at the show.
A true success story in difficult times made ever more amazing by the unique events that surrounded it.

For further information Please contact:

Andrew Scott
Office Telephone: 0116 253 6767

Paul Clarke
Office Telephone: 01202 888601

The Caravan Company has three sites:

70 St Margarets Way
Abbey Gate, Leicester, LE4 0BT
Telephone: 0116 253 6767

Main A6, Finedon
Northamptonshire, NN9 5EJ
Telephone: 01933 682888

Main A31 Dorchester Road
Wimborne, Dorset BH21 3HA
Telephone: 01202 888601