On the evening of Friday 8th July 2022, a fire broke out at The Caravan Company’s premises on the main A6 in Finedon, Northamptonshire. The local fire service lead by Rob Berwick and Tony Evans were quickly on the scene and brought the fire under control. This not only saved a number of buildings on and close to the site but also protected the business and thus the livelihoods of the company’s employees. The fire fighters did such a good job of containing the fire that The Caravan Company was able to re-open for business the very next day.
The partnership between the Northamptonshire Police and Fire Service was nothing short of amazing and The Caravan Company’s Managing Director Andrew Scott has written personally to the Chief Fire Officer to thank the service for their truly exceptional work on the day. What’s more to show just how grateful the company are they have been raising money for the ‘Fire Fighters Benevolent Fund’. Andrew Scott can be seen in the photograph attached handing over a cheque for £1000 to Rob Berwick and Tony Evans of the Northamptonshire Fire Service.
It was unavoidable that some damage was caused to the site and this included the loss of around 17 touring caravans. The fire was reported at the time on local television and radio news programs as well as in the local press. To mitigate this, customers and the general public were notified the business was back up and running via the company’s social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Google Business) as well as an email notification sent to over 6000 email subscribers. The public’s response was fantastic with some genuinely touching comments made on the company’s Facebook page and sales at the Finedon branch actually increased during the four days after the fire.
The Caravan Company’s staff worked tirelessly in the hours and days after the fire to ensure the site was safe for visitors and the business has exciting development plans for 2023. Some damage was caused to the outside of the workshops where caravan servicing is done and the on-site accessory shop was also damaged. The aim is not just to repair but to ‘Build Back Better’. The Finedon site has already undergone a number of improvements over the past couple of years. These include a new and enlarged outdoor display area that can hold around 150 nearly new and assured used touring caravans. The sales and administration offices have also been refurbished and modernised.
Touring caravan sales have increased over the last two years with more and more people looking to enjoy a staycation rather than a package holiday. While demand has increased, new caravan production has gone down. This has meant more people looking to buy nearly new and assured used caravans that they can have now without waiting months for a new caravan to be built. The Caravan Company specialises in quality pre-owned models and these are displayed in sections with the 2-berths grouped together in one area, the 4-berths in another and twin axle caravans another and so one, making it easy for visitors to look around the caravans they are interested in.
The events of Friday evening 8th July 2022 could have had a devasting effect on The Caravan Company but thanks to the excellent work of the Northamptonshire Police and Fire Service along with the hard work and dedication of the company’s own management and staff the business is looking forward to 2023 with renewed optimism and excitement.
For more information please contact:
Mr Matt Taylor, General Manager
The Caravan Company
Main A6
Finedon
Northamptonshire
NN9 5EJ
Tel: 01933 682888
Email: matt.taylor@thecaravancompany.com