Last year was crowned the 'year of the campervan' as demand for hires rose due to COVID-enforced staycations. With the government understandably slow to relax travel rules, 2021 is expected to be even busier.
This spring, management and PR consultants Sarah and Stephen Waddington realised their own dream of starting a rental business, www.northeastcampervanrental.co.uk. Chatting to Sarah and Stephen Waddington, their excitement about their new venture is palpable. Only a couple of months in, the couple have been blown away by the interest in their new business, which they run in parallel with their own agencies, Astute.Work and Wadds.Inc. Most of all though, it’s clear they’re loving the freedom that comes with owning a campervan – and enjoying sharing that experience with other people too. “It all happened pretty quickly – we’d been talking about it a while and I think having been forced to stay locally for so long spurred us into action,” said Stephen. “It got to February and the urge to get out and about again was overwhelming. We’d rented a campervan the Autumn before and loved it, so the seed had been firmly planted then. After a little bit of research on the internet, our minds were set.” Sarah and Stephen decided to choose a freshly converted 2018 VW Transporter 6 with all the latest mod cons. “We wanted something eye catching with relatively low mileage with the rental business in mind.” In Acapulco blue, with orange highlights, the campervan features a rock and roll bed and a Skyline pop up top in gloss black which means it can sleep two to four people. A sleek kitchen features a dual hob and sink unit and the van is fitted with air conditioning and a diesel heater so you’re well catered for, whatever the British weather. “We’ve called her Paris as I was determined to have springtime in Paris one way or another,” said Sarah with a laugh, adding that camping in a van makes it much easier to escape the cold and wet than a tent. “That said, we offer an awning too, which provides even more space and when we travel with the kids, we tend to sleep in there and leave them to it.” Camping Britain has reported record seasonal bookings for camping pitches, with holiday makers keen to explore the UK after foreign travel has been cancelled. It’s certainly something that the Waddingtons have noticed when making their own bookings. “We’ve had to be pretty organised and book quite far in advance to secure the electric pitches we want and we’ve been advising our guests to do the same,” said Sarah. Campervans are particularly popular as they’re seen as a safe way to travel and offer flexibility of destination. There are no quarantine requirements and campsites often provide toilet and shower facilities, if like with Paris, these aren’t included with the hire. Self-catering meals also avoids the social distancing rules and booking needs of pubs and restaurants and it can be a lot of fun when you have a gas stove with a view. “One of the things we love most is the buzz people get from a stay away in the van,” said Stephen. “There is something special about campervan life in that it literally transports you away from the stress of day-to-day life. You live in the moment, there’s an exhilaration to it and you get bitten by the bug. It’s lovely to hear guests talk about the proper break they had, even just on a weekend hire. You can pick up the van at 4pm and be pitched up somewhere completely different by 7pm. It’s perfect.” With enquiries coming in apace, the Waddingtons are hopeful that summer 2021 will soon be booked out. “We’re feeling really positive about how the year is shaping up. It’s also nice to know that a booking with us is enabling people to explore some of the UK’s loveliest spots, which means they’re also investing in the local economy. That’s great for everyone.”
