Suggestions on another forum that Broad Lane Alcester have issued Notice of Intention to apppoint receivers,statement says problems with too many caravans in stock end of 2022, and Covid bounce have caused problems. 63 employees according to latest accounts. Also You Tube video by Atlantic Caravans explains how dealers finance works, seems Broad Lane may have not been in position to order 2025 vans. they sold their other branch to Spinney last year, could pose problems for buyers needing warranty work. I presume the Administrators will keep the business going, while they look for a buyer, and there may be bargains for cash buyers prepared to take a punt on an in stock van without a warranty. Feel for the employees so I hope a buyer can be found.
Broad Lane Alcester
- Thread starter woodsieboy
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That is a tragedy. I’m very surprised. My long gone FIL had three new caravans from them. Their customer performance was excellent . Isn’t one of their Owner Directors a main man on the NCC?
A great shame for the employees.
A great shame for the employees.
Hi Dusty
We bought our current van from them in 2019, always found them good to deal with , not the cheapest but always helpful with spares and repairs. Their 2023 accounts are available on line through Gov Uk and they suggest one of the problems was Swift moving from a Broad Lane dealer special to a Challenger special across several dealerships, also the aftermath of Covid and surge in campervan and motorhome sales,They had a healthy turnover but somewhere along the line they seem to have been squeezed.
We bought our current van from them in 2019, always found them good to deal with , not the cheapest but always helpful with spares and repairs. Their 2023 accounts are available on line through Gov Uk and they suggest one of the problems was Swift moving from a Broad Lane dealer special to a Challenger special across several dealerships, also the aftermath of Covid and surge in campervan and motorhome sales,They had a healthy turnover but somewhere along the line they seem to have been squeezed.
Didn't they also have a branch near Warwick? We have dealt with Alcester for accessories and always found then to be helpful.
So if Broad Lane go we will have lost Robinsons, White Arches, Golden Castle and although some have been taken over I wonder if this is an indication of a downturn in the indudstry overall,I have had e mails from French sites offering pitches in July and August, Brittany Ferries have emailed offering crossings too, anecdotally sites in UK are quieter, the site we are booked on in August still has spaces, are the Covid price increases on caravans and pitch fees coming home to roost, add in cost of living, high interest rates and job uncertainty and it's hard to see everybody surviving.In Malmesbury Dyson has announced 1000 job losses that will impact the local economy,we have been here before after the banking crisis, and there will be winners and losers,but I predict difficult times for next 18 months.
We did not have an issue last week when booking a fully serviced grass pitch for 6 nights at New Forest in middle of August. Whether we can take it or not depends on the cost of the repair to the Jeep.
Sometimes I think that we should have taken out a Warrantywise type of protection, but at this time 22 months later. we would have paid about £1800 into their pockets?
Sometimes I think that we should have taken out a Warrantywise type of protection, but at this time 22 months later. we would have paid about £1800 into their pockets?
It's a shame, we bought our first brand new caravan there back in 2008 and the service was brilliant.
When we outgrew the caravan (kids no longer fitted in the bunk beds) we visited them to look at second hand caravans, and the sales team could not care less, the caravans were all dirty. This was about 6 years ago and I think they have been in a slow decline.
When we outgrew the caravan (kids no longer fitted in the bunk beds) we visited them to look at second hand caravans, and the sales team could not care less, the caravans were all dirty. This was about 6 years ago and I think they have been in a slow decline.
Woodsieboy,
Yes, Alex Pennington (long time director) with the aid of new money (but another local business) was involved in the buyout. I was in there about a month ago and congratulated him on his nifty financial footwork! Golden Castle survived (fortunately for me and others around here) mainly by being on a rented site that couldn't be mortgaged out from under them by Robinson's and their backers.
Mick
Yes, Alex Pennington (long time director) with the aid of new money (but another local business) was involved in the buyout. I was in there about a month ago and congratulated him on his nifty financial footwork! Golden Castle survived (fortunately for me and others around here) mainly by being on a rented site that couldn't be mortgaged out from under them by Robinson's and their backers.
Mick
It is always a pleasure to visit Golden Castle. We can still remember their old site by the airfield and the other one in south Gloucestershire. In the latter you could find spares for many really old caravans.
Just had a really good laugh. A humourous post responding to your post has been deleted because it was supposed to be political. I made no reference to politics at all as all I mentioned was the US president's name.
There’s a business link between the Forum website and American owners. In 2020 any comments wrt the candidates for the Presidency were banned. So that’s why your comment was removed.
Dyson making 1000 UK staff redundant and Malmesbury council not happy. Yet it doesn’t seem long ago when that council refused planning permission for Dyson to extend its facilities. They were distinctly anti the business.
Was not even thinking of the election, but in terms if 86 year old can manage a business, why not the current president?
Would you believe the move started in 2002 to Malaya because of the Local Council’s intransigence and lots of Nimbys,.
A friend of mine in the motor trade who owns a large car dealership informed me recently that Burton Caravans are also in trouble (he's a friend of the owner). They have three sites, Burton on Trent, Canwell, and Stafford. It seems that this is becoming an all too common issue. Very sad times. Be very careful if you pay a deposit, a credit card is probably the safe option and only pay the balance on collection, or finance it. Also, as far as used caravan warranties are concerned, it would probably be safer to buy your own from a specialist company. At least that way if the dealer does go bust, your vans still covered.
I don’t make the Forum rules, just explaining what we were told back in 2020.
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Weird as it was not even of a political nature and nowhere in the rules could I find a rule preventing you mentioning the name any president whether of a country or a commercial organisation? However who cares as we have bigger problems at home than some unknown president. LOL!
This might helpWeird as it was not even of a political nature and nowhere in the rules could I find a rule preventing you mentioning the name any president whether of a country or a commercial organisation? However who cares as we have bigger problems at home than some unknown president. LOL!
Buying a caravan privately - do I need to worry about outstanding finance on it?
I've not actually given this any thought until today - but if I were buying a used car I'd run an HPi check to make sure it has no outstanding finance etc, is this a concern with a caravan too? If the current owner had finance/HP for the caravan, could it be secured to the caravan itself, or...
Not sure how it would help as you are the only one to thin k it was of a political nature and related to some election or other. However I do apologise as never realised you were the newly appointed moderator so are congratulations in order?This might help
Buying a caravan privately - do I need to worry about outstanding finance on it?
I've not actually given this any thought until today - but if I were buying a used car I'd run an HPi check to make sure it has no outstanding finance etc, is this a concern with a caravan too? If the current owner had finance/HP for the caravan, could it be secured to the caravan itself, or...forums.practicalcaravan.com
All I attempted to do was explain why your post was removed.Not sure how it would help as you are the only one to thin k it was of a political nature and related to some election or other. However I do apologise as never realised you were the newly appointed moderator so are congratulations in order?
OUT
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