Ricky's Castle in the Sun - Anyone watch it???

[ValA.]

Did anyone see Ricky Tomlinson, on BBC2 this afternoon, buying a Hobby Caravan, siting it in Benidorm, and then adding a permanent paved 'kitchen', outside. He also added a flush toilet, connected to the mains, having removed the Thetford. He apparently had some sort of budget to stick to, and presumably some sort of time scale, but I had to go out half way through, and I'm not sure whether it's part of a series or not. For anyone wanting a permanent site in Spain, though, it might be an interesting programme to watch.

 

[madeleine]

Hi Val

Yes I watched it, I thight the ame as you that it could be a good way of having an economy place in Spain,I wouldnt normaly consider Benidorm but all that sunshine!!!

Talk about "wish you were here"

Regards

Maddy

 

[BeemerMal]

Thanks for posting this Val, I missed the programme. iplayer is good!

I do have some concerns about what was shown on this film and I don't want anyone to think it is as easy as the film suggests. We have taken our caravan to the Cost Blanca, south of Alicanti, for extended Winter/Spring breaks for the last Three years. It is now becomming increasingly difficult to set up on the sort of Pitch Ricky Tomlinson did because the Spanish government and tourist board are clamping down on these "so called" permentant caravans sited on registered touring parks.

On the campsite we visited last year (Camping Bahia, in Santa Pola) all the permenant caravanners there were having to modify their outfits and remove such things as stone or wood flooring, fitted equipment in the awnings, fixed plumbing etc. The site owner was expecting a visit in July 07 from regional officials and the criterea being proposed was that all caravans, on this type of site, had to be in a condition that they could be removed (towed from the pitch) within 4 hours. It was certainly causing a lot of headaches for many people. Some were being called back from their homes in Northern Europe to do the changes and they said any van not complying by end of June would be removed by the site owners. A bit drastic and as we lefy in early June I don't know what happened there.

I know of two other such sites, Camping Rincon in Guardamar (the site we were originally booked into last year, which was cancelled, at the last minute) and another one south of Torraviecca. Both sites have now closed to touring vans and they now only take the more permenant chalets and permenantly fixed static caravans with the annual pitch fees increasing from around _2000.00 in 2006 to _3500.00 in 2007. This increase was due to the loss of revenue from the tourering caravans and, campervans and motorhomes.

The authorities had not tackled Benidorm when we were in Spain last year but many were talking about it and i'm sure it is only a matter of time! As in everything else in life....buyer beware!

 

[DJM]

Hi Val,

If you look on www.sunseekercaravans.com website you will find a lot of caravans with permanent awnings with build in kitchens for sale.

In fact a couple of months ago Ricky Tomlinson's van was advertised for sale on this website.

As Beemermal quite correctly says in his post the Spanish government are clamping down on these "permamnet touring van set ups" and it is only a matter of time before it is stopped completely.

The way I do it is store my van in Spain over the winter months and then have a seasonal pitch from March to October and fly down using Ryan Air / Easy Jet etc..A lot of retired Dutch vanners do the same.

 

[ValA.]

Thanks, but I don't want a van in Spain personally. I just thought the programme might interest those who do. I'm looking for my dream home in France (as those TV programmes might say) and so far all I can do is look!