The Caravan and Motorhome Show 2015 Review
The Caravan and Motorhome Show
EventCity, Manchester
15-18 January 2015
Reviewed by Catherine Joyce
We set off on a very cold, frosty morning, not really the sort of weather that makes you think of holidays but once we arrived at The Caravan and Motorhome show at EventCity in Manchester we quickly got into the holiday mood and enjoyed looking at the various caravans, motorhomes and holiday homes. We don’t own a caravan but we do borrow my parents’ caravan, so the show gave us an opportunity to find new caravan sites to visit and see what’s new in the world of caravanning.
EventCity is a large purpose built event centre at Trafford Park, right next to the Trafford Centre. It is just off the M60 and well signposted with a large, free car park right next to the venue. We arrived early but found that movement through the foyer into the hall was well managed with little queuing. As you would expect, the staff are helpful and plentiful too. There were plenty of toilets which were clean and tidy.
Included in the entry fee is a guide to the show, very useful with so much to see and do. Also worth noting is that children under 16 are free. Your ticket also allows entry into Destinations – The Holiday & Travel Show for those interested in holidays further afield. Exhibitors attended from all different areas of the industry, caravans, motorhomes, holiday homes and caravan sites together with all the accessories, awnings, clubs and associated companies that you would expect to see. With over 300 exhibitors there was plenty to see for both experienced and novice caravanners.
We have done some caravanning in the past so we’re not entirely new to this, what struck us was the amount of different caravans and motorhomes that they had fitted into the venue. If you are looking to buy a new caravan or motorhome then this is definitely the first place to start. Rather than traipsing around local dealers who might only stock two or three brands of caravan and motorhome the show provides an opportunity to look at many different models. It is much easier to compare them when you can walk from one to another under one roof. The show also had a number of new models that have only just been launched so it gave the opportunity to look at these and speak to the experts.
One of the biggest decisions when purchasing a new caravan or motorhome is what layout to choose. Having the opportunity to see so many different variations is so much better than looking through a catalogue or browsing a website. Despite visiting on the last day of the show there were still plenty of brochures and information available to take away.
Dotted around the venue were a number of places where you could buy drinks and sandwiches and sit down for a rest.
Whilst the show was busy it didn’t feel cramped and you could look in all the caravans and motorhomes without needing to queue.
In common with any large show, there were a number of small stalls selling everything from food and drink to kitchen gadgets. Sometimes this turns a show into nothing more than an indoor market but in this case most of the stalls were actually related to caravanning or outdoor life and definitely added to the day out.
For those interested in caravans and motorhomes then this is a show that is well worth a visit.
Rating: 4.5/5
For more information visit www.caravanshows.com.
EventCity, Phoenix Way, Manchester, M41 7TB | 0843 487 5555
