We find out how dealers have been preparing to welcome back customers

SOME TWO AND a half months after the lockdown was imposed, Britain’s caravan dealers were finally allowed to reopen again at the start of June.

We caught up with all of our most recent Owner Satisfaction Survey winners to see how they have been faring – on the whole, it’s a reassuringly positive story.

‘Our sales are well ahead of expectations, and we expect even greater demand once campsites reopen’

■ Blackmore Vale Leisure

› www.bmvleisure.co.uk

This Knaus, Weinsberg and T@B dealership, in the heart of Thomas Hardy country near Shaftesbury, in Dorset, is providing gloves and masks to all customers who visit the premises. A new 2m social distancing rule is in place.

Access to the indoor showroom is restricted, and Perspex screens have been installed at sales desks. The company is also increasing its cleaning and sanitation rota.

■ Broad Lane Leisure

› www.broadlane.co.uk

Broad Lane Leisure has social distancing measures at both its Kenilworth and its Alcester sites, which you can check for yourself before you go, by visiting their Facebook pages.

These include providing plenty of hand sanitiser, setting up a new one-way system, restrictions on entry to the shop, and distancing around sales desks and café tables.

Director Darren Brown says the website has been “inundated” with what he calls “fingerfall” (as opposed to footfall you might get with a conventional retailer).

“The sales we are achieving, across the board, are running well ahead of expectations. Once the caravan sites open, UK-wide, we expect to see even greater demand, which we might not be able to keep up with.

“It’s a nice problem to have, but it needs managing to ensure we do not let people down.”

Darren says first-time buyers and those people returning to caravanning all stand to benefit from offers Swift is continuing throughout the summer.

These include a £1500 discount on an Elegance model, £1000 off Challengers (including Broad Lane’s Fairway Platinum dealer specials) and £750 off Sprites (including Broad Lane’s Fairway Classic models).