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The
English Caravan Company
- Proud to show, proud to tow!
Richard
Stark at The ECC is building stunning and
stylish caravans based on designs from the 30's
through to the 50’s but constructed with the
very latest up-to-date technical specifications
and the newest high-performance materials and
technology. Richard is a craftsman who uses his
skill and techniques to offer you a traditional
hand-built caravan to be proud of.
Here,
Digger talks to Richard about his love of these
old designs and traditional materials and
techniques blended with modern comfort and specifications.
Digger: Hello Richard. Can you please tell us about your
background and the background to The English Caravan Company?
Richard: I've been a joiner all my life and have owned
various caravans. A few years back I was asked to carry out a
refurbishment of an old caravan. I enjoyed this work so much
so I set about setting up on my own. TECC came about in Feb
2010. I wanted to build retro styled caravans but using new
modern materials and mixing them with 40's 50's styling and
decor.
Digger: Please
tell us about your passion for these thirties, forties and
fifties caravans.
Richard: There is something quintessentially English about
caravans from these eras. The shape, the colours, the
functional simplicity. Afternoon tea and cake. Fish and chips
on the beach. Sand in the sleeping bag and seaweed in your
sandals. Buckets and spades and sandcastles. I love old
England, the good old days, the summer holidays, the green
rolling hills, the white chalk downs of Sussex.
Digger: Why
are we so nostalgic about those times, even those of us who
can't remember them?
Richard:
Again, it takes us back to happy simple times. No
mobiles, no TV's, no Internet. Just sun, sand, sea and
uncluttered open roads, freedom, space and time.
Digger: Can
you please tell us what sorts of specs and what options are
available?
Richard:
We're building three sizes and they are all built to
individual requirements. The Classic Teardrop is the smallest.
Sleeps two, with scope for cooker, sink, fridge etc, you
choose the spec, from £6995. The Toyhauler, does what it says
on the tin. Built to carry a motorbike or jet ski or quad
bike. Tow your caravan together with your 'toy' in the comfort
of your car to lands far away. Unload your toy and play, where
the 'van converts back into a caravan for your stay away.
Sink, toilet, cooker beds, lighting. All to your choice, from
£8995.
Then there's the Classic. A full size 11' 6", 2 +2 berth
or solely 2 berth luxury tourer. All built to individual
requirements.
All three are built entirely by hand, using quality materials
and fabrics throughout and no two 'vans will ever be the same.
Digger: What
should people consider when thinking about investing in one of
your caravans?
Richard:
Buying or ordering one of these is like commissioning a
piece of furniture. Very and totally unique, we build it just
for you, to your spec, all by hand. They are a caravan to be
proud of, proud to own, proud to tow.
Digger: What are the best things about what you do?
Richard:
Every square inch is hand built and hand finished, no
machine can match the hand finish of, for example, birds eye
maple. Hand applied, hand polished, you can see and feel the
work that has gone into the cabinetry, totally unique. Each
and every caravan is built just for it's owner, owning one of
ours is like owning a bespoke piece of furniture, something to
be treasured, something to be handed down through family.
Digger: What
sort of comments and feedback are you getting from clients?
Richard:
The feedback has been amazing, it really has blown us
away. Whenever and wherever we take the Teardrop out we get
mobbed. One time we were in the centre of Brighton, such was
the interest the road was closed due to so many people wanting
to see her. If you want to make friends, buy one of our
Teardrops, it will open up a whole new social world to you.
You will never be alone.
ALL the feedback has been positive, no negatives at all.
People just love the retro style, people want to relive and
remember times gone by, owning one of these harks back to the
styles of simple, functional, less stressful times. Something
it seems many many people love.
Digger:
What impact has The Internet on your business?
Richard:
Most requests for information come direct through our
web site. We've had enquiries from all over Europe, Canada and
the USA, South Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand and
Tasmania. Literally global interest.
Digger:
What are your ambitions for the future of The English Caravan
Company?
Richard:
I'd like to see us in bigger premises, where we can
take on more staff, carry out more refurbishments on original
old English caravans and make this a company that is truly
born from the heart of Old Quintessentially Englishness. Like
I said, bucket and spade, fish and chips, seaweed and sand.
The English Caravan Company. Proud to own, proud to tow.
Telephone:
01462
743904
Mobile: 07831 176034
The English
Caravan Company
- Proud to show, proud to tow!
| Working
in carpentry and joinery since my schooldays, I have a
passion and soul for the creative process, with sawdust
in my veins. I have always had a great interest in
caravans, especially those I would call,
‘quintessentially English’ caravans. Those built
with substance, passion and skill.
We are
building stylish caravans based on designs from the 30's
through to the 50’s but constructed with the very
latest up to date technical specifications, and the
newest high performance materials and technology, but
retaining the craftsmanship, skill and techniques that
give a true hand built item something money simply
can’t buy.....love & soul.
Using
traditional fine wood veneers such as pippy oak, birds
eye maple, ash and English oak. Incorporating
traditional dovetail joints on the drawers with heavy
duty runners and mortise and tenon joints where
applicable, you will have a traditional hand-built
caravan to be proud of.
We
now carry out refurbs on all caravans including American
Airstreams as well as English caravans.
Proud
to show....and proud to tow!
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