Keith Gooden
Welcome along to the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
Matt Sims
And I’m Motorhome Matt.
Keith Gooden
Another week, another podcast, and the numbers are in for 2022. And I just want to thank you. In fact, we both want to thank you for watching and listening in huge numbers. The Motorhome Matt podcast is in the top 25% of all podcasts worldwide.
Matt Sims
It’s incredible, isn’t it?
Keith Gooden
It is, and it doesn’t include the YouTube views as well, which is huge. And also TikTok, on which Matt is gassing about gas. It’s got over 100,000 hits.
Matt Sims
I went viral. Yes, as we record this, it has 105,000 views or something ridiculous. Incredible, incredible. But if you’re listening or watching, thank you ever so much. We would love you to leave us a review. If you’re listening on Apple or Spotify, you can do that there. It really, really helps the algorithm and helps promote the podcast. If you can share it too, that would be great. We would love your support in that way. Thank you.
Keith Gooden
We shall wear it always.
Motorhome hire news
Keith Gooden
Today, this week, we are talking about the year ahead and the shows that you can go to, some advice if you’ve never been and also hopefully some insights if you’re a regular attender. But first of all, what’s the news with you then?
Matt Sims
Well, lots has been happening. We were at the Manchester show earlier this year talking shows, which was brilliant. It was a great kickoff to the year. I went down to the Exeter show as well last week. There are lots of shows coming up this year. The shop has been incredibly busy. We’re seeing huge amounts of new customers joining us, which is just brilliant. Thank you to everyone for their lovely five star reviews. We really appreciate them.
And the hire business – well, it’s an incredibly different year to last year. Last year was a little bit lacklustre. We’ve reported on this before. I think lots of people went on holiday on trips they paid for the year before.
Keith Gooden
They used their lockdown trips which had been pushed back.
Matt Sims
If they didn’t go, they’d lose it. This year is incredibly different. I was listening to Karen Ward, who’s the policymaker at JP Morgan and an advisor to the government. And she was saying, “I think we spent the last few years filling our homes with stuff. And so I think there’s a sea change where people will crave experiences, and that this year, people will want experiences over possessions.” And I listened to that and thought, “Wow. I claim that. I’m going with that.”
And I think a motorhome is a great way to have a fantastic experience. And if you’re listening to this and you own one, you’ll agree, I’m sure, that it’s a brilliant way of exploring the country and beyond. I think people are still looking at a motorhome as an alternative holiday to the one perhaps they’ve had before. Certainly, the vast majority of our new customers this year have never done it before. They’ve never hired from us before, which I find remarkable, because I thought we had flushed them all out in 2020. But seemingly not.
So yes, we’re really encouraged. We’re way ahead of target for the year. Bookings are up on last year by a mile. And there’s still lots of availability, so yes, it’s a very exciting time for the hire team.
Keith Gooden
Well, that is good news. And we don’t want you to get the wrong impression. We’re not just promoting Matt’s businesses here, even though there is a place for that. It’s because he has experience! The reason he is an expert is because he’s in the business and he knows how it works.
Six months ago, we were sitting here talking and the talk was all about recession and how things had slowed down and things being very tough for you and for others. And now you’re saying that’s turned around. Is that the same for everybody?
Matt Sims
I don’t know if it’s the same for everybody. I think if you’re in hospitality, it’s a very different story. Gosh, I feel for people who are running restaurants and any kind of food outlet. But I’ve always said that post any recession – let’s call COVID a recession or a recessive climate – I think after a recession and even during a recession, tourism booms, especially British tourism. I think people think, “Well, let’s not go abroad. Let’s explore the UK.”
Obviously, COVID drove people to do that. And I think people are still have a passion to do it. I think it’s a really encouraging time for the British tourism industry and I’m delighted to be part of that. We’re very fortunate.
Show motorhome prices
Keith Gooden
That’s fantastic news. You’ve got a little story, haven’t you, at one of the shows. And the prices of motorhomes has been a great topic of discussion for us in the last year. Second hand prices are outstripping new prices because there’s so little supply for manufacturers because of war and pandemic and all sorts of different things. You got some personal experience of that in the last few weeks.
Matt Sims
I did stand at the Exeter show staring in amazement at a two-year-old motorhome that was £95,000. It was a Swift motorhome. It cost way more secondhand than it cost new. It confused me. I thought, “Really? Is that where we are?” And I think that price point – that’s a lot of money if you’re a family looking to buy a motorhome. When did £100,000 become an acceptable number for a motorhome purchase? And so I think more and more families are looking to hire.
I think it means hire prices are going to go up, but ours haven’t yet. But I think as stock comes onto the fleet, it will have to. The numbers won’t stack otherwise. So book early – shameless plug! But yes, I couldn’t believe it. £95,000! And I think that’s what we’re going to see at shows this year – the new norm is a much bigger number than it used to be.
Keith Gooden
So how much would that motorhome have cost brand new?
Matt Sims
Probably £76,000.
Keith Gooden
And they’re selling it now for £95,000. How old was it?
Matt Sims
Two years old. 5,000 miles. Not big miles at all. It was a four berth family or couple’s motorhome. Whoever owned it first has certainly made some money on it.
Keith Gooden
Yes, but not the whole amount, because obviously it’s through a dealer and there’s a markup from the dealer, but certainly there’s a profit to be made.
Matt Sims
And people say, “Well, the prices will come down.” No, they won’t! The dealer paid probably £85,000 for it. Maybe less. I don’t know. If that’s what he or she has paid for it, that’s the price. They’re not going to sell it for less than they paid for it.
Keith Gooden
It’s not a charity. They’re in business.
Show dates for your 2023 calendar
The Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show – 21st – 26th February
Keith Gooden
Okay, let’s talk about some of the shows ahead. I tell you what, one of the great experiences for me last year was coming with you and the team up to the NEC for the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show. I just thought it was absolutely stupendous.
The people there attending, the public, were fantastic and friendly and very kind to me as a newbie, and also the exhibitors, and I must say as well, the organisers of the show. I couldn’t have been more warmly welcomed. I just thought the atmosphere was fantastic.
Matt Sims
It’s brilliant. Yes, it’s like a pilgrimage for all of us in the industry to go to Birmingham, as it has been for many years. And it’s a super show. And of course it comes back in February as the the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show. It’s a slightly smaller show than in October, but it has a very different feel. There are not as many vehicles. There’s a lot more – we call it canvas, so tents, awnings, and lot more accessories as well.
So there are a lot more shops there selling their wares and manufacturers of products that you buy to complement your motorhome or caravan. It’s a great show. It’s on in Birmingham from the 21st of February. And, of course, we’re there en masse as well, although we have an event before that. Let’s talk about that.
Keith Gooden
Let’s talk about that. But first of all, tell people about the discount on the tickets for the NEC.
Matt Sims
So yes, if you go to www.ccmshow.co.uk, we will give you a little discount. Just enter the code MATT and there’ll be a few pounds off the ticket. And there are still tickets left. Last year it sold out really quickly, which was no surprise.
Post-COVID, it hadn’t happened for a few years. This year, the organisers told me just last week, they’ve sold over 60,000 tickets already for the week. So I think over the course of this week, there will be days selling out and they are restricting numbers per day. So don’t hang around – go and get your ticket and use that discount code MATT to save a few pounds as well.
Keith Gooden
And what website do they go to? It’s not your website.
Matt Sims
No – www.ccmshow.co.uk.
Keith Gooden
And MATT is the discount code you put in to receive a discount on your ticket.
Motorhome Holiday Company hire and sale open day, 18th of February
Keith Gooden
What was that other show?
Matt Sims
Yes, we have our own little show. We have an open day this Saturday. So if you’re thinking of hiring a motorhome-,
Keith Gooden
He hasn’t even invited me to that!
Matt Sims
Of course you’re welcome! The coffee is free. We might have some biscuits as well. So yes, on Saturday the 18th of February between 10:00am and 4:00pm, we will have a Motorhome Holiday Company open day.
So if you’re thinking of hiring a motorhome or even buying one – we have a few for sale as well – or if you’re thinking of buying one and putting it on a hire fleet and having some income from it, come along and talk to the team. I’ll be there as well throughout the day.
Keith Gooden
So I’ve never been to a show. I’m going to go to a show because I’m listening to the Motorhome Matt podcast or I’m watching you on YouTube or I’m one of your gaseous fans on Tik Tok-,
Matt Sims
Gaseous?!
Keith Gooden
So what should I expect when I come along to these shows?
Matt Sims
Well, the NEC show, of course, is indoors. That show is restricted to brand new vehicles, so brand new caravans, campervans and motorhomes, whereas the outdoor shows are run by a company called Warners Publications.
They are running loads of them this year. They are all over the country. They feature motorhomes that are used and new. And so you get a much broader range and taste of what’s available to buy. And they’re a great place to go if you’ve never had a motorhome before and you just want to look at lots of layouts. So they’re a really good place to fry your brain.
The Yorkshire Motorhome and Campervan Show, 17th – 19th of March
Keith Gooden
Let’s pick a few highlights out. There are plenty. We’re not going to go through the whole list, but some of the ones that Matt is going to be at and maybe speaking at include the Yorkshire Motorhome and Campervan Show from the 17th of March in Harrogate. You’re going to be there.
Matt Sims
I’m speaking there, yes. We’re talking Wi-Fi on the move. So if you’re a motorhome owner or a caravan owner and wondering about Wi-Fi, I will be unpacking how that works and what kit you need. And I’ll be dispelling a few myths as well.
Keith Gooden
One of our big two questions, isn’t it, Wi-Fi?
Matt Sims
Absolutely, yes. Wi-Fi and what’s the other?
Keith Gooden
Wild camping.
Matt Sims
Wild camping. What is it?! It was last week? Go and listen to it.
The Campervan Campout, 5th – 7th of May
Keith Gooden
From the 5th of May until the 7th of May is the Campervan Campout in Ardingly.
Matt Sims
Ardingly? Ardingly!
Keith Gooden
Tomato, tomato!
Matt Sims
Potato, potato. There it is. Yes, it’s a brand new show. This is a kind of festival being organised by Warners. It’s on for the whole weekend. You can get a day pass as well. But it’s a bit different to the other shows. There’s lots of live music, food and all sorts going on. I’m hoping that we’re going to record a podcast at it as well, possibly live. We’ll see if the technology lets that happen.
But there are lots and lots of people there who you will have seen on YouTube. If you check out the Warners website, I think they’ve invited most of the celebrities from the industry of the motorhome world along to it, so we’re all going. It’s going to be a big party, I think, for most of the weekend.
Keith Gooden
It’s in the south of England, isn’t it? They all live round there. Paul McCartney lives near there. Pease Pottage.
Matt Sims
I don’t think they’ve invited Paul!
Keith Gooden
Haven’t they? Help!
Matt Sims
Pease Pottage, did you say? That’s the services on the way down!
Keith Gooden
Pease Pottage.
Matt Sims
Pease Pottage, yes. You know why it’s called that, don’t you? It’s because of pea soup. They used to feed people pea soup as they travelled north.
Keith Gooden
What’s north, Watford?
Matt Sims
Hemel Hempstead!
The Southwest Motorhome and Campervan Show, 8th – 10th of September
Keith Gooden
You’re also at the Southwest Motorhome and Campervan Show in September.
Matt Sims
That’s local, my luvver! We’re off to Shepton Mallet to the Bath and West showground.
Keith Gooden
Get off my land!
Matt Sims
Proper job! So yes, we’ll be there. That’s a great show, and I’ve gone to that show for years since I was a boy. Man and boy! And it’s changed over time, but Warners now run it and it’s a fantastic weekend. You can camp at all of these shows as well. So if you’re travelling, you can buy a camping pass and take your motorhome along and camp out for the weekend as well.
The Motorhome and Caravan Show, 17th – 22nd October
Keith Gooden
And of course, then, there’s the big show, isn’t there, in the NEC in Birmingham, the October show, which is at the end of the show season. I was stunned by the size of it. I’ve been to lots of shows in my time for different things, but that was stunning.
Matt Sims
It’s called the Motorhome and Caravan show, yes. I think it’s probably the biggest consumer show that the NEC Birmingham actually put on, or host, I should say. It’s a fantastic event. If you’ve never been, that’s definitely one to go to. The big difference with that show, other than being indoors, is that it’s a manufacturer-supported show. The other shows are dealer-supported ones.
There’s very little manufacturer presence or support at those events, so you’re in the hands of what dealers can do and what they can take along. It was interesting that at the Manchester Show in January, which was kind of the first show of the year, there was some negative feedback around the lack of motorhomes there. And I get it, if you travelled to it.
There were probably eight or nine motorhomes and a similar number of campervans. It was nothing like the NEC October show where there are hundreds and hundreds of them. It’s a much, much smaller show.
Keith Gooden
And they’re unveiling, aren’t they, the new ranges and the new technology. It’s very much a showcase.
Matt Sims
It is, and it’s a show that’s invested in heavily by the manufacturers, whereas the other shows are supported by dealers. So they take the motorhomes and campers and caravans along that they have, and many of them are still on order and haven’t arrived or have been sold, so they don’t actually have much stock that they can take to a show, whereas the outdoor shows are for used vehicles so dealers do have use stock.
I think there will be more used stock coming through this year, so I think you’re in for a treat of variety at both the new show, so the new vehicle shows in Birmingham, and the outdoor shows where there’s a mix of new and used.
The benefits of visiting shows
Keith Gooden
And remember, you don’t have to own a motorhome or even be in the market for one. If you just listen to the podcast or see us on YouTube and you’re an armchair motorhomer, everybody is welcome, aren’t they?
Matt Sims
Absolutely, yes.
Keith Gooden
But if I am in the market, what benefit are these shows bringing me if I go along to them?
Matt Sims
I think it’s a can of worms, isn’t it, when you first start, particularly when you’re new to it. You think, “Well, what layout do I want?” And some of the questions we get – I feel for people because it’s so confusing. One of my first bits of advice is to go to a show and look at as many layouts as possible. Go and look at the way you sit and the way you sleep. Ignore the price on the windscreen. Just look at layouts and start to understand what you think works for you.
Listening to this podcast is helpful, I’m sure. We’re told it is, but go and do as much research as you possibly can, including looking at new and used motorhomes or caravans and just explore the different layouts and the different features and facilities. And then I would consider looking at hiring one as well. Go and try one before you buy one. It’s a huge investment – bigger than ever. So I would definitely recommend trying one before you take the plunge.
Keith Gooden
Yes, which is where Matt comes in and the Motorhome Hire Company.
Matt Sims
The other great thing about the show, of course, is that all the accessories are there as well. There are quite a few traders who go. A lot of shops in the industry will go along and have all that stuff that you need and you don’t need – or you think you need and you’ll never use! And you can go and look and browse and purchase all those useful things.
Motorhome Matt and That Leisure Shop stands
Keith Gooden
And you have partnerships, don’t you, with certain retailers for certain things at some of these shows.
Matt Sims
Yes. So at the NEC show in February, we have the Motorhome Matt stand in Hall Four – so make sure you come and say hello – plus the shop. The team from That Leisure Shop are on three stands with Maypole, who are experts in security, battery charging, and canvas as well. So the team are on the Maypole stand selling all of those products. We’re also on the Seago stands selling their inflatable kayaks and paddleboards. Have you ever been on a paddleboard?
Keith Gooden
For about three seconds.
Matt Sims
I heard the splash! You’ve done three seconds longer than me.
Keith Gooden
People were putting me back into the water saying, “Swim, swim! Be free!”
Matt Sims
I just treat them as a surfboard. So we’re partnering with Seago – that’s brand new for us at That Leisure Shop, so the team are really excited about that. And we’re also working on another stand called Crespo, Bo-Camp and Gimex. There’s a range of beautiful products. We’ve talked before about less camping, more glamping and the way products have evolved in this marketplace.
And these guys – they sell exquisite tables, chairs and accessories. It is a stand you must go and visit. I think they’re advertising as a Crespo stand. Their furniture is out of this world. It’s incredibly light and very, very comfortable. There are so many benefits and features to it. Definitely go along and have a look at that.
Exclusive show discount codes
Keith Gooden
Okay, let’s recap some of this stuff. There are lots of letters and numbers aren’t there, Matt? Make sense of it for me.
Matt Sims
So if you want to go to the Birmingham show, the website is www.ccmshow.co.uk. And if you enter the discount code on the ticket purchase page, MATT, you will save a few pounds on your ticket price.
If you’re going to a Warners show, so one of the outdoor shows, you go to www.showgoer.co.uk And there enter the discount code MOTORHOMEMATT and you’ll get a discount on your ticket price there.
Keith Gooden
So what was that website again for the Warners ones?
Matt Sims
Keith Gooden
And you’ve got to put MOTORHOMEMATT in for that one. We like to keep it simple.
Matt Sims
It’s complicated. It wasn’t complicated when we agreed!
Keith Gooden
So it’s MATT for the NEC show, and it’s MOTORHOMEMATT for the Warners outdoor shows.
Matt Sims
And if you’re going to any of the shows, please look for the Motorhome Matt stand at the NEC Birmingham show or That Leisure Shop’s stand at the Warners show or come and say hello if you see me on stage. It would be lovely to put a face to a listener. It’s so good, isn’t it, to meet people who listen to us or watch us.
Keith Gooden
It’s fantastic. And I’ll tell you what, if they come along, if you want to some questions, we can record you and we can feature you on the podcast. That’s what’s so great about this podcast. It’s a one to one relationship with you. And so when you come along, don’t be afraid – say hello.
Matt Sims
Don’t be afraid?!
Keith Gooden
People are! When they say the boom, they are.
Matt Sims
There’s no need to be scared. Keith’s not there.
Keith Gooden
No, I’m not there. I wasn’t invited to that either… But anyway, let’s move on.
Ask Matt your motorhome questions
Keith Gooden
How do people get in touch with us?
Matt Sims
You can do so really easily. Just go to the website www.motorhomematt.co.uk/askmatt, and there you can submit your question either by form or you can record it. Just hit the little orange button and record your question. Please tell us your name and where in the country you are. We love to know where our listeners are based, and we love getting your questions.
And once you’re on the website, you can find all the places where you can listen to the podcast or you can watch a whole load of other content as well on our YouTube channel Motorhome Matt.
