[00:00:00] Keith Gooden: In today’s episode of the Motorhome Matt podcast…
[00:00:03] Matt Sims: We discuss whether motorhome shows matter and what we’d do without them.
[00:00:08] Keith Gooden: And in the news, we can reveal something exciting being launched at the NEC show this week.
[00:00:14] Matt Sims: And we answer your questions on Pathway 4G network coverage, the best apps to use, and updates on the fourth directive.
[00:00:32] Keith Gooden: Welcome to the Motorhome Matt podcast. I’m Keith Gooden.
[00:00:35] Matt Sims: And I’m Motorhome Matt.
[00:00:37] Keith Gooden: Industry insights and expert advice for the world of motorhomes, caravans and camper vans. And it’s brought to you by www.thatleisureshop.com and sponsored by Ripe.
[00:00:45] Matt Sims: Now, please remember to follow on your favourite podcast app. Or if you’re watching at home on YouTube, please click subscribe and the little bell.
[00:00:54] Keith Gooden: It’s the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome show. It starts tomorrow, the 17th to the 22nd of February 2026, at the NEC in Birmingham.
[00:01:05] Matt Sims: And That Leisure Shop is going to be there. We are based in Hall Five. We are on stand 5120, Bocamp Crespo. So just look for that! And we have some exciting news of a product launch happening this week. We’ve got Simon from SavvyVan back with us. Welcome back to the studio. Hello.
[00:01:23] Simon Knight: Thank you for having me again.
[00:01:24] Matt Sims: You’re very welcome. Now, you have got some exciting news. This week, you are announcing your new SavvyVan app.
[00:01:31] Simon Knight: We certainly are. So we’ve had multiple requests for an app to be brought into the Savvy system so you can have remote connectivity to everything that’s in the van. So battery management, water tanks, gas tanks, and switching on heating systems. So anything that’s within the van ecosystem we’ve now got into an app.
[00:01:52] Matt Sims: And the key here is I can control this on my smartphone. So this is an app that’s going to be available on the Apple Store and Google Play. And I don’t have to be next to the van to use it?
[00:02:03] Simon Knight: No. So the app will use Wi-Fi. If you’re within the van, you have got a perfectly good touch panel that you can just go and touch to obviously control and monitor the van. The app is designed to be used remotely, so when you’re not next to your van.
[00:02:19] Matt Sims: So I can be miles from it.
[00:02:20] Simon Knight: Correct.
[00:02:20] Matt Sims: And I can get an update on water levels, heating, monitoring my batteries, the levelling system, everything that you’re able to control – I can do it on my phone.
[00:02:29] Simon Knight: Yep. Correct. So a really good example of this is that you put your van into storage over the winter, and your battery goes flat. You come back needing to buy a new battery because you’ve of course.
[00:02:40] Matt Sims: I love that. So many people complain about starter batteries. The leisure battery is going flat and they get there. I had to go and jumpstart someone only yesterday. They went to get their van – completely dead. They had no idea.
[00:02:52] Simon Knight: Thank you for picking me up, by the way!
[00:02:54] Matt Sims: You’re very welcome! But they had no idea. But had they had the SavvyVan app, they would have been at home several days before. Oh, the battery’s flat. We’d better get there now and charge it. Love this. So you’re announcing this tomorrow at the February 2026 NEC show?
[00:03:11] Simon Knight: Yes.
[00:03:11] Matt Sims: So you’re announcing this launch. When can people, consumers and manufacturers that you partner with actually have access to this app?
[00:03:18] Simon Knight: So we’re giving everybody a first view at the NEC this year. We will then be launching this in summer this year.
[00:03:25] Matt Sims: So when’s that?
[00:03:26] Simon Knight: It is summer – when it gets warm!
[00:03:28] Matt Sims: Typical software developer. Non-committal. I’ve got an ex-girlfriend like you. So it is going to be summer ’26.
[00:03:34] Simon Knight: It is, yes.
[00:03:35] Matt Sims: Okay, so existing SavvyVan customers can presumably bolt this into their system, as it were.
[00:03:41] Simon Knight: Yep. So if you’ve got a SavvyVan three, you simply need to update the system. Obviously make sure it’s on the Wi-Fi. And then this will spring to life.
[00:03:49] Matt Sims: And is there a charge for the app?
[00:03:51] Simon Knight: Undecided at the moment. It’ll either be minimal charges or no charges at all.
[00:03:54] Matt Sims: So news to come. Stay tuned. We will certainly be reporting on this. I’d love to hear more from you, Simon, when it’s actually available. This is really exciting. This is innovation! I love this. Now, for manufacturers who are interested in getting in touch with you, many of whom I know are listening and watching this podcast, they don’t need to panic, do they, about a ton of work they need to do to integrate with SavvyVan. You have done or will do all that hard work.
[00:04:20] Simon Knight: Yeah, correct. We already offer commercial branding for our main units. The commercial branding will come into the app as well. So if you are a campervan conversion company and you want to get an app for your conversions, just get in touch with us, and we will give you an app that goes in the Play Store with your brand on it, which then connects to all the SavvyVans that are in the customers’ vans.
[00:04:41] Matt Sims: So converters can have their own branded app in the Apple Store and Google Play Store?
[00:04:45] Simon Knight: Correct.
[00:04:45] Simon Knight: I love it. Now, I happen to know that this week at the NEC show, there are a number of converters launching the fact that they’ve got an app. It’s a SavvyVan app, isn’t it?
[00:04:56] Simon Knight: Correct. Yeah! That’s right.
[00:04:57] Matt Sims: So basically, you’ve white labelled it for them.
[00:04:59] Simon Knight: Yes.
[00:05:00] Matt Sims: So you’re the man behind the app, aren’t you?
[00:05:02] Simon Knight: Yes. Well, developer, possibly.
[00:05:05] Matt Sims: But it’s a team effort. Simon, it’s great to have you back in the studio. Thanks for sharing this with us. This is a great exclusive for us. I’m very excited to see it. I can’t wait to see what it can do and how I can integrate it maybe into our van.
[00:05:19] Simon Knight: Brilliant. Thank you very much again.
[00:05:21] Matt Sims: Have a great week at the show.
[00:05:22] Simon Knight: Thank you.
[00:05:23] Keith Gooden: And just to reiterate, then, Matt, people can see it at the show – which starts tomorrow!
[00:05:30] Matt Sims: Yeah. This week! So Simon is there with the app. This is exciting. And I got very excited about it. I think it’s a really innovative idea, so do go and check it out. And if you’re listening to this and you’re a manufacturer and you want to become part of that SavvyVan family, go and talk to Simon and the team as well. They’d love to hear from you. And it’s great that Simon is using a show to launch this, because we’re talking about shows this week and what would happen if we didn’t have them. Simon is leveraging the NEC show and using it as a platform to launch this brand new product.
[00:06:02] Keith Gooden: So let’s get on to the main topic of the week. As you say, we’re always talking about and promoting shows, Matt. Why are they so important to the motorhome, caravanning and camping industry?
[00:06:14] Matt Sims: Well, I think more than most industries, we want to touch and feel the product. So with this, for example, with the app, people want to go and have a real in-depth conversation with Simon and his team about their control system. If you’re looking at chairs or tables, you want to go and sit in the chair. You can’t do that when you’re buying online. And then, of course, the motorhomes and caravans themselves. You want to know they’re the right layout. You want to sit on the sofa, lie in the bed. I always say to people, go and sit on the toilet. Don’t use it! But go and sit there and make sure your knees aren’t hitting the sink.
[00:06:47] Keith Gooden: And you don’t have to take your strides down either. Just in case you were wondering.
[00:06:50] Matt Sims: Keep them on. Maybe take your shoes off. It’s a real experiential opportunity.
[00:06:55] Keith Gooden: Experiential?
[00:06:56] Matt Sims: Experiential.
[00:06:56] Keith Gooden: Right.
[00:06:57] Matt Sims: That’s what shows are. They give you that experience, that way of engaging with the product and the services on offer, whatever they might be. And this is an industry where we want to experience that product firsthand, and maybe for the first time.
[00:07:12] Keith Gooden: Let’s look at this from a different side, then. What would the industry have to do if shows disappeared? How would they get those innovations across to people?
[00:07:21] Matt Sims: I think it’d be really tough. I think the old days of putting stuff into print kind of passed us by. Obviously, YouTube and video content is key, and people will consume that en masse. But the great thing about a show is you can go, as I say, and touch and feel the product and talk firsthand with that service provider. Not all of the businesses that attend shows have premises where you can visit them. So, for example, people who make bedding, they don’t always have a showroom. And you go to a show where they choose to exhibit, and you can go and feel that bedding. You can feel the pillows. I mean, it’s a strange example to use, but it’s true. There are exhibitors who attend these shows who don’t have showrooms.
[00:08:04] Keith Gooden: And also, there’s no pressure to buy at a show. It’s a show.
[00:08:07] Matt Sims: It’s a show! You’ve paid to go in. You can browse at your own pace, and you can contrast and compare as well. Particularly with motorhomes, you can go and look at 20 and get very confused, but you can make a shortlist and see them all in one place. And this is always the case when you’ve got multiple brands at any show or different dealers. You don’t have to travel the country to go and look at them all. You can see them in one location.
[00:08:33] Keith Gooden: Like I say, there’s no pressure to buy, but if you want to buy at a show, you do have the opportunity to do so. But as Matt says, it’s great, isn’t it, to just go along and bounce on the mattress? Don’t kick the tyres!
[00:08:47] Matt Sims: Or lick the windows.
[00:08:48] Keith Gooden: Or lick the windows.
[00:08:49] Matt Sims: Don’t be doing that.
[00:08:49] Keith Gooden: Now, you’re just back from the Manchester show, and you were asking around there for people’s views on shows and whether they would miss them. You spoke to John Marshall, the operations manager at Riverside. But before that, Rob Debenham is the show organiser at Clarion.
[00:09:03] Matt Sims: You’ve been running this show for 13 years and organising events for 20 years. You are events through and through, aren’t you?
[00:09:11] Rob Debenham: Yeah, I love events. You work all year long at throwing a party, and you look forward to it. And then everyone turns up at your party! And as long as you’ve got the music right and an appropriate level of drinks…
[00:09:22] Matt Sims: You do it again!
[00:09:23] Rob Debenham: Then everyone has a good time, and they want to do it again.
[00:09:25] Matt Sims: Now, within this industry, this motorhome industry of ours, what would be the impact if we didn’t have any events, do you think?
[00:09:32] Rob Debenham: I think it’d have a pretty drastic impact on the marketplace. And you can tell that by the proliferation of events that we’ve got and how well-attended they are. It’s an opportunity for people to touch products, to actually put their hands on products – to feel them, you know. And that works with your emotional content as well. Seeing something online is one thing, but actually getting to an event where there’s a wide selection of products… wider than any one single dealer could offer, for example. And that’s why they’re so well-attended and why they’re so needed.
[00:10:03] Matt Sims: I hear people all the time telling me they’ve been going to events for years before they even made a purchase. That’s a real thing, isn’t it?
[00:10:10] Rob Debenham: Yeah, it is a thing. It’s part of the pre-purchase reassurance of people going to events, looking at stuff, feeling things, and also getting to know maybe a new brand. So when you go to an event, you don’t know that company. And then you might look at their website afterwards, and then you might go back to the same event the following year, and you might see that same brand again. That building up of recognition is a really important part of pre-purchase reassurance for people.
[00:10:35] Matt Sims: And we were talking earlier about a side effect of events, where exhibitor-to-exhibitor events bring competitors together, and collaborations are born.
[00:10:45] Rob Debenham: Yeah, they do. Yeah. I mean, people forget that we’ve got a whole host of exhibitors here. They are trade allies and partners, and there’s a lot of shared learning that goes on at events in this market in particular. Everybody faces the same or very similar challenges. And if you get together with someone from another company who has managed to overcome that particular challenge or particular problem, there’s a lot of shared learning that goes on, and it’s really important.
[00:11:10] Matt Sims: I think one of the things that’s really interesting for me about this show is that it co-locates with destinations. So we’ve got motorhomes, campervans, caravans, canvas and accessories, and then we’ve got the tourist board for places far further afield. It’s almost like we’re fraternising with the enemy! But you see it as mixing up, and in fact, you’ve kept the carpet the same colour between both shows this year.
[00:11:32] Rob Debenham: I want to take down that wall, that divide between the two. So the same colour carpet runs all the way through because the real intention of people coming here is to satisfy their wanderlust. And whether that’s in a campervan or a caravan or a motorhome or a flight to Malta or Japan, or further afield, Jordan or Jamaica or wherever, those people still have a yearning and a passion for travel and for experience. I want to bring all of that together under one roof.
[00:12:02] Matt Sims: And it’s okay, isn’t it, to mix it up?
[00:12:04] Rob Debenham: Of course it’s okay to mix it up. You can’t be in your campervan or your motorhome all year long, and you can’t travel abroad all year long. Certainly most people can’t afford to travel abroad all year long.
[00:12:15] Matt Sims: I’d love to.
[00:12:16] Rob Debenham: Same here. I wouldn’t be here if I could afford to do that! So it’s using both ends of that, and reassuring those people that actually they can experience that wanderlust through a number of different ways.
[00:12:28] Matt Sims: So back to shows. Do you think they have a future?
[00:12:31] Rob Debenham: 100% they have, yeah. Clarion Events who run this show run a series. We run about 250 shows and events around the world. And since Covid, we’ve seen across a number of different marketplaces show attendance in terms of visitors increase. So we are supplying a much needed vehicle for people to indulge their particular passion.
[00:12:54] Matt Sims: And congratulations on seeing an increase in footfall here at this show this year.
[00:12:58] Rob Debenham: So far it’s been a really good day, a really strong day. It’s not just quantity, it’s about quality. So if the aisles are full and nobody’s buying, it’s not a good show, right? So it really should be judged like that, and we can’t judge it until we close on Sunday. But a really strong start so far today. I know dealers have made good sales already today, so that’s good to hear.
[00:13:19] Matt Sims: Yeah, it’s a very strong start. Now, I’m stood with a member of the family who owns what is definitely my favourite campsite in the north of England, all the way from Riverside Campsite. Now, John, your site is amazing. I had the great pleasure of visiting – what was it, last year now! Why do you come to shows? Why are they so important to you?
[00:13:40] John Marshall: For us, we don’t do a lot of marketing and advertising. So it’s a really great way for us to come and meet people and chat to them. It’s really interesting to see the people who remember coming to us 20, 30 years ago, and it sort of sparks that bit for them to come back. It’s really great just to get to come and see the customers and interact.
[00:14:01] Matt Sims: As we were getting ready to interview, I was just chatting to someone in the aisle. They said, oh, my aunty had a static there. I think there were just five there, he said many, many years ago.
[00:14:10] John Marshall: So when granddad first set it up in 1970, it started off as, you know, little tours, as little static. And then the way we developed the park, it’s just been adding on a little bit at a time. So it’s got to a decent size but doesn’t feel massive because it’s all little extensions, little cul-de-sacs.
[00:14:27] Matt Sims: So if there weren’t shows that you could attend – you say you don’t do much marketing, but shows are a key part of it – what impact would that have on your business?
[00:14:37] John Marshall: So we get a lot of our tours coming up from this show, so it would have a reasonably big impact on it. It gives us a chance to talk to people, upsell them, and then if they were thinking about coming to book with us, we can tell them about the area, what there is on and just give them that bit more advice to come and stay with us.
[00:14:55] Matt Sims: So is it the primary way in which you engage with a prospective audience?
[00:14:59] John Marshall: Definitely one of them, yeah. Alongside social media and that stuff. But it’s certainly up there. And with this one, with the amount of people that are coming through the door every day, it’s quite a good chance to see a lot of people in a short space of time.
[00:15:11] Matt Sims: And so do you think that shows will be something you continue to do more of in the future?
[00:15:16] John Marshall: Yeah, definitely. We tend to try and do them more in the regions that our customers come from, within around two hours. But with more and more people coming motorhoming with us, we’re getting people from further afield. You know, ones like this come at the perfect time. It’s January, it’s short, it’s quiet. We’d just be kicking our heels back at the park if we weren’t here.
[00:15:36] Matt Sims: So it’s a good use of your time?
[00:15:37] John Marshall: Yes!
[00:15:38] Matt Sims: Very good. Well, it’s great to see you. And I look forward to coming back and visiting at some point this year.
[00:15:42] John Marshall: Yeah, we’re happy to have you back.
[00:15:44] Matt Sims: That’s John Marshall of Riverside Caravan Park, still very much family-run and my favourite campsite in the northwest of England. I’m delighted to say we will be working with Riverside again through this year and helping them with their marketing. It was also great to have on the podcast somebody who I’ve seen at shows for years, but has always been so busy I’ve been able to interrupt her. Cathy Chamberlain is the managing director of the cute little caravan company Barefoot Caravans. Now, Cathy, you have been around this industry for about ten years with a very innovative and niche product, which is the Barefoot Caravan, and you’ve been going to shows for many, many years. But just tell us why they’re important to Barefoot and a bit about your customer buying journey.
[00:16:29] Cathy Chamberlain: We didn’t realise when we came into the industry what would be the best way to sell our caravans, and we’ve realised there’s a real customer journey connected with it, so people love to come along to a show and touch and feel the caravan. You can see masses of people clambering in behind us now. They want to touch and feel it. They want to compare with other products as well, which is a great thing to do at a show. I’m a big advocate for that. We only want people to buy our caravans who love them and know they’ve made the right choice. We don’t want them to change their minds a year later. The owners that we’ve got keep them for years, which is a really nice thing to do.
[00:17:03] Matt Sims: You were telling me earlier that sometimes your customers come to you and they say, we’ve seen you at shows for years and we’ve been considering making this purchase, and by the time they get up to you, their desire is almost pent up. What would you do as a business if shows didn’t exist?
[00:17:20] Cathy Chamberlain: It is really important to have the shows. There’s obviously a combination now. We’ve got social media, and we have a really big following. YouTube as well, all of those things. But there’s no substitute for being able to come to a show. And I think it would be tragic if the shows didn’t exist, to be honest. We would otherwise have to go to very small shows. People wouldn’t be able to compare. And I think it’s also nice that the industry is a friendly industry. We know one another, we support one another. We’re all about people getting into the outdoors and actually having the product that they want. And yes, it might be that somebody has a motorhome now and in three years’ time Barefoot caravan might suit them or vice versa. And that’s okay too.
[00:17:58] Matt Sims: I describe the Barefoot and you guys as one of heroes of our industry.
[00:18:03] Cathy Chamberlain: Thank you.
[00:18:04] Matt Sims: Well, I think you are, because, let’s face it, traditional caravan sales are declining. They are slowing down. And it’s part of our industry, which is changing. And I think caravanning holidays, this is my view, are just not as cool as they were perhaps 30, 40 years ago. And I think campervans and vanlife have become the cool kids. But what I find fascinating is something you said to me earlier about who your customers are and where you position barefoot in the market. Can you tell us more?
[00:18:36] Cathy Chamberlain: Yeah. So actually, when we go to a show, we’re usually in the campervan hall. We realised quite quickly that people like the Barefoot because it is cool. It’s as cool as a campervan, but it’s got the extra functionality of having a lot more space inside, a few more creature comforts. It’s also got the bathroom, the shower and the toilet, which are really important to lots of people.
[00:18:58] Matt Sims: And it’s not 70 grand!
[00:18:59] Cathy Chamberlain: I mean, it’s half the price of most of the campervans, which is a big plus. People can keep their own car. They don’t need to have two vehicles on the road, and they love it. And you can style this up. You can choose the colours for this one. You know, the body, the interior, the floor, you name it. People give them names just like they do with the campervans. And it’s really personal.
[00:19:20] Matt Sims: Well, I think if you’re looking for a caravan, you are the cool kid on the block for sure. They are beautiful. And I’m delighted to finally get you on the podcast, because every show I see you at, you’re always surrounded by a crowd.
[00:19:32] Cathy Chamberlain: We’re so busy at the shows. The NEC has got busier and busier for us. It’s great. It’s lovely. We just love being in Manchester. This is my home patch actually, as well. The caravans are built in the Cotswolds. I’m up and down travelling between the two.
[00:19:50] Matt Sims: Well, have a great show this week. We’ll see you at the NEC and at some of the Warners shows throughout 2026.
[00:19:55] Cathy Chamberlain: Yes, we’ll be doing a few of those this summer. Thanks very much.
[00:19:58] Matt Sims: Thanks, Cathy. I’m delighted to be joined by Adam from ES Hartley. Adam, welcome to the podcast. And welcome to our industry! You’re relatively new to our industry. What were you doing two years ago?
[00:20:10] Adam: I was in the car business, selling cars for, say, the last 5 or 6 years of my life. And then decided to obviously take the step into selling the bigger things in life, which are motorhomes!
[00:20:24] Matt Sims: Now, you’ve done several shows with ES Hartley. And you were saying they’re an important part of your way of reaching customers and making sales. What would the business do if it didn’t do shows?
[00:20:36] Adam: So I reckon about a third of the business, if we didn’t do the shows that we did. Obviously, we do up to ten, 12, 14 shows a year. If we didn’t do them each year, we’d probably lose about a third of the business. Obviously, reaching out, getting new customers each time we go away – and the after effect of each show. So once we’ve been to a show, the numbers we do after the show are a lot more than what we do actually at the show. But we get a lot more customers coming through, coming through the door because they met us. They’ve sat in the vans themselves, so they know what they want. And it’s just a case of coming to where we work and getting the nitty gritty out of the way and selling them a van.
[00:21:15] Matt Sims: And that’s the great thing about coming to a show, isn’t it? People can really touch and feel the product. It’s just an entertaining day out, too, for many.
[00:21:23] Adam: Yes. Obviously, people who own motorhomes like to come to the shows and show off and see what they’ve got next to other people to see what they haven’t got. And basically it’s just a nice little day out for them. It’s like a community. Everyone here either owns one or wants to own one, so it’s just a case of them all being the same type of people. They all want to get to know each other and take the day out and explore.
[00:21:47] Matt Sims: And being here this week, does that give you a competitive advantage, do you think, over other dealers who are not here?
[00:21:55] Adam: Yes, 100%. Doing these shows, it puts our name out there. It puts our brand out. Everyone here who’s come in to see us are going to do that before they go somewhere else because they’ve met us first. They see what we can deliver. They’ve met us as people, so I feel like it’s a massive advantage for us.
[00:22:12] Matt Sims: We’re here in Manchester in a couple of weeks. You’re off to Scotland, then you’re down to Harrogate.
[00:22:17] Adam: Yes.
[00:22:17] Matt Sims: The NEC in Birmingham and then back up to Harrogate. And then you’ve got a year of Warners shows.
[00:22:23] Adam: That’s the one.
[00:22:24] Matt Sims: So a busy year ahead!
[00:22:25] Adam: Yes, I’m looking forward to it. A lot more sales! We’ve had a quiet month this month in December, with it being that time of year. So the shows really do help build that rapport and create more sales. We’re commission-based most of the time, so it just boosts our sales and boosts the business as well. So yeah, they really do help massively.
[00:22:49] Matt Sims: So, Adam, keep the boss happy! ES Hartley, we’ll see you at lots of shows. Just tell us where the dealerships are.
[00:22:55] Adam: There’s the Ellesmere Port branch near Chester. And we’ve also got one in Cumbria, which is the Lake District. So two sites at the moment. Don’t know whether he’s expanding yet or not, but there’s always a plan! There’s always a plan. It depends on how many sales we do at this show.
[00:23:13] Matt Sims: Well, fingers crossed for lots. Adam, thank you very much. Two years in, I reckon you’re up for employee of the month.
[00:23:17] Adam: Thank you very much!
[00:23:19] Matt Sims: Now, I’m in the aisle with someone who has a local business, a motorhome dealership, who is not exhibiting at the show. I’m joined by Jason Mawdsley from Tottington Motor Company. Jason, thanks for talking to me. How are you doing?
[00:23:31] Jason Mawdsley: Yeah, I’m very well, thanks, Matt.
[00:23:32] Matt Sims: It’s great to see you, and it’s good to see you here at the show. You have a business, as I say, not far away. You sell multiple brands of motorhomes. Just tell us a little bit about what it is you sell.
[00:23:43] Jason Mawdsley: It’s Tottington Motor Company. The brands that we sell are Roller Team, Auto-Trail and Bespoke are the campervans that we sell.
[00:23:51] Matt Sims: Now, some of those brands are here at the show, but interestingly, you’re not. Why not?
[00:23:56] Jason Mawdsley: Well, we have exhibited at this show three times previously. And what we found was that it’s quite a small show for us. We found that the footfall wasn’t particularly strong for us personally for the brands that we sell. And obviously, it’s shared with the holiday destination show for dealers. These shows are very expensive to exhibit at. So after exhibiting three times, you know, it generates footfall. What we found for us is that it didn’t generate sales!
[00:24:31] Matt Sims: So is that what you mean when you say the audience wasn’t particularly strong? It didn’t actually ring the till?
[00:24:37] Jason Mawdsley: Correct, correct. It just didn’t generate sales for us. So it may have created awareness. It may have created awareness of the manufacturer of our brands. But for us, it didn’t generate sales.
[00:24:48] Matt Sims: But is it not the case, though, that a show is part of a funnel where it’s all about driving your brand awareness? And do they not then come and visit you at your site, or can you achieve that just through an SEO pay-per-click campaign?
[00:25:04] Jason Mawdsley: This is a great point. Obviously, knowing that the Manchester show is on at the moment and this is on our doorstep, we actually take the money that we would spend exhibiting at the show, and we put that into the likes of PPC campaigns and social media campaigns.
[00:25:20] Matt Sims: Now, that’s a challenge for any show organiser, for sure. And maybe they can try to entice you back. Certainly, the footfall has been 15% up already today. That’s good. But you go to other shows, don’t you? You attend the big one in Birmingham.
[00:25:34] Jason Mawdsley: We do. So we’re at the NEC in February and also at the NEC in October.
[00:25:39] Matt Sims: And you do do other shows throughout the region.
[00:25:42] Jason Mawdsley: We do some smaller regional shows. Some of the country shows we do exhibits at.
[00:25:48] Matt Sims: So not all shows are going to be a great fit for each business. I get that, but what do you think would be the impact if there were no shows?
[00:25:56] Jason Mawdsley: I personally think shows have a good place within the market, and I do think they’re important. It gives the consumer the opportunity to come and have a look at lots of different brands, lots of different layouts. Particularly when they’re early on in that journey of purchasing or thinking about buying a motorhome, you know, I think if there weren’t shows such as the Manchester show, it would just be more difficult for the consumer ultimately to decide on what’s right for them.
[00:26:24] Matt Sims: So people can’t see you at this show, but where can they find you?
[00:26:28] Jason Mawdsley: Well, they can find us at our premises, which is Tottington Motor Company, and we’re based in Radcliffe. So we’re about eight miles away from the show here.
[00:26:38] Matt Sims: And it’s www.tottingtonmotorcompany.co.uk.
[00:26:41] Jason Mawdsley: It is!
[00:26:41] Keith Gooden: So Jason was at home and he was sitting there and thinking, well, I’m not exhibiting at the show, but he couldn’t stay away. It was like a magnet drawing him in, was it?
[00:26:51] Matt Sims: Well, he always comes to the show and of course he wants to see what his local competitors are up to, what they’re exhibiting. It’s a chance for him to see lots of other suppliers to the industry face-to-face. So no doubt he shook a few hands. We actually went out for dinner that evening. He’s a good friend of mine.
[00:27:05] Keith Gooden: Did he pay?
[00:27:07] Matt Sims: We split the bill.
[00:27:08] Keith Gooden: Oh, fair.
[00:27:10] Matt Sims: I think there was more on my team than his, though, so we got one over him!
[00:27:14] Keith Gooden: We’ve been talking to people in the business. It’s not just about them. It’s about the public actually come and see it. And you were doing some talks at the Manchester show.
[00:27:24] Matt Sims: I was talking about changes to European travel in 2026 and also about getting your motorhome ready for the season ahead, which we are going to be exposing on a future episode. So stay tuned for that.
[00:27:33] Keith Gooden: And people can come along to these talks and they can question you as well. We’re going to hear from Richard. But first of all, David!
[00:27:40] Matt Sims: If there was one thing the organiser could improve on it, this show, what would it be?
[00:27:43] David: Put some drinking water fountains in! I’m parched, you know.
[00:27:47] Matt Sims: The pub is over the road!
[00:27:49] David: I know Manchester, so I know where they all are. Is it the Britons Protection just behind? That’s one of the best pubs in Manchester.
[00:27:56] Matt Sims: Well, your wife’s already there, I think! She’s left!
[00:27:57] David: No, no, she doesn’t drink much. It’s me. She’s here to get me home.
[00:28:01] Matt Sims: I’m joined by Richard from the happiest place in the UK. Are you from near Skipton?
[00:28:05] Richard: That’s correct. Yes.
[00:28:06] Matt Sims: You’ve been in the news. Well, not you.
[00:28:08] Richard: Skipton, us. Yeah!
[00:28:10] Matt Sims: And just tell me, Richard, is it such a happy place to live?
[00:28:14] Richard: Yeah, it’s a good place. The people around there are Yorkshire people. So they’re good to get on with. They talk to anybody.
[00:28:20] Matt Sims: Well, all of Yorkshire is super friendly in my experience anyway.
[00:28:22] Richard: I’d agree with that. Yeah.
[00:28:24] Matt Sims: So Richard, you’re here at a show and we’re talking about going to shows. You have just bought a motorhome and you were telling me you bought it at the NEC Birmingham show. And that was one of a few shows you’d been to. Would you have bought that motorhome had you not been to a show?
[00:28:39] Richard: No, I don’t think I would. It was a different way of viewing because everything was there at the show. It made us look at things a little bit differently and make decisions a little bit differently.
[00:28:50] Matt Sims: So what was the big benefit for you then of going to a show as someone looking to buy a motorhome?
[00:28:56] Richard: All makes were there. There were different people. Well, all these salesmen, but there are more people to talk to and discuss what you want and things like that.
[00:29:05] Matt Sims: And were you intent on buying?
[00:29:08] Richard: Not at the show. No, no.
[00:29:11] Matt Sims: So what changed?
[00:29:12] Richard: I don’t know, it’s just that we saw something we wanted. And when you see something, you get that click. We saw it at the beginning of that day, and we went back at the end of the day, and we did the deal.
[00:29:23] Matt Sims: Congratulations. So when do you get the van?
[00:29:26] Richard: On the 21st of next month.
[00:29:28] Matt Sims: And it’s a Rapido you’ve bought. An A-class?
[00:29:30] Richard: Yes.
[00:29:31] Matt Sims: Very nice. So what’s brought you here, then? It’s January 2026. Why are you here at this show? You’re not going to change your mind about something else, are you?
[00:29:39] Richard: No. I just want to get ideas of things to put in the motorhome, electrical cable and stuff like that. What else is still about? You know, general things like that. There are a few insurances that we’re still looking at.
[00:29:50] Matt Sims: And this is a local show for you, isn’t it? It’s a good day out.
[00:29:54] Richard: Oh, yeah. It’s the first time I’ve been. But yeah, I’m impressed with it. Yeah. There’s a mixture of everything, so it is good.
[00:30:00] Keith Gooden: So we heard there from Richard from Yorkshire. That’s my terrible Yorkshire accent. And David before him! I think it’s very interesting with members of the public, even if they don’t need to be there, they like to go. And that’s the thing with these shows, they’re good places, nice places to be.
[00:30:15] Matt Sims: They are. And you get to meet friends at these shows, particularly ones where you can camp. You imagine that! You make friends for life at those. Well, it was interesting what David said about not wanting to research all the detail. He can go to a show and it’s all presented to him. And I guess we’re a bit like that as a podcast, aren’t we? People don’t have to go off and search through all the detail. Just listen to this. We’ve got all the detail here! So we’re kind of a showcase, aren’t we, for the industry and lots of information.
[00:30:41] Keith Gooden: We’re the 365-day-a-year, 52-week show, the Motorhome Matt podcast.
[00:30:47] Matt Sims: We never stop. And then it didn’t just stop there. I did finish up by interviewing the lovely Andrew Dickens, presenter and host of many events. Many of you will have seen him cooking at some of the bigger shows. Now, we’re here at a show in Manchester, Destinations holiday and travel show, caravan, motorhome and holiday show. It’s a mouthful!
[00:31:07] Andrew Dickens : But doing two whole different things, which is great.
[00:31:10] Matt Sims: Well, what’s interesting at this show is we’re on the food and travel stage and it’s the end of the day. And you’ve had a busy day. And you’re prolific at presenting food-linked events globally. In fact, you’ve just been out in Dubai, haven’t you?
[00:31:23] Andrew Dickens : So it was Abu Dhabi in November, but we will be in Dubai in just a couple of weeks. So Taste of Dubai, February – be there or be square, folks.
[00:31:31] Matt Sims: Okay. And this is the food and travel stage. But we’re at a travel show, and we’re bringing food into the mix. And everything is food-derived that you’re doing on stage. What would you say is the benefit of a feature like that at a show like this?
[00:31:47] Andrew Dickens : I mean, there are so many good benefits to it. I think if you have a show, having a feature at a show is a good idea because it provides a focal point for people to come to. Often, if you’re looking around a show, all the wonderful caravans, motorhomes, tents, whether you’re talking to all these incredible travel people who do these bespoke tours everywhere, there’s quite a lot of information. So having a place you can come and sit down with a coffee, a cup of tea, even asandwich, and you can actually watch some experts in their field give you some really amazing information. And when we do food, we’ll also have food from a particular region. And although it’s worldwide, we also do food from right here in the UK of course, because we’ve got all these incredible campsites and motorhome places all over the UK. So all of it features in that really nicely, so it’s lovely to sit there, enjoy a drink and some food, be entertained at the same time. And almost certainly you will learn something as well. It’s like a win-win for everyone. Obviously, you’ve got all this extra knowledge on European travel legislation, things that are happening. What’s lovely again about this show is we’ll have 300 or 400 people in this audience. That’s loads of people getting loads of good information all at the same time, and that will elicit loads of different conversations between all those people whilst we’re doing that.
[00:33:00] Matt Sims: Let’s hope so. I’m looking forward to it.
[00:33:02] Andrew Dickens : Yeah, well, they’re always so well attended. Oh, are you going to bring a few gadgets with you as well?
[00:33:06] Matt Sims: I’m bringing a few gadgets. Yeah. You’ll be okay!
[00:33:08] Andrew Dickens : Excellent. I do like a gadget. But yeah, let’s keep this party going. Because I think it doesn’t matter what industry it is, these kind of shows are really important for the future of that industry.
[00:33:21] Matt Sims: Andrew Dickens – as always, gorgeous, Andrew. Lovely to see you.
[00:33:26] Andrew Dickens : A pleasure.
[00:33:27] Keith Gooden: That’s Andrew Dickens, food presenter and host at there at the Manchester show. So the future is shows!
[00:33:38] Matt Sims: I think so. I think shows have a risk of being under threat from Google pay per clicks that businesses can invest in – and social media like YouTube. But you can’t beat a real first-hand experience of going to a show, experiencing the product, and making connections with people. As I said earlier, it’s like the original social media.
[00:33:57] Keith Gooden: Seen it. I smelled it, smelled it, I felt it.
[00:33:58] Matt Sims: They are fantastic. Thank you. Stop there. Please cut.
[00:34:03] Keith Gooden: Will we see more shows in 2026?
[00:34:06] Matt Sims: Interestingly, yeah. Warners have launched a new one. It’s Stoneleigh in April. And we will be there as That Leisure Shop. We’re taking the podcast there live. So this is going to be a new thing for us. We’re on tour. So I’ve not told you about this yet, Keith, have I? You will know about it. So we are going up to the Stoneleigh show in April with the podcast, and we will be doing some live podcasting from there and recording some future content. And that’s the type of feature that I love to see at shows where people can engage with media that they normally listen to or watch, but they can actually see it in the flesh. And that’s the opportunity that shows give us. I think they’re great. I think they’re in for a strong future. As long as they keep innovating, they’ll keep existing.
[00:34:46] Keith Gooden: And of course, this week is the NEC show. It is on all week – 17th to the 22nd of February, 2026.
[00:34:55] Matt Sims: I’ll see you there.
[00:34:56] Keith Gooden: It’s the Motorhome Matt podcast with me, Keith Gooden.
[00:34:59] Matt Sims: And me, Motorhome Matt.
[00:35:00] Keith Gooden: It’s brought to you by www.thatleisureshop.com and sponsored by Ripe.
[00:35:03] Matt Sims: And remember, get 15% off your premium with Ripe. The discount applies automatically if you click the link in the episode description.
[00:35:11] Keith Gooden: I’m going to do something I haven’t done for the last couple of weeks.
[00:35:14] Matt Sims: What are you going to do? Behave?
[00:35:15] Keith Gooden: It’s the Q&A, the questions and answers where you ask the questions and Motorhome Matt – for it is he – he gives the answers. If he doesn’t know, he’ll jolly well ask somebody who does.
[00:35:26] Matt Sims: I’m still nervous.
[00:35:26] Keith Gooden: First of all… no. That’s it! Just that little bit. So first of all, we have somebody who pops up every so often from Harrow. It’s Colin.
[00:35:37] Colin: Something different this time. It’s a challenge for your 4G Pathway. We were staying at a club called Centrefield Evergreen Acres in Solihull while we visited the NEC this week, and there was no internet signal. The best we could do is get a signal to say we had a message, but we couldn’t read the message. Our neighbours on plot two were the same. A deal – if you can get a signal from there, we’ll buy one of your 4G pathways. Thanks a lot. Bye.
[00:36:11] Keith Gooden: He’ll buy one of your 4G Pathways if you can get a signal from there.
[00:36:17] Matt Sims: The gauntlet has been thrown. I’ll tell you what, Colin. I’m at the NEC show all week this week, so I will see if I can take a Pathway to this CL that you referenced, and I’ll let you know if I get a signal. I’ll send you a picture of me browsing the internet if I can. How’s that?
[00:36:33] Keith Gooden: There you go. It’s got those two big rabbit ears on the top, which are extra aerials.
[00:36:36] Matt Sims: Extra aerials are super strong.
[00:36:38] Keith Gooden: Yeah, I did see some comment, I think, on one of the podcasts which said with the Pathway 4G, those aerials they have, they don’t pull in extra WiFi. There’s something to do with something else. That’s not the case, is it?
[00:36:49] Matt Sims: No, the aerials are responsible for picking up the 4G cellular signal. And there’s a transmitter inside that transmits the Wi-Fi. And those aerials are so strong they can pull a signal from quite a long way away. So I’ve said before, we’ve been on campsites with no phone signal, but the Pathway has worked because of the strength and power of those aerials.
[00:37:08] Keith Gooden: Yeah, because your phone, the aerial in the phone tends to be a metal strip around it.
[00:37:11] Matt Sims: It’s tiny, as well.
[00:37:12] Keith Gooden: Yeah, the outside. And if you’re holding it or touching it, you’re shortening the aerial as well. I’ve just seen that comment. But everybody’s an expert. You know what it’s like! Daphne is in Wincanton.
[00:37:22] Daphne: Hello, Matt. Hello, Keith. What, in your opinion, are the most useful apps, especially for a newbie? I’ve started watching the podcast from the beginning and I am so glad someone put a bob in the electric meter. Cheers.
[00:37:39] Keith Gooden: We’re getting less and less of the “I don’t do computers” attitude, even though I saw the leader of a political party the other day proudly standing there saying so. You know, it’s like somebody when they opened the Great Western Railway saying, I don’t do railways, you know what I mean? It’s a fact it’s here. It’s with us. Learn it no matter what age you are. And the thing with these apps – applications, it’s short for. We were talking about a brand new one launching at the NEC this week, weren’t we. They’re to make your life easier is they make your life easier.
[00:38:07] Matt Sims: They do. They solve problems you didn’t even know you had. Often that is the case, but it’s true. They do make things far more accessible as long as they’re easy to use. We did unpack this back in episode number eight of the podcast. So it was recorded a long time ago, probably four years ago. And some of the information, I’m sure now, four years later, will be out of date. So I think we should revisit this. Let’s put that into the future plan, where we look at apps. And of course, now we’ve got new apps, things like SavvyVan, which launched this week. So let’s revisit that content and redo it. We’re going to actually go back through some of the really old and early episodes, because it’s been four years we’ve been doing this and things have changed. So we will do that and we will repeat that content for you in the future.
[00:38:57] Keith Gooden: And if you are a computer saboteur, somebody who throws their clog into the machine – ‘sabot’ is French for clogs, and workers threw them into the the weaving machines. They were saboteurs!
[00:39:13] Matt Sims: Do you wear a lot of clogs?
[00:39:13] Keith Gooden: No, but they did in Belgium a while back. If you’re one of those people who, you know, don’t pride yourself on being able to use computers, applications are really fantastic. You have them on your smartphone or your computer. It’s a little square and it says what it is, and you press on it, and it does everything for you. It’s not like the old days where you had to go in and be computer literate. It makes life easy. So do listen out for that episode because we will bring it down to basics. If you’re a bit worried about it or embarrassed to ask somebody about it because you’re frightened of being laughed at, then you won’t be laughed at here.
[00:39:43] Matt Sims: Definitely not. No, never. And we will find the apps for you that are the most useful ones for your motorhome and campervan life, so it will be useful.
[00:39:53] Keith Gooden: Geoff McLean is in Stockport. Hi Matt, excellent talk given at the motorhome show last Friday, he says. I went to your stand afterwards but there were a few people waiting. I have a Bailey Adamo which is near its maximum weight, and wondered whether there was any update on the government increasing the three-and-a-half-ton limit on the B+E licence. Thanks very much, says Geoff.
[00:40:13] Matt Sims: Yeah. Thank you, Geoff. Sorry I missed you. It was indeed really busy after the talks. In fact, it was busy all week in Manchester. It was great. There is no update as of yet. It is, though, I’m told by numerous industry officials, expected to be adopted. So we will have the fourth directive adopted here from Europe into the UK, meaning we can drive four and a quarter tonnes on a B licence. It is all about Keir Starmer deciding to adopt it. And of course, he’s been quite busy in the last few weeks with a few other things going on, so this is probably slipped down the list. We will keep you posted, though, as I hear any more about it. I’m sure it’s a vote-winner, and he might need some more of those. So it may well be that it happens sooner rather than later. We’ll see!
[00:40:58] Keith Gooden: And if you are a shop and you want to say hi to to Matt, or if I’m at a show, me as well! Do hang around. We want to speak to you. I know it can be a bit boring and loads of people just jump up and they jump on Matt and say, oh, this and that and all the rest.
[00:41:11] Matt Sims: It’s a bit boring talking to you.
[00:41:13] Keith Gooden: Yeah. Hang around, hang around.
[00:41:16] Matt Sims: I’ll be honest, NordVPN started as something I only used while travelling, and now it’s on all my devices all of the time.
[00:41:24] Keith Gooden: All of them, even at home?
[00:41:26] Matt Sims: Absolutely. Public Wi-Fi is the obvious risk, but even at home, I like knowing my data is protected. It blocks malware, dodgy sites, ads, the lot, and the Threat Protection Pro acts like a personal bouncer for your browser.
[00:41:40] Keith Gooden: If your name’s not on the list, you ain’t coming in. So it’s not just for internet gurus and digital nomads.
[00:41:46] Matt Sims: No, no, it’s not. Absolutely not. It’s for anyone using the internet. So whether you’re booking a site, streaming TV, or checking your bank, NordVPN just quietly keeps it safe in the background.
[00:41:57] Keith Gooden: And where do they go?
[00:41:58] Matt Sims: Just head to www.nordvpn.com/motorhomematt. You can get four months free thrown in, and you’ve got 30 days to change your mind if it’s not for you.
[00:42:09] Keith Gooden: Simple as that.
[00:42:10] Matt Sims: Sorted in minutes. It’s worth every penny.
[00:42:13] Keith Gooden: So, Matt, how do people get in touch?
[00:42:15] Matt Sims: We would love it if you did. If you’ve got a question, you can ask it! Just head to mhmp.info/askmatt. You can record the question or you can fill in the form and we’ll read it for you.
[00:42:27] Keith Gooden: And do say where you’re from as well. If you’re looking for trusted brands and services, then make sure you visit the Motorhome Matt Approved directory. It’s at mhmp.info/approved.
[00:42:37] Matt Sims: And we would love it too if you’d leave us a little review. Five stars, please, would be great! Just head to mhmp.info/review.
[00:42:46] Keith Gooden: And how does a fellow follow?
[00:42:47] Matt Sims: We would love it if you would follow on your favourite podcast app or click subscribe, and that little bell if you’re watching on YouTube.
[00:42:57] Keith Gooden: Thanks for listening to the Motorhome Matt podcast. Remember to check back here for more episodes full of hints and tips and helpful advice. We’ll see you soon for another Motorhome Matt podcast brought to you with www.thatleisureshop.com.
