Telling it like it is
According to the national press, one of Direct Line's insurance salesmen took offence when his employers offered bottles of wine as a reward for good performance. He is now suing them for racial and religious discrimination, claiming that the offer of alcohol, which his religion forbids him to consume, made him feel excluded.
It wasn't clear whether he would have been offered an alternative should he have
won – or even if he had been
a favourite to win. What intrigued me about this sorry tale was how he had taken offence where, presumably, none had been intended. It is
a phenomenon which, I would suggest, is becoming increasingly common.
Although never one to
be short of an opinion, I do try to make my utterances considered, rather than inflammatory. However, strongly worded criticism has been received here at Bancroft Towers from some directors of motorhome companies for offending their sensibilities.
My crime was not to include them among our recent Sovereign Award winners. This (for those not quite up to speed) is an awards scheme based entirely on readers' opinions over the purchasing experience and the use of new and used motorcaravans.
(This year's voting form is on p129. And also see our Buyers Guide pp182-203 for summaries of past years' winners.)
Similarly, following some criticism I made of a new motorcaravan in a review,
I received a ticking off from the company's sales director who, while agreeing that the product was at fault, felt that I should not have said so publicly. Further, if demand for this particular model suffered as a result of my 'offensive' remarks, he would hold me personally responsible if production-line staff lost their jobs.
No mention was made about correcting the obvious fault and six months later, new models still have the same problems.
Is it me or do you also think it's right to report problems?
The above example
of Alice in Wonderland management style leads me neatly on to…
Fantasy Island
As a follow-up to last month's item about Diggerland, here is somewhere else you can take the junior motorcaravanners during their summer holidays.
Fantasy Island – on the east coast at Ingoldmells, near Skegness – is a huge complex that includes a funfair, theme park and shopping market.
The car parks are well signposted and the rides tower above the surrounding flat countryside, so it is pretty easy to find. There are plenty of parking spaces, including some for motorcaravans, though it is advisable to arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon in order to get a spot fairly close by. All the car parks are within walking distance of the complex but those with toddlers who insist on toddling and some 'young at heart' with mobility problems would benefit from arriving promptly to find a parking place close to the action.
Admission to the park is free, which means you can come and go at will. Many visitors choose to return to their motorcaravan to use the facilities, or take a lunch break.
Payment for the rides is by tokens only. Last year, each token cost 60p and the rides varied from one to five tokens per person, with many only costing one or two. The rides vary: from those suitable for the under-threes right up to 'Intense Thrills', an apt name because for just a few tokens you can get scared witless.
The Ferris wheel at Fantasy Island is said to be the biggest in Europe. It certainly gave
us terrific views over the surrounding countryside.
As well as the rides there is
a large indoor/outdoor market, several show bars and plenty of fast food outlets.
We stayed at the nearby Camping and Caravanning Club site at Mablethorpe. Grand for a bucket-and-spade type holiday, and it's open to non-members.
Green machines?
Are you a Recycling Rachel or a Bin-it Brian? Naturally, I'm sure, you're the former. Sadly though, even if you know your plastics from your papers, looking after the planet will take more than the posting
of empties at bottle banks.
Recently I was made aware of this when enjoying a tour of The Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire, organised by Avondale Motorhomes. The centre houses a fascinating collection of British vehicles and associated memorabilia. When I visited, part of the upper floor was given over to
a 'Green by Design' exhibition. This fascinating series of displays attempted to show what vehicle manufacturers are doing to reduce the impact of their products on the environment. It also introduced some of the technologies used to make a vehicle 'greener'.
The full ramblings can be found in the April 06 issue of Practical Motorhome
Happy motorhoming!
Jack Bancroft |
