Vanlife Festival 2026

Interest in motorhomes and campervans in the UK has surged by 133% since the start of 2026, defying tighter parking and overnight bans in some areas. Data from Gumtree shows this growth is four times faster than the general car market, with the peak season beginning early due to warm spring weather. Demand is strongest in coastal and countryside regions like Fife and County Antrim, as buyers plan staycations and road trips to avoid rising accommodation costs.

Authorities are considering a permanent ban on overnight motorhome parking in Scarborough and Whitby. Some councillors supported the ban, citing safety and visual amenity issues, but many residents objected, pointing to displacement effects. Signs notifying of the ban in Cayton were ripped down and thrown over cliffs shortly after being installed.

Elddis will cease caravan production at its Consett plant in the UK after over 50 years. The focus shifts to campervans and motorhomes, to be manufactured at Erwin Hymer Group facilities in Germany and Poland. The move is part of a strategic shift towards motorised leisure vehicles amid declining caravan registrations.

UK-based Sussex Campervans has announced a custom conversion of the Kia PV5 electric van. The donor vehicle reportedly has a range of up to 430 miles on a single charge, reduced to an estimated 258 miles after conversion. Standard features include a pop-top roof, with a payload capacity of approximately 1,466 lbs.

Volkswagen has launched the Multivan Camper as a factory base for creating custom camper vans. The vehicle comes with two front seats, empty rear space, and a factory-installed pop-up roof, but without interior finishing. Starting at £43,900, it is cheaper than ready-made California models but requires additional certification after self-conversion.

Residents in a UK town known as a caravan city are expressing anger. They claim their gardens are being taken over for makeshift parking spaces for van dwellers, which they describe as squalid and akin to a 'Wild West' situation.