Dad ditches house for motorhome after ‚midlife crisis‘ | Travel News | Travel

5 months in the past, Ian Reeves left his home and moved right into a motorhome. Attracted by the liberty of the nomadic life-style and having undergone a divorce the 57-year-old lastly realised his dream. And he hasn’t seemed again since.    

Ian enjoys travelling up and down the nation, exploring totally different areas and areas of the nation.  

He informed the ECHO: „After I turned 50 I purchased my motorhome, I went by a midlife disaster. At 51 I did my motorcycle take a look at, at 52 I went paragliding, however it’s the perfect factor that is ever occurred to me.

„I simply liked the life-style. I liked travelling round. I went round Anglesey, Scotland, I’ve completed a little bit of Northern Eire and I liked it. I liked the liberty to stand up within the morning and prepare dinner breakfast within the open air when it isn’t raining, go for a pleasant lengthy stroll and do no matter I need to do.“

Ian made the choice to maneuver into his motorhome full-time after getting a divorce from his spouse.

The influence the coronavirus pandemic had on his enterprise promoting hair loss merchandise additional spurred his determination to change to van life.

Ian mentioned: „Throughout covid my earnings went down 80 per cent so I discovered it lots cheaper to reside in my motorhome. It is the perfect factor I’ve ever completed. I nonetheless do a bit of labor on my laptop computer in my motorhome as a result of I’ve nonetheless set to work to earn a bit of cash.“

He mentioned the motorhome group is made up of individuals of all ages, together with those that have transformed their vans on a funds and others who’ve purchased a contemporary motorhome kitted out with all of the facilities.

Ian mentioned: „I dreamt of getting a motorhome, it is such a pleasant lifestyle.

„Do not get me improper, I’ve nonetheless acquired worries as a result of dwelling in a motorhome every part you personal is in a motorhome. If it will get damaged into every part you personal is in the identical area so it’s a must to watch out the place you park.

„There’s by no means any hassle, there’s all the time good comradery. We now have an excellent chuckle and a joke, everyone seems to be all the time there to assist everybody out. If I’ve ever acquired a flat tyre or flat battery there’s all the time a motorhome proprietor round that will help you out.“

Motorhome homeowners like Ian are taking a stand in opposition to the latest £20 in a single day parking expenses which have been launched within the space round Merseyside’s New Brighton’s Coastal Drive.

Wirral Council mentioned the experimental site visitors regulation order (ETRO), which is in place for a interval of 18 months, can be saved underneath common overview and might be amended if mandatory.

However many motorhome homeowners have argued that the parking expenses are too excessive and have put them off visiting the sweetness spot all collectively.

Ian mentioned: „A £20 cost is simply ridiculous. They’ve made it so costly that you simply will not keep there. I do not thoughts paying a payment, if it was £5 I’ve fortunately pay £5 an evening.

„The cash ‚motorhomers‘ are bringing to the economic system is sort of some huge cash. After I go down there, I on common spend £100 for a weekend. I’m going for a drink, purchase meals in Morrisons and have meals within the native pub.

„After I park up of an evening time I attempt to park up someplace and by no means keep there greater than a day or two and take a look at my finest to not park in entrance of individuals’s homes.“

Lee Mathie, 48, from Moreton, can be a daily customer to New Brighton, the place he travels at the very least as soon as a fortnight in his motorhome.

He mentioned he may see himself dwelling in his motorhome sooner or later however mentioned the brand new parking expenses have put him off parking in a single day.

Lee mentioned: „I may see myself travelling, dwelling within the motorhome by all means as a house from dwelling. The group is all the time there that will help you and all of us look out for one another as nicely.

„I keep in a single day on the Dips however not for £20, it is completely ridiculous. I stayed in Haven about two months in the past and it was £9 an evening, I acquired my electrical energy, bathe and waste drop, I acquired passes for swimming and passes for leisure.

„The motorhome group as an entire within the nation, there’s about 200,000 vans within the nation, however down New Brighton I’ve seen between 30-40 vans. I’ve seen in all probability two or three vans which have stayed down right here for greater than two weeks on the trot however the majority of them, they’re right here for 2 nights they usually’re gone.“

The Echo understands that the intention of the brand new expenses is to higher management the place bigger autos and motorhomes can park with a view to take away obstruction on the general public street, which is a statutory responsibility for native authorities.

Additionally it is understood that the brand new ETRO is anticipated to enhance waste administration within the space and assist the authorities implement the general public area safety order in place on the New Brighton Dips.

Again in October 2020, councillors had agreed an appropriate website for campervans in Wirral was wanted following experiences of „foul smells“ and „unsavoury companies“ inflicting well being and environmental points for locals in New Brighton.

The council mentioned they’re persevering with to „examine the viability of offering a devoted, serviced website within the space for touring autos“ as a longer-term answer to the problems.

With regards to waste disposal, Lee mentioned individuals in campervans and motorhomes usually make use of waste drop services at service stations, public bogs, farms, native pubs and campsites, or take it dwelling with them.

Lee mentioned: „I can reside on this for 2 weeks, I’ve a 150 litre tank onboard. Most motorhomes will carry waste for 2 weeks and contemporary water for 2 weeks.“

Lee and Ian are among the many motorhome homeowners and native residents who’re calling on the council to scale back the value of the parking expenses on Coastal Drive.

The quantity of street indicators which have been put up within the space informing individuals concerning the new expenses have additionally been described as an „eyesore“ by locals.

A spokesperson for Wirral Council mentioned: „That is an Experimental Site visitors Regulation Order (ETRO), in place for a interval of 18 months.

„As such it will likely be saved underneath common overview and might be amended if mandatory. As with all new ETRO, individuals can categorical their views about it to the council inside the first six months of its implementation.

„They’ll do that on-line at www.wirral.gov.uk/highways, or in writing to Simon Fox, Interim Director Highways & Streetscene, PO Field 290, Brighton Avenue, Wallasey, Wirral CH27 9FQ. Quote the scheme reference quantity TO/22/07.“