IN an age when more and more families are opting to holiday in the UK rather than go abroad, caravans are becoming increasingly popular.

And that’s partly why Wiltshire Caravans, based on the West Wilts Trading Estate in Westbury, has flourished since its launch in 2013.

The dealership is the brainchild of friends James Hibbs and Mark Pearce, who realised that there was a gap in the market while on a caravan holiday together with their respective families.

Mr Hibbs said: “We were away on a caravan holiday when we realised that there was a need for a dealership in the area.

“Mark was an electrician and a coachbuilder and I have 15 years’ sales experience, so when we got back we married our backgrounds and skills and started the company.

“We weren’t sure how it was going to go initially, so Mark kept his job as a safety net.

“But, to our delight, the phones started ringing on the first day and continued from that moment onwards.

“We employed Mark’s brother shortly after, and his sister a month later, and we now have 12 employees.

“I think the reason we hit the ground running is because both Mark and I were keen caravan users, regularly going on holidays with our families, so we know what people want from their caravans.”

The dealership is among the top 10 UK stockists of Elddis caravans and also sells Buccaneer, Avante, Affinity, Xplore and Crusader ranges and all makes of second-hand caravans.

Just around the corner from the showroom is a hardstanding, enclosed storage compound with CCTV and an alarm.

Mr Hibbs added: “We’re constantly looking to expand our services. The future is bright for Wiltshire Caravans.”