Granddad with months to live can’t enjoy time left due to stress over caravan site

Stephen Jones, 63, whose caravan is over 20 years old, has been told it will not be allowed on the site from December 2020.

A granddad with just months to live, says he is unable to enjoy the time he has left because of the stress of having to take his caravan off a holiday park.

Stephen Jones, 63, from Manchester, has terminal liver and stomach cancer and says the terms of a new policy regarding his caravan are causing him stress that he ‘could do without’.

Annual licences at Kingfisher Caravan Park in Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, are being replaced with 15-year licences from December 31, this year.

That means that caravans that are 15-years-old or older must pass yearly inspections in order to stay on the site up to a maximum age of 20 years.

The owners of existing caravans that were built 20 or more years ago have been given a year’s period of grace from this December.

However, no caravans over 20 years old will be allowed on the site from December 2020.

Stephen, who has had a caravan on the park for 25 years, says that all he wants to do is give his two young granddaughters some memories of holidays at the park, after their father died at the age of 32.

Are Gemma Collins and Arg together and why did she call 999 over him?

He said: ‘I was diagnosed with terminal liver and stomach cancer in March 2019 and given a year to live. I had a heart attack in June.

‘My son Steven died five years ago at the aged of 32 and I just want to give his two young daughters some memories of holidays at the park.

‘I can understand that if some caravans are tatty they should get rid of them but there’s nothing wrong with the caravans.’

A public meeting has been called outside the site launderette at 10am on Friday, October 25.

Home and Away spoilers: Jasmine is kidnapped and Scott is stabbed in terrifying scenes

Jordan Hugill, 25, from Doncaster, said: ‘We are not just fighting to keep the caravans on here, we want proper contracts, guarantees and assurances.

‘Some people this season have been sold caravans that are 18 or 19 year old who have had letters telling them to move them.’

Christopher O’Connor, 34, from Leeds, set up a petition on Change.org

He said: ‘I took my caravan on in January and it has cost me £10,000 so far which I won’t get back.

‘Before I took it on I got confirmation from the park that there were no plans at all.

Who's in the cast of The Batman so far?

‘I now get a letter saying that because it’s over 20 years old there will be an inspection by the council.

‘The kids are heartbroken because we’re going to lose it.’

The caravan park is owned by East Lindsey District Council but privately-run.

A council spokesman said: ‘The decision to introduce the new multi-year licences has been taken firmly with licensees and the continued sustainability of the site in mind.

‘The longer length of the licence offers our licensees a greater peace of mind around the viability of what is a significant investment – much more so than the annual licence previously offered.

Granddad with months to live can’t enjoy time left due to stress over caravan site

‘Those individuals whose caravans no longer meet the requirements for one of the new licences, are free to move their caravan to another site, we are in no way saying they must get rid of their caravan.’

The statement also added that the changes would ‘remove situations where licensees are having to pay to dispose of their old caravans or are simply walking away from them which leaves us to chase them to recover the debt’.

It added: ‘All these changes are hugely positive for Kingfisher Caravan Park and to the benefit of our licensees, with the ultimate aim of achieving 5 star accreditation from Visit England.’