More and more people are taking their holidays in caravans and motor homes and the trend has accelerated in the last two years.

The recession and unfavourable exchange rate with the euro has meant fewer trips abroad for the average holidaymaker, and many have decided to take the plunge and invest in a caravan in the belief it will provide decent family accommodation and huge flexibility at a fraction of the cost of a package holiday.

As a result, camping holidays in Britain brought in more than £400m to rural tourism locations alone in 2009, according to the Caravan Club.

And there was a rise of more than half a million in the number of nights spent in caravans during the year, compared to 2008.

All of which has been good news for Bicester Caravan and Leisure which is enjoying expansion as a result.

The company is owned by the Hughes family with David Hughes fronting the operation. The origins of the business stretch back almost 60 years to the time when Mr Hughes’ parents Leonard and Dolcie set up a timber yard and then a coal merchant which in 1968 expanded into a scrap metal operation, LC Hughes, which continues to operate alongside Bicester Caravans at Aylesbury Road, just outside Bicester.

Mr Hughes senior also ran a horticultural nursery as well as Bicester Garden Centre for years, as well as dealing with growing demand for the scrap metal and car parts side of the business.

David Hughes said: “We did a lot of business with the US servicemen and even provided parts for American cars such as Ford Torinos and Mustangs.

“In fact people came from all over the world for parts and a lot was exported to African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria because they just keep repairing their cars.”

Leonard Hughes finally retired but continued working on the site, after setting up a cafe, until his death in 1998.

David carried on the scrap and recycling side of the business but was also looking to diversify and one day he was offered an old caravan.

He bought it, restored it and suddenly people started to ask if they could buy one from him, so he continued to buy second hand examples and his alternative business was born.

“I started advertising for caravans as I could not meet demand. Then one of my customers suggested I should buy new ones,” he recalled.

Mr Hughes visited a trade show, bought a new van for himself and his young family, and realised what the attraction was.

After that, he contacted suppliers and Bicester Caravan and Leisure grew from being a sideline into his main business.

Now he stocks new vans from major manufacturers such as Compass, Buccaneer and Adria, as well as used vans and a large range of parts, accessories and equipment which are available from the workshop and in the onsite shop.

“We have facilities for people just starting out with caravans and there is a natural progression through the range.

“And people now come from all over the country and from countries such as Holland and Germany. They come here, choose their van and then go off on holiday in Oxfordshire.”

The recession and fragile state of the economy has played a large part in the caravan boom with people wanting to find a cheaper alternative to holidays abroad.

A caravan gives them the flexibility to travel where they want and stay at a variety of sites relatively cheaply, while still offering comfortable accommodation.

For some, the idea of towing a caravan may seem daunting and modern vans also have a range of devices which need mastering before the user hits the road and finds themselves struggling to cope with the gas supply or sanitary system.

Mr Hughes said: “We specialise in explaining how modern caravans work and advise customers on buying the right choice of van for their needs.

“We will also help them find a campsite to make sure everything works and that they are happy with their purchase.”

Bicester Caravans now employs ten people having originally started with one man and a workshop less than ten years ago.

It received an injection of staff with the closure of Chelston Motorhomes at Middleton Cheney about four years ago, and that also allowed it to start dealing in motorhome servicing and the occasional sale which has provided another string to its bow.

And the business is continuing to grow with the cafe being recently refurbished, a new IT system, and plans in place for a new showroom which will move it up another level.

Mr Hughes said: “We are trying to expand but at the same time keep the business manageable.”

Meanwhile, he would like to work fewer hours, as he is currently on site seven days a week.

“I need to keep a lot of plates spinning but we are investing in staff training which will give them better resources and facilities to do their jobs.”

From all this it would seem Mr Hughes has found a business that has beaten the recession but he does not claim to have been unaffected by the downturn.

“It has been a matter of keeping prices competitive, continually improving the offer and giving good customer service.”