About Us - SBL Caravan Centre

About Surf Bay Leisure back in the old times

 

SBL Caravan Centre is a division of Surf Bay Leisure, one of the largest dealers of New Holiday Homes and Lodges in the country.

At SBL Caravan Centre we have the largest display of holiday homes throughout the South West with our huge 14 acre Sales Centre in Devon and our sister Sales Centres in Somerset & Dorset. We can transport anywhere in the UK or abroad.

Whether you are looking for a 1, 2 or 3 bedroom pre-owned holiday home, at SBL Caravan Centre we stock a wide variety of manufacturers and models and all are high quality and unbeatable value for money.

If you’re looking for a new holiday home we are also main dealers for some of the UK’s leading manufacturers: ABI, Atlas and Swift and have their latest models on display. We really do have something for everyone and are well worth a visit! For more information on new holiday homes and lodges, please visit the Surf Bay Leisure website.

 

The History behind SBL Caravan Centre

Old photograph of Surf Bay siting a caravan

 

Both SBL Caravan Centre and Surf Bay Leisure are divisions of 3T's Leisure Limited.

Our company was officially founded in 1905 when Ernie Taylor converted his parents field into a campsite by the sea at Westward Ho!, near Bideford. Teenagers started to use the field for camping and being at the Western end of the village, it became known as 'Taylor's Western', and more recently changed its name to Beachside Holiday Park.

Faced with increased demand for holiday accommodation in the area, alongside Ernie, his son Archie & daughter-in-law Nora & their son John, they expanded the company by converting more farmland at the other end of Westward Ho! And Surf Bay Holiday Park opened in the early 1960's.

The park was also the site of the then fledgling Caravan Holiday Home distribution business. John’s son, Michael, got involved in the business in the late seventies and this grew over the years to include new and pre-owned holiday homes sales, this included caravan transport, this grew to a point where more space was essential to progress. In 1989 a suitable 12-acre plot on the site of a disused airfield at Winkleigh in Devon was secured to go along with our first sales centre based in Brean, Somerset.

The re-location of the holiday home business, then trading as Surf Bay Caravans, enabled the company to refurbish and repair holiday homes in the large workshop facility, and displayed one of the largest ranges of New and Used caravan holiday homes in the country. Offices to house sale administration, accounts and Customer Care Department were also built, there was then a need to expand again and the Winkleigh head office grew to 27 acres.

Along with the Winkleigh Head Office development, a third Sales Centre & showground was also introduced in the early 90’s, located at Bridport in Dorset, thus improving customer service and access to our product ranges across the South West.

Continuing the expansion, in 1997, River Valley Country Park was purchased near Penzance, Cornwall, and since then the company has converted this campsite into a prestigious Caravan Holiday Home and lodge park. River Valley is now the base for a growing business in the holiday cottage industry with the first property in the Luxury Cornish Retreats holiday homes now available to book at River Valley.

The business has further evolved with the expansion into holiday apartment accommodation, with a range of luxury holiday apartments in Westward Ho! being developed at both the Surf Bay and Beachside locations, offering high quality self catering holidays for families that require luxury accommodation.

In 2020, the purchase of Silverbow Country Park in Cornwall was completed, and a new park has been added to the group. Silverbow Country Park is a 26 acre park situated in Goonhavern near to Perranporth and Newquay on the North Cornish coast. A real gem, Silverbow Country Park has always been a beautiful park that has an abundance of wildlife in and around and has a peaceful and tranquil ambience. The park itself is now being developed as an owners only park with a range of modern luxury static caravans and holiday lodges for sale.

The 3T's Leisure Limited of today grows with strength & includes extensive displays from multiple manufacturers. Alongside Michael is a dedicated team driving the company forward and looking to the future, Michael's son, Josh, is now the 5th generation of Taylor to continue within the family business.