End of the Scarborough (Whitby Filey) Guide! I attended the ATP (Area Tourism Partnership) meeting followed by the Borough Tourism Working Group meeting at the Evron Centre Filey today. At this meeting it was announced that this year is the last year of the costal guide that advertises on Scarborough Whitby and Filey accommodation; future guides will incorporate the boroughs of Hambleton, and Ryedale. This I was told will give the borough the opportunity to widen its exposure to new markets and reduce the entry costs to communicate to these markets. A long period of time was spent discussing the future of Scarborough art gallery, should it have a cafe. Some time was also spent discussing Whitby Tourist Information Centre and the opening of a cafe in the adjoining space.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Friday, October 13, 2006
Thunder Cats Hooo!!
We have Thunder Cat racing in the South Bay this weekend!
No this is not the bi-pedal cats carrying swords led by Lion-o fighting the evile Mumm-ra and his evile band of eveil doers! But these Thundercats!
These boats will be racing around the bay, having fun.
Needless to say, me and the kids will be surfing at 6.30am in the morning to avoid being run over!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Scarborough Hospitality Association Coffee Morning
Scarborough Hospitality Association Coffee Morning I attend this in the winter months and this month it was at the Harmony Country Lodge an interesting place built in a hexagonal shape at Burniston, with a religious and holistic slant.
North Bay Sands Development Liasion Group
The Sands North Bay Scarborough
Attended my second North Bay liaison group today regarding the sands development FAQ here
In my capacity of Scarborough Hospitality Association Vice President,
roughly here is the present situation;
Work has now officially started, highway diversion operates outside the old corner, hoarding will be going up soon, renovation of part of the old pavilion will commence soon and then demolition of the corner complex.
Mr Rhodes (from Benchmark) is keen to see as little disruption to the locality as possible and is keen to see rubble crushed on site and buried as future hardcore on site. This will be good for the environment.
Local suppliers will be used as much as possible, subject to cost constraints.
Nicholson; a local estate agency is handling the letting of the remaining 2 shop units. Nicholson will also be selling the apartments that are part of the first build. I understand that around 12 flats have already been sold "off plan".
The rest of the meeting was spent discussing proposed traffic routes that big lorries and normal lorries could use so as to minimise disruption to residents. Though I suppose the Scarborough Borough Council already have this worked out? The main big deliveries are the steel from Sheffield and the bathroom pods from Hull. Though I suppose the raw materials for the concrete machine that will undoutably be on site will also be large and regular!
Is the Sabds Development Good For Scarborough? Discuss!
Monday, October 09, 2006
Talking of widening the A64
Here is an interesting point of view of a person in the accommodation trade, ie me
A business colleague told me about a conversation with a leading business person from blackpool, regarding improving the A64.
Blackpool (off there this week!) hotels noticed that when the road was made dual carriage all the way into the town, Hoteliers noticed a sharp drop in trade from there usual markets!
Why?
Well around 75% of the Blackpool short break market came from a drive time distance of around 1.5-2.5 hours, ie. Long enough for a short stay but too long a drive for a day trip!
After the road was improved this market that was 1.5-2.5 hours drive away was now 1.-1.5 hours away, result they no longer needed to stay over night as customers could reach Blackpool easier for a day trip.
This placed many hoteliers off balance with their understanding of their market, unfortunately for Blackpool the new 1.5-2.5 hour drive distance did not take in a more densely popuplated area than the old 1.5-2.5 drive time area.
So what does this possibly mean for Scarborough?
Our main short stay market is West and South Yorkshire, high density areas, the main industrial base of the region is located here. If the A64 is made dual all the way into Scarborough, I think this market will become mainly day trip, beyond this area there is not a more densely populated area to replace it; so we need to be prepared to react to this change if it comes.
Don't get me wrong I firmly believe the A64 dual link into Scarborough will be a good thing for the town as a whole! When it does happen don't be supprised if you see me opening an ice cream parlour! However, the accommodation market needs to think ahead when this change does come!
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Friday, October 06, 2006
Betting On Scarborough Update!
Interesting to note in the Evening News today Don Robinson (AKA Local Character) is leading a bid to get a Casino in York.
Interesting that as he said Scarborough is too small for a Casino! Ummm!
Really!
Interesting that as he said Scarborough is too small for a Casino! Ummm!
Really!
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Place your bets! Betting on Scarborough
I attended the “betting on Scarborough” meeting tonight with my brother Richard at the Royal Hotel, one of Scarborough's other historic hotels. This was about Scarboroughs attempt to get a license for a reginal small casino with a gamming floor the size of a football pitch (Small?)
The meeting was interesting after all the important people had said their bit, there were some very important people there; CEO's of Scarborough Borough Council (sbc), North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC), and Yorkshire Forward (YF) a local charater wanted to have his say!.
Don Robinson (aka a local character) moved to the from and spoke from the podium and said a bigger casino was not viable in the area, and A64 widening was most important, A director from the local exisitng casino said that a new casino would force them to close (Similar to what happened to an other exisitng casino that was open and trading just before they opened up their new casino at the old Royal Opera House site.) Mind you this resoning is fairly mute as the we could use the same reasoning for a new hotel or accommodation provider opening up in the town! Others had minor objections to the lack of public consultation on the issue?
Council officers seemed bemused and a degree embarrassed somewhat, and the whole thing sort of “fell apart” though no blame should be attached to the participants or organisers, I wonder what the CEO's of SBC, NYCC and YF thought!?
The casino regulators do not make a decision until December, interesting that the final plans for sands are not submitted until December, though this site is probably the best place to put a casino anyway!
The council officers seemed very confident that they are going to get a license for a gaming floor the size of a football pitch! I think the behaviour of the few have strengthened the resolve of the officers to “go for it!” Though in the headdy hights of council politics you never really know what the big game plan is, and tonight was a classic example!
Any way the food and service at the Royal Hotel on this occasion was very good.
Interesting that non of the excitement on the night was reported in the evening news; our local rag!
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Scarborough Hospitality Association
Scarborough Hospitality Association I attended this meeting as the vice president on the first Tuesday of the month, many things were discussed at this meeting including the proposed Sands development and the furutre of the towns tourism
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