AGM Scarborough Hospitality Association

Well I have been Vice President of the Hospitality Association for the last year, it is now my turn to take over the reigns from Michael Broddle (who has worked valiantly for the industry for many years; he is still on the committee and much needed by the Association and Committee)

During the next year we need to divide the committee up into the sub committees for Marketing and IT, Memberships and Social etc...We also need to set our sights on the main issues we need to tackle over the next year and set some goals to achieve.Well looks like a busy year ahead!

Just prey that intel does not name its next computer chip Scarborough!

You know things are bad when something's value is predicated by its standing in the Google search rankings, but that's exactly what's happening down at the Cornish town of Penryn apparently consigned to oblivion by Intel's chip of the same name.
This is Cornwall explains: "A week ago, typing Penryn into the Google search engine...would have immediately brought up information about the Cornish town in the top position. But now Penryn is slipping down the ratings as hordes of computer users around the world click on to find out more information about the new range of Intel computer processors."
Oh dear. Kevin Pickup, big cheese down at i-webmarketing, "a Cornish company which helps firms optimise their search engine position", explained the possible apocalyptic implications of the cyber-relegation: "This is going to be a huge problem for Penryn businesses. Although the chip isn't even on the market yet, there's already a huge buzz. Web pages relating to the Intel Penryn are starting to displace local businesses in the search results.
"As people who search the internet rarely look past the first couple of pages of results, the Cornish websites will effectively disappear from search engines."
Of course, Intel will rename Penryn (the chip) in due course, but that could come too late for Penryn (the town). Pickup continued: "Even if they announce a new name, it will take up to a year for it to come off the placements. Businesses need to look at their keywords and maybe change a few things."
Intel has moved quickly to assure Penrynians that they will not be forced to shut up shop and move to a more Google-prominent location. The UK's Intel marketing manager Chris Hogg offered: "It's just a codename that we're using - we have no plans whatsoever to use it as a brand. Once we start using the official product name, people will quickly stop using the codename. Cornwall is one of my favourite holiday destinations and I think Penryn is a delightful town."

HOTEL or not HOTEL; that is the question!

Well what is the best way to categorize providers of accommodation?
This question is being asked due to the on going implementation of the new harmonisation standards and the effect these standards are having with regard to the word HOTEL.

Yes HOTEL, when is a HOTEL not a HOTEL?

According to Visit Britain and the AA when you are not listed as a HOTEL in their inspection scheme, you are then called an Accommodation Provider.

So the end result will undoubtedly be making thousands of establishments in the Accommodation Provider scheme with HOTEL in their name remove this name from the property, letterheads, websites etc...

Unless those affected write into the powers that be and put their argument forward!

So if your one of the ones affected and are unhappy write in and send a copy to your local trade bodies of which you are members and get them to put your objections forward in a further letter from the trade body.

Umm! interesting Ebay item! Royal Marine Surrender Kit!

Well I think this guy is possibly trying to wind someone up!

"Royal Marines surrender kit"

Conservapedia

I love the net and its peculiarities especially things like this give me a real giggle!

Conservapedia was created to offer an alternative US outlook on the world, with American spelling. Result is many people have been encouraging and overstating the American view point in order to "knacker" the effectiveness of this site and add a bit of mischievous fun.

This makes for an entertaining pass time like looking for flying helicopters on Google earth, or BIG swear words.

Do check out their opinion of the UK, especially the religion section.

http://www.conservapedia.com/UK

Scarborough Burns rubbish!

Just got thenews that the council is burning an incinerator that will power a number of local houses. They seem to think they are the first!
But they are not Singapore has been doing it sucessfully foryears and recylcing and reducing their power useage at the same time.
In Singapore they also have a policy on energy useage and reducing packaging.

Well we do get there eventually!

Guestlink!

Met with Janet Deacon to discuss the effects on the members of SHA with the incoming guestlink system for online booking.

I can't help thinking though that this online booking is as fundamental as the arrival of the fax machine for accommodation providers.

If you don't think this will have any protetial benefits for you and your an accommodation provider then take 3 days asside, and get your head round it.

If you can't drop me a line I will either asist you myself or get someone to come and help you!?

Online Booking Anyone!

Got the details for guest link this week, the online booking engine.

The system looks good I hope providers in the are take advantage of it!

http://www.guestlink.co.uk

for more details

Bording all Easter Weekend!

Just spend all weekend on the beach with the kids! I spent most of the time in the sea on my bodyboard with fins and wetsuit on.

Good Friday was real mean I got cramp and had a 15ft wave drop on me, very nasty. Always shakes you upa bit that. The waves were big and thick with a classic 14 second interval between them.

The wave carmed down over the weekend and actualy got glassier(better).

Beach was great with BarBQ, kids, sun and fun!

Yes in the picture is the size of the surf, and that guys around 6ft tall!

2003 Server Nework Course

Attended a networking course this week with server 2003; came out of the course with a list of things to do; one of the main things is security.

I learned how to listen to traffic on a network this week; yes folks this included PASSWORDS being sent to websites and servers. Scary! So spending most of the weekend screwing down our network vulnerailities.

Centre Parks

Had great fun at centre parks this week!
Yes! a great time and we didn't even fly!

Trouble is it cost about £800 altogether, may have been cheaper going abroad!

Pancake Race today!

Represented the Scarborough Hospitality Association at the anual pancake race; we didn't win!

But the lads down in the gym at the Crown did! :)

Yes it helps that when you enter a team; at least one of themruns for county at the 100m; lol

The boys at Boyes didn't stand a chance; the cup make a great mint holder in Stu's (club manager) office at work!

Been to Borough Yourism Working Group Today

Well me some borough planning guys today and well they want to formulate a borough wide planning policy with regard to tourismand hotels.
So we have more accommodation providers coming to Scarborough town; when we already have over supply, now these guys want a borough wide policy covering Filey and Whitby and Scarborough. Problem is the three towns are very different

• Filey needs more serviced accomodation providers, they already have a ton of non-serviced in the form ofCaravans.
• Whitby needs more serviced and non-serviced providers.
• Scarborough needs less serviced and probably no more non-serviced.

So there you have it we can not have a uniform borough wide policy on this matter.

Blatant Back Link!

http://www.CrownSpaHotel.com

PLease click on this! TA!

TESCO SCAM

Over the last month I became a victim of a clever scam while shopping at Tesco.
Don't be naive enough to think it couldn't happen to you!
Here's how the scam works:

Two seriously good-looking 20-21 year-old girls come over to your car as you are packing your shopping into car.
They both start wiping the windshield with a rag and Sqeezy with their
breasts almost falling out of their skimpy T-shirts.
Believe me it's impossible not to look.
When you thank them and offer them a tip, they say "no" and instead ask you for a ride to another Tesco store (any store will do they say, including these new tesco express stores!)
You agree and they get in the back seat. On the way, they start having sex
with each other. Then one of them climbs over into the front seat and
performs a sex act on you, while the other one steals your wallet.
I've had my wallet stolen January 4th, 9th, 10th, twice on the 5th, 17th, & 24th. Also
on February 1st, 3rd, and twice just yesterday!

Scarborough Relagated on Wikipedia

So wait and see!

Last time I checked Scarborough on google, the first 6 were UK Scarborough related.

I bet this drops to say 4 in a month, as Wikipedia has a page rank of 9 with backlinks to many Scarborough UK enitites.

Scarboroough Relagated on Wikipeadia

So wait and see!

Last time I checked Scarborough on google, the first 6 were UK Scarborough related.

I bet this drops to say 4 in a month, as Wikipedia has a page rank of 9 with backlinks to many Scarborough UK enitites.

Scarborough might be relagated in Wikipedia

So What I may hear you ask?
Well the attempt isbeing made by Scarbooians in Canada as their town is larger.
If we are relagated this will affect the listing of Scarborough UK in Google, yes it will.

So go to here to oppose this attempt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Scarborough

Please help sort out these "cultured" Yanks!

ok! We won the Casino Bid.

I have read (briefly) the 181 page report, yes the borough has been awarded the Small Casino License.
I have had a think about where in the borough it will be?UMM!

My bet is on the Futruist Site, my reasons are;

• The sands dealis a done deal, the casino here will not affect the deal the council has already reached with benchmark, though benchmark can make a high monetary bid the council will have to take into other factors.
• Whitby has not got a site that comes to mind, and it would be rather too near the middleborough Casino site, access to Whitby from the south is also an issue, so effectively a site in Whitby would be competing for the same punters as the middlesborough site.
• Filey, nowwhee here is coming tomy mind.
• The futurist is in desparate need of development why loose the opportunity of developing this site by wasting it on a development (sands) that will not be stopped without a casino as part of the deal.

So we will wait and see!

What do you think?

Could this be YOU??

Yes this next week the results will be released to the lucky or unlucky towns who will be getting a regional casino. Could Scarborough be getting a casino with a gaming floor the size of a football pitch, excluding the gaming machines!This causes me concern as to the social impact on the town, yes my town, I was born and bred here! I am also concerned about the economic impact!The people visiting casinos will be from out of the town mainly, the money they spend in the casino will be pupmed out of town to the share holders of the Casino!Leaving an economic moat around the venue, where the people outside are generally excluded from the economic advantages of this type of development, the staff will be probably from old Eatern block countries.I think I might be regretting not taking up that Cash Converters opportunity in 2000, before I joined my family at the Crown Hotel (now Crown Spa Hotel).This type of economic moat is already prevalent in Atlantic city, where the locals look into the Casinos like children looking into "Willy Wonkas Factory" with longing eyes at the economic benefits inside, whilst the only new businesses that have opened up are Pawn Brokers!This type of development always hits the weakest and most vuneralble in society!

Been a bit Stormy this week!

I think the pictures say it all, yes we had rain and wind and BIG BIG SEAS.

Scarborough Hospitality Association Marketing Meeting

We what should we do as an association to promote hospitality;
we thought and discussed about the following;

• Building a data base together, if each member or local attraction collected on a simple form (possibly with a competition inducement) 75 names of guests/customers and shared them with the association. We as a group could market these people in quaterly mailings with refferal offers for recommending friends. We would soon have a list of over 10,000 + names. Our business belongs to a marketing group who do just this, we now mail to 30,0000 prospects!
• Seasonal advertising in regional newspapers like the Yorkshire Post, for as little as £120 each between at least 18 establishments, we could place an advert to run over 3 weeks promoting scarborough and the participating establishments. Offers would of course have to be simple like 3 nights for the price of 2, but obviously date restictions and prices would be different per establishment.
• A monthly newsletter sent out to potential and regular scarborough visitors to inform them as to what is going on in the town, this could be marketed through local atrractions and going out to shopping centres (like our promotional trips). This could be away of keeping people informed as to what is going on in Scarborough on a regular basisi with may be some offers from local attractions.
• Upgrade the SHA discount card to a "ticket book" self funded by the attractions that advertise in it, with any extra funds being used to promote Scarborough.

Do you have any thoughs?

We are next mneeting on the 30th Janury 2007

Anual Hospitality Ball Last Night!

This was a great night with a good band.
The food at the spa was very good as was the service.

Good venue to host it!

Thanks for the comments given regarding my amazing technicolour dream coat made of Tiger skin!

Anual Hospitality Ball Last Night!

This was a great night with a good band.
The food at the spa was very good as was the service.

Good venue to host it!

Thanks for the comments given regarding my amazing technicolour dream coat made of Tiger skin!

North Bay Liason Meeting

Ok met up regarding Sands Development.

Delays were alledgedly due to
Bat & Bird Survey
Suplimentary agreements to be finalised with benchmark and the council; apparently there were 26 questions from the banks to benchmark, 5 could only be answered by the council, 21 by Benchmark. Hopefully this will be agreed by mid-January 2007.

They are wanting to commence demolishing the corner next week (I will believe that when I see it!)

Atlantis, report to cabinet this week, (but I have seen the pool plant they use and it is pants) I expect it to be shut this summer personally.

Kinderland will be open this year, looks more like Atlantis will be shut as Good news may help bury the bad news!?

Beach Huts may arrive early Summer 2007 (aledgedly)

Northbay Railway is going well with the tempoary operators, with 3100 passengers since early December 2006, good news, I hope this operator gets to be the permanent operator! Expressions of interets close 19th January 2007.

To reserve a flat in the new block costs £1K (non refeundable!)

Well we will wait and see!

Hospitality Association Committee Meeting

Had this meeting today, much quieter than the last meeting.
The various issues were discussed Sands development, new parking revision etc...

People seemed more positive about the season ahead, I am also feeling more psoitive this year!