32 inch TV only £389.99

Oh Yes! I like to know when I spot a bargain.
So I've been watching out for a cheap HD ready 32 inch TV for some time before Christmas arrives; our TV is not working very well it flickers from 28 inch to 3 inch intermitently.
So when Aldi advertised a 32 inch TV for£389.99 today, I dashed down to cue for the opening in the morning. I was 12th in the cue!
OH Yes! I am on to abargainn here I thought as I looked at the people behind.
Oh Yes!Ass the doors were opened by the security man.
Oh yes!Lookss like they have a lot of TV's!
Oh NO! I am12thh in the cue and they only have 10 TV's.
typicall, the way modern marketing works these days, so I left no buying anything!
Will I go back, Yes! I am a sucker for an offer that sounds too good to be true!

Oh by the wayWollworthss are selling a 32inch LCD by Relisys (they make computer monitors) for £449.99, so unless Tesco's and the other supermarkets have a war of the LCD's beforChristmasas I think I will be getting one from there; unless you know somewhere else I can get one elsewhere?

Christmas Lights On or Off!

Over the last two weeks I have been telephoned a number of times by people complaining that I am mad not giving the council "what for!" over the Christmas lights non-switch on.
What's my problem?
Don't I care about Scarborough?

I have asked the people who complained to me, were they there last year, most answer no, those that do answer yes were on the prerifery of the event with no children in tow. Well I was not there either, but I do care about the health and safety of people attending the event!

I have two friends who were in the town for the switch on last year both with young children, and they both experienced very frightening moments with regard to their children being crushed! This is not light matter, it only takes a second of resonable pressure to crush a child badly.

At the end of the day the Christmas Switch on event is not a spontaneous event, so it has to be assessed for health and safety by law, and the process for such a large event will require input from Police, Fire, Ambulance, and council and in the end and somebody the organiser has to put their "neck on the block" with regard to their job and possibly their liberty; if things go wrong!

At the end of the day nobody was willing to do this after assessing all the risks involved. I understand the reason the decision was so late was because the concerned parties were looking at options up until the last minute.

I personally can not see how 10,000 people who would each need a space of around 0.5 square meters to 1 square meter each just to stand (let alone move) can fit in the largest are near where the christmas lights are. I don't think any are in the town centre is that big? Or to put it another way would 20% of the towns folk fit in the area used last year safely?

So no switch-on this year, the failure is due to its own success!

This does raise the question of where else you could do the switch on! But there is little point if the new area is not where the lights are being displayed!

Scarborough Hospitality Association Committee Meeting

Held today at the Crown Spa Hotel Scarborough.
We handled the usual committee meeting issues and spent the traditional November meeting finalising the Annual Ball. The evening should be good and a lot of work has been put in by the social committee.
After we met the coucil representative and two hoteliers (guest providers?) from Hartleypool (Don't mention the monekey!). In hartlepool the council make no exception for the parking for the tourist over night stay industry, the hoteliers have to pay £250 per parking place! They were very interetsed in the consessions Scarborough Hoteliers had negotiated, £1 for upto 4 days. Presently our organisation has spent £3,821.00 on parking this year (last year was £2978.93), the main reason (95%) is due to the increase in parking costs. Without this valuble cosessions the tourism business in the borough would be adversely affected not just profits but total visitor numbers. Maybe we aren't badly provided for in the parking area after all?

Sea, Sand and Surf!

The last two days have been a wild time in the bay. I managed to get into the sea with my Body Board (Sponge) today, one of these types of board not a kids board!
I caught three real good waves and my new surf friend Hayley (as you are supposed to have a surf buddy as part of the first rules of safety) was real real brave in to face of a 15ft rouge that met her head on!
Instead of coming out of the water shook up and shaking, she came out with a big smile on her face :). REAL BIG RESPECT!! It was only her second time out on a sponge.

So if your living in Scarborough and can't find anything to do pop down to your local surf shop (we have 4 now!) hire some kit and try it out, or even book some lessons!
Also big respect to the person in the bay yesterday near the lighthouse when that large 20ft wave came into the bay, I am lucky to be able to watch the bay from the comfort of my kitchen window with central heating and a large cup of honey tea.

End of the Scarborough (Whitby Filey) Guide!

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.

Should we change the Scarborough Whitby Filey Guide for accommodation so it merges with Hambleton and Ryedale?
	Yes
	No
	Don't Know
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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!

Vote on Sands!

Is the Sands Development Good For Scarborough?
	Yes
	No
	Don't Know
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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!

Vote on the A64?

Should the A64 made dual carriageway all the way into Scarborough?
	Yes
	No
	Don't Know
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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?

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!

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Should Scarborough have regional small casino with a gamming floor the size of a football pitch?

Yes No Don't Know

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!

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

Why is the Cuckoo not a more successful bird?

Peter an ambassador for twitching was staying in the Hotel this week. We got talking about Cuckoo’s as I have heard and seen a number in recent years, I was wondering why they were not as successful as other birds. In that the adult Cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds nests, then the Cuckoo chick hatches earlier than the other eggs, then gets the unknowing foster parents to feed it; as it gorges itself beyond tasteful capacity. Later having deceived the unsuspecting adult birds the Cuckoo proceeds to push the parents of the rightful offspring around in the nest ultimately ending in the pushing of the rightful offspring out of the nest.
How come this emote behaviour is not rewarded more, surely we should be seeing Cuckoos everywhere in the environment?
Peter (hopefully the Cuckoo expert) and ambassador for twitching staying in the Hotel said that though this tactic should be successful, not all the un-suspecting foster parents fall for this subterfuge. Some parents respond as follows;
Some abandon the nest after the new egg appears,
Some abandon the Cuckoo chick possibly recognising as not it’s own (do the recognise the subterfuge?) and abandon the nest
Some Cuckoo chicks make such big demands on the un-suspecting foster parents, such that they can not keep up with the Cuckoo chicks ravenous appetite for more and more attention and food.
Well I am no bird expert but Peter is an expert Cuckoo man, Thanks for that insight into animal behaviour, question answered, thanks Peter!

Where else would I rather be!

The last two weeks on Sunday I have been in the sea with some of my kids, we got cheap (4-3mil, £19) wetsuits off Ebay and body boards from the surf shop at the spa (http://www.fluidconcept.co.uk/. They also do surfing lessons with all the kit you need!) Total cost for all of us just short of £100 with body boards, fun we have had PRICELESS!!
We had one of those unforgettable life moments Sunday before last! I was on the beach with the kids in wetsuits, playing in the surf with body boards. Anyway I was in the deep water; I had just been clobbered by a particularly big wave and looked down to the shore to check on the kids playing where the water was less aggressive. Up pops around 2 foot away but a Labrador ( I first thought, what's a dog doing this far out!) then I did a double take and realised it had no ears (I thought poor dog!); looked again realised it was a seal! Well he/she looked at me, I looked it him/her, transfixed for around 15 seconds, realising we were a bit too close to each other we moved away, me out to sea, seal towards the shore and the kids. Well seals do bite, but not unless provoked! So as a protective parent I drifted in behind to watch the kids reaction, it took them around 2 minutes before they realised that there was an extra body bobbing around with them in their group. Seal was fine and on departing actually brushed past one of the kids who thought it was a shark at first, then up pops the seals head!! Anyway, magical moment for all involved!

Should We tax aviation travel?

How come it is cheaper to travel half way round the world on a plane stay a week in a hotel then fly back, cheaper than staying a week in a UK hotel?
We have fire regulations, statutory minimum wage, holiday pay, climate levey charge, Vat etc...
Many of the places abroad do not have these valuble rights and obligations to community.
So lets even the playing field, and save the plannet at the same time!?

Should Hotels on the coast be allowed to turn into Flats?

The general feeling in the local industry is NO!

But in all honesty does it really matter!

If the property is not a viable business it will become a run down eyesore, left empty prooving it not viable as a hotel then converted to flats!

Yes, we have a parking problem, but we should not use this as an excuse, we have too many beds in this coastal town as it is; that's why some B&B's are selling at £16.50 per person per night.

We seem to have over supply of bed stock its as simple as that!

Talking of people older than me, Doreen was 70 yesterday.

Doreen is hardworking, and looks after the general areas making sure all is
clean and tidy. She has a good mind (sharp as a pin), great personality and a smile for everyone, possibly the answer to my fears in old age is to keep working hard for the next 40 years!

Any older poeple out there with an opinion on this?

I woke up today and thought I'm 40 years old in the next 4 months!

That means I am half way through my livable life because most people get
dementia at 80+, and then start forgetting where they left the car keys. (though the thought of them find them frightens me more!)!

Great, I work with people half my age in this hotel and twice the hair
on their head, yet they treat me like I'm an old man; but mentally I am
no different; but physically I am.

Maybe that is how the 80 year old feels when they can't find the car keys!!

May be life is not as different as we first assume, between the
generations, may be the young people feel envious of the 40 year old
with more settled outlook and material trappings?