Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Just eyed the booking stats from one of the largest Welsh holiday letting agencies. Down around 10% on this time last year (and last year was way down on the year before...). They are in trouble. The gaggle of businessmen I was meeting said the situation was bad across the UK and Ireland - way down. A couple had an interest in French gite letting firms and said business had never been so good on the other side of the channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphmalph Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Just eyed the booking stats from one of the largest Welsh holiday letting agencies. Down around 10% on this time last year (and last year was way down on the year before...). They are in trouble. The gaggle of businessmen I was meeting said the situation was bad across the UK and Ireland - way down. A couple had an interest in French gite letting firms and said business had never been so good on the other side of the channel. When the Welsh boo the National Anthem re the only one the English have, is it any wonder we do not want to go on holiday to Wales? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 is it any wonder we do not want to go on holiday to Wales? Maybe because it ******ing wet and miserable for the vast majority of the time. (I moved to Manchester from Wales for the improvement in the weather) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm English. I hate our National Anthem too. Why would I want God to Save Our Queen? And it's a dirge. To be honest we should really get rid of it - it doesn't sit well the English having the same one for England as we all have for the disUK. I'm Welsh and hate the Welsh national anthem - dirge of dirges! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19 year mortgage 8itch Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm Welsh and hate the Welsh national anthem - dirge of dirges! Burn the heretic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buccaneer Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm English. I hate our National Anthem too. Why would I want God to Save Our Queen? And it's a dirge. To be honest we should really get rid of it - it doesn't sit well the English having the same one for England as we all have for the disUK. Invoking an imaginary being to protect an unelected head of state - whats not to like ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 It's a bit like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Maybe because it ******ing wet and miserable for the vast majority of the time. (I moved to Manchester from Wales for the improvement in the weather) Same fall of across the UK - I guess staycationing is well and truly over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Democorruptcy Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Same fall of across the UK - I guess staycationing is well and truly over. Would a rate of £1 = €0.5 help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Miyagi Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm English. I hate our National Anthem too. Why would I want God to Save Our Queen? And it's a dirge. To be honest we should really get rid of it - it doesn't sit well the English having the same one for England as we all have for the disUK. The British/English national anthem is pants. I was at the game. I didn't boo the anthem, I did however take great pleasure in booing John Terrance. Worth the £25 ticket price alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 So how much trouble are they in? Going bust trouble? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny5thumbs Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 So how much trouble are they in? Going bust trouble? Call me old-fashioned, but any company that can't cope with a 10% downturn in its stride, is about on a par with 95% LTV housebuyers - feckless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 So how much trouble are they in? Going bust trouble? 10% down this year, probably the same the year before... I'm not entirely sure, but I sensed one of them was feeling incredibly under pressure - I suspect he's making a loss at this moment in time, but have not idea how long he can sustain that for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Posted April 2, 2011 Author Share Posted April 2, 2011 Call me old-fashioned, but any company that can't cope with a 10% downturn in its stride, is about on a par with 95% LTV housebuyers - feckless. Last year the 'downturn' was seen as a blip - now people are beginning to realise it's going to last for years and years. Business models were wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.hpc Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I did however take great pleasure in booing John Terrance. Worth the £25 ticket price alone Whatever takes your mind off the result! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
man o' the year Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Would a rate of £1 = €0.5 help? At present foreign bookings in hotels are down more then domestic. Numbers just about the same this year as last but overheads including VAT are up. Last year was way down on previous ans this was true for every year back to 2007 to 2008. Massive hike in business rates last year. Anyone with a spare room offering B&B or self catering also hitting the market as this is VAT free and often black market. Late night levy will hit perifery of industry too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DEATH Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I'm English. I hate our National Anthem too. Why would I want God to Save Our Queen? And it's a dirge. To be honest we should really get rid of it - it doesn't sit well the English having the same one for England as we all have for the disUK. I think there was a petition once on that stupid government site, someone wanted to change it to "Agadoo" by Black Lace. It would have made the Olympics watchable..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny5thumbs Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 I think there was a petition once on that stupid government site, someone wanted to change it to "Agadoo" by Black Lace. It would have made the Olympics watchable..... I used to have to play that 'song' when I sang and played keys ina hol. camp duo. After about 750 performances of watching p!ssed up Welshmen and Brummies shaking their beer bellies around the floor, I came to the conclusion that playing the 'song' should be punishable with death. Perhaps you might be able to help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmen9 Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 When the Welsh boo the National Anthem re the only one the English have, is it any wonder we do not want to go on holiday to Wales? Couldn't give a feck about you holidaying here or not, what I do give a feck about is when you sell your overpriced inner city bedsit for a few million you get to buy several country cottages or sea side retreats in my ancestoral homeland. Wish you'd all feck off to France to set up your fish bars and paddy bars there, I mean it's actually warm, sunny and dry there, it feckin pishes it down here! Cynts the lot of ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairies Wear Boots Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 Last year the 'downturn' was seen as a blip - now people are beginning to realise it's going to last for years and years. Business models were wrong. Here comes the austerity! I think that was why the dead cat bounce was so bloody annoying. HPCers could see the big picture, and the economy was holed beneath the water line, and we had lots of members of the public thinking they'll sort things out soon and it'll be alright. Public spending cuts were always on the horizon. How could people be so stupid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betterToDo Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Its the prices. They'll be up 10% the moment they start competing again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TylerDurden Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I dont believe it's anything to do with the weather, Welsh anthem, English/Welsh divide. Parts of Wales are wonderful for short breaks and family holidays. Incredibly accessable from huge parts of the UK. I cant believe theres any shortage of people wanting to holiday in Wales this summer. I certainly cant believe those people are heading to France, which feels very expensive these days. No, I believe the reason bookings are down is the sheer volume of "holiday lets". My parents live in West Wales, I have many friends whose parents live down there. I can tell you this. Every single person I know in west Wales with space or land has gone down the Holiday Let buisness in the last 5 years. Some on huge, expensive, balls deep ventures offering beautifully finnished cottages on small working farms. To shacks chucked up in the yard for the Yurt/basic lifestyle experience. I dont know ANYBODY with the space that didnt get on the bandwagon. There must be as many holiday lets down there now as residentials. The people who got in early have done well. The people who threw their life savings into the nest of cottages that would bring them 1k each per week for the rest of their lives may have a bit of a shock. Just my opinion, No facts or figures to back it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattyfc Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 Just eyed the booking stats from one of the largest Welsh holiday letting agencies. Down around 10% on this time last year (and last year was way down on the year before...). They are in trouble. The gaggle of businessmen I was meeting said the situation was bad across the UK and Ireland - way down. A couple had an interest in French gite letting firms and said business had never been so good on the other side of the channel. Considering the improvement between 09 and 10 in most industries, if they managed to decline there must be a serious problem with the business structure. Pretty obvious what it is I think? Welsh / UK property is far too expensive. The amount of rent needed to make a return is far too high because the properties are overvalued by 50%+. If the property was not lso expensive they could drop the rental charge and the business would probably work. As it is the market will force this solution anyway, the Welsh letting company will probably go bust, someone else will buy the properties for 50%+ less and drop the rental prices to a level where the business would work. UK holidays are ludicrously expensive because UK property is ludicrously expensive. The market will force a correction. Simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken_ichikawa Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 UK holidays are ludicrously expensive because UK property is ludicrously expensive. The market will force a correction. Simple. Or the BoE will print Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I dont believe it's anything to do with the weather, Welsh anthem, English/Welsh divide. Parts of Wales are wonderful for short breaks and family holidays. Incredibly accessable from huge parts of the UK. I cant believe theres any shortage of people wanting to holiday in Wales this summer. I certainly cant believe those people are heading to France, which feels very expensive these days. No, I believe the reason bookings are down is the sheer volume of "holiday lets". My parents live in West Wales, I have many friends whose parents live down there. I can tell you this. Every single person I know in west Wales with space or land has gone down the Holiday Let buisness in the last 5 years. Some on huge, expensive, balls deep ventures offering beautifully finnished cottages on small working farms. To shacks chucked up in the yard for the Yurt/basic lifestyle experience. I dont know ANYBODY with the space that didnt get on the bandwagon. There must be as many holiday lets down there now as residentials. The people who got in early have done well. The people who threw their life savings into the nest of cottages that would bring them 1k each per week for the rest of their lives may have a bit of a shock. Just my opinion, No facts or figures to back it up. +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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