Your Country Needs You.

[ZingaliMan]

Hospitality is on its knees surly a one off main holiday at home is a good idea. 

[Waspy]

I’m booked up to go away in late September, but with the last few days I thought I would check the prices for break up north(Morar/Arasaig) for a few nights.

Absolutely no thank you, no way will I be paying £200 a night for a bed and breakfast.

[ZingaliMan]

1 hour ago, Waspy said:

I’m booked up to go away in late September, but with the last few days I thought I would check the prices for break up north(Morar/Arasaig) for a few nights.

Absolutely no thank you, no way will I be paying £200 a night for a bed and breakfast.

Some prices are bonkers I agree with you there. Others are not too bad it depends where you go. Personally I wont go abroad this year not just because of the virus travel companies and airlines are on the brink of collapse would not want to get stuck abroad. I'm in the hospitality business owning a Bistro we are all struggling  not just me. Have never known so many caterers looking for work. 

[Waspy]

Some prices are bonkers I agree with you there. Others are not too bad it depends where you go. Personally I wont go abroad this year not just because of the virus travel companies and airlines are on the brink of collapse would not want to get stuck abroad. I'm in the hospitality business owning a Bistro we are all struggling  not just me. Have never known so many caterers looking for work. 

Any suggestions for reasonably priced places?

[ZingaliMan]

2 minutes ago, Waspy said:

 

Any suggestions for reasonably priced places?

 

I'm on the Isle of Bute you get what you pay for here  Jokes aside would need to spend time looking. Me and the wife like hotels or nice self catering.  Me and a few mates went to sky the boys booked a Youth hostel which is the furthest thing I would choose.  I was completely shocked it was nicer than many a guest house. Loundge had tartan carpets, big leathe.r sofas Kitchen was huge and spotless clean ( I'm a chef )  local staff were top notch. They have double rooms. Very cheap and just off the square in the centre of town. I'm defently taking the wife for a weekend. 

[Northboy]

3 hours ago, Waspy said:

Absolutely no thank you, no way will I be paying £200 a night for a bed and breakfast.

I looked at getting away for a few nights around end of August - prices high just about everywhere. I expect demand and therefore prices to ramp up further now that going abroad is becoming such a risky option.

[ZingaliMan]

1 hour ago, Northboy said:

I looked at getting away for a few nights around end of August - prices high just about everywhere. I expect demand and therefore prices to ramp up further now that going abroad is becoming such a risky option.

The safety measures implemented is another burden cost, not just stickers and perspex units. Fumeagation has to be done also on a regular basis. Then you have fewer guests that can stay. I think if bookings are not forthcoming prices will drop so worth to keep checking. Many businesses only make their money in the summer which has to see them through the winter. Sadly I can see huge numbers going bust come the end of the year when loans cant be paid. 

[tamthebam]

13 hours ago, ZingaliMan said:

Hospitality is on its knees surly a one off main holiday at home is a good idea. 

I've had a few surly holidays in Scotland right enough. 

[ZingaliMan]

16 minutes ago, tamthebam said:

I've had a few surly holidays in Scotland right enough. 

[highlandcowden]

On 28/07/2020 at 23:54, ZingaliMan said:

Hospitality is on its knees surly a one off main holiday at home is a good idea. 

That's a pity but it's not my job to bail out a Scottish tourist industry that's gotten used to charging way over the odds from gullible foreign tourists

[ZingaliMan]

1 minute ago, highlandcowden said:

That's a pity but it's not my job to bail out a Scottish tourist industry that's gotten used to charging way over the odds from gullible foreign tourists

In  the most part I understand , have experience touring Scotland myself staying at hotels.  Some prices are shocking. I'm on Bute over here prices are low , eating out and drinking is cheap . A lot of people come here thinking its Rothesay charming as it is. The island has so much more to it but most tourists dont explore it. Or the wee ferry to Scotlands secret coast.  Sorry mate I'm off on one lol. 

[highlandcowden]

8 hours ago, ZingaliMan said:

In  the most part I understand , have experience touring Scotland myself staying at hotels.  Some prices are shocking. I'm on Bute over here prices are low , eating out and drinking is cheap . A lot of people come here thinking its Rothesay charming as it is. The island has so much more to it but most tourists dont explore it. Or the wee ferry to Scotlands secret coast.  Sorry mate I'm off on one lol. 

duly noted,not a place ive ever visited,may need to to do something about that at some point from what youre saying

[Buddie Holly]

10 hours ago, ZingaliMan said:

In  the most part I understand , have experience touring Scotland myself staying at hotels.  Some prices are shocking. I'm on Bute over here prices are low , eating out and drinking is cheap . A lot of people come here thinking its Rothesay charming as it is. The island has so much more to it but most tourists dont explore it. Or the wee ferry to Scotlands secret coast.  Sorry mate I'm off on one lol. 

is that you big ian?

[ZingaliMan]

4 minutes ago, Buddie Holly said:

is that you big ian?

Yes, Holly how are you ? 

[Buddie Holly]

well i didn’t think you would ever be back around here after your last meltdown.hope you have been on anger management therapy course.you proper lost it big time 

[vikingTON]

I've just been to the Mull of Galloway area for a few days and it was absolutely superb. Glorious weather with midge-free evenings, much quieter all round than the standard Highland-island tourist trail and with some really good food options/pubs that don't deck everything in tartan for fat American tourists and double the prices accordingly. If there's a stretch of similar weather next year then I'll be down to the same neck of the woods without thinking twice. 

Lowlands Scotland>Highland Scotland for domestic tourism right now IMO.

[BillyAnchor]

On 29/07/2020 at 03:00, ZingaliMan said:

I'm on the Isle of Bute you get what you pay for here  Jokes aside would need to spend time looking. Me and the wife like hotels or nice self catering.  Me and a few mates went to sky the boys booked a Youth hostel which is the furthest thing I would choose.  I was completely shocked it was nicer than many a guest house. Loundge had tartan carpets, big leathe.r sofas Kitchen was huge and spotless clean ( I'm a chef )  local staff were top notch. They have double rooms. Very cheap and just off the square in the centre of town. I'm defently taking the wife for a weekend. 

I lived there for a few years in the 80s. What a place, if you get out without your bits falling off from the women and your liver in one piece you really were lucky. Is the Grapes Bar still open?

[Stu]

6 hours ago, virginton said:

I've just been to the Mull of Galloway area for a few days and it was absolutely superb. Glorious weather with midge-free evenings, much quieter all round than the standard Highland-island tourist trail and with some really good food options/pubs that don't deck everything in tartan for fat American tourists and double the prices accordingly. If there's a stretch of similar weather next year then I'll be down to the same neck of the woods without thinking twice. 

Lowlands Scotland>Highland Scotland for domestic tourism right now IMO.

Did you go to Portpatrick? Been the last couple of years for a weekend but doesn't look doable this year, which is a shame as I love going to The Crown for dinner.

[vikingTON]

Yeah I visited Portpatrick yesterday afternoon though given the weather it was pretty mobbed by the rest of the area's standards. A fantastic cod special in The Crown  and a decent pint from Whithorn (?) Brewery to go with it was a good way to finish the trip. 

I preferred Port Logan further down the coast though which was quieter and a real picture postcard scene yesterday:

The pub at the holiday park in Drummore was good and the cafe at the Mull of Galloway itself is just tremendous. A huge double burger with cheese and haggis topping, made with beef from the cows in the fields in front of you, served with a glorious all-round view from below the lighthouse for just six quid. My only regret was not having a second stomach or a durable container (having hiked there) to get one of their cakes as well.

 

 

[vikingTON]

On 14/08/2020 at 22:31, ZingaliMan said:

In  the most part I understand , have experience touring Scotland myself staying at hotels.  Some prices are shocking. I'm on Bute over here prices are low , eating out and drinking is cheap . A lot of people come here thinking its Rothesay charming as it is. The island has so much more to it but most tourists dont explore it. Or the wee ferry to Scotlands secret coast.  Sorry mate I'm off on one lol. 

Bute is ridiculously overlooked and has even got different circuits to explore despite being a relatively small island: Kilchattan Bay/Ganavan beach on the south end (including the Kingarth hotel for a good food and a pint); Ettrick Bay/Port Bannatyne in the middle also though Scalpsie Bay is IMO the best part of the coast. I'm not sure how the island's amenities will fare after the pandemic though: the Bute Brewing Company already moved to the mainland and closed their pop-up bar on a 'temporary' basis and I see that the Port Inn is now ditching its pub area to combine its post office service under the same roof in Port Bannatyne as well. While the cities, towns and main tourist trail destinations will see new businesses replace old ones fairly quickly it won't take too much to knock smaller communities off the tourist-friendly map for good.

The ferries reportedly had some capacity issues during the recent good weather so I haven't been back this year, hopefully there'll be a decent day or two to do so once the English school holidays are over as well. 

Edited August 18, 2020 by vikingTON