A few of my real world friends know what has kept me busy this summer and resulted in my ditching Challenge Henley.
Well I have a new house, new business and I am now in Pickering, Yorkshire. I have been around some time and hope I have earnt the right to spam the forum through sweat payments.
We have taken on a group of 7 holiday cottages so I now clean toilets for a living.
Please like the facebook page. Please come visit and better yet book a holiday. Quote Aaarrgh to get a piratey discount. There are some decent run routes from the door step and plenty of good biking.
Pirate Camp?
We do have a pool but at some 9m it is a bit short for swimming until we get an endless pool installed (working on it but they are expensive).
If there are any local pirates introduce yourself. Emma in York is the nearest I know of.
M..eface
Comments
Hey,
It looks good. We've run a tiny holiday cottage for 4 years now so I know what you're getting yourself in to...do you?
Can I give some hints...?
Try and get wifi for all the houses
Do you have any foreign mates who can translate to get other markets
Are you with the tourist board? We're with visit scotland and while they are expensive we get most of our bookings through them. Be quick and you might get in next year's booklet.
Start a blog and twitter account, I've had bookings from twitter. Also instagram etc
There are lots of free holiday cottage sites, try and get on as many as possible.
If you're feeling brave start a weekly podcast and upload it to itunes, this can be just inane chatter about life but it gets you to new markets.
Good luck
Pete,
Thanks. My Brother runs a B&B with 11 rooms nearby so I have some idea although cottages are self catering so less work than his. WiFi installed across the whole site (covers 1km but can go further if I set it).
Translation is a good idea - I work with lots of euro-ist speakers. Yes with Tourist Board, had advisory visit on Friday (4*star rated).
Web-site needs updating a lot but has been hard-work to get control of. Previous owners weren't even sure who managed it for them! Now I cna edit text and hope to sort pictures next.
Need Facebook likes as when I get to 100 I can do events/promotions but not before.
Good luck with your venture. Yorkshire is a beautiful area of the country (most of it Is any way), I moved up here when I was 18 for university and 9 years on I'm still here and can't see myself moving Away.
Good luck.
Shame about the pig awful views, the smog, the chimneys blighting the landscape, it's clearly raining continuously, and when it's not it's obviously snowing. Yup, it's a beautiful part of the world. And a Republic, if I remember correctly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJxzDYJ4C3Y
The only place where the local restaurant guide had a specific listing, such that even the Chinese eatery had to declare whether they served Yorkshire Pudding as a starter.
Seriously, good luck with the venture.
thats a bit grander than how you described it to me mate, loads of luck to you, liked page - youll soon be there
So your the Basil Fawlty of the holiday cottage world now, good luck mate, page liked
Up to 83 likes, should hit 100 very soon when pirates fall out of their hammocks.
I am in Skipton by the way, so same County if not exactly close. Close enough to meet up for a ride sometime though.
I love Pickering! Often call in on way to Whitby. I'll take a look. Good luck.
PS - endless pool would be awesome.
Yay, you've come out of hiding. Hope all is going well up there.
good luck mate ... nice part of the world, less than a couple of hours south from me
Looks lovely, pity we are so far away. If you need help with translation into German I can assist.
Just done a like - the 100th so you are there now!!!
And I made it 101, just in case anyone unlikes you
Awesome - Pirating guys - thanks. Obviously will offer pirate discounts.
Now just need to get the run and bike routes sorted. Local pool is 25m until I get an endless pool installed.
Dalby Forest is also only a couple of miles away with some awesome mountain biking available.
M..eface
can we park a motorhome on your land if needed??
102
Yes - have 10 acres, can give you a choice of a couple of grass paddocks. One has easy access off lane.
cool - just in case we are ever up that way and need somewhere to overnight
good luck with the venture...
Looks lovely and a gorgeous area, I've got family just down the road.
Best of luck with it, I'm sure it will be rewarding.