The South and South East
Jon looks at one of the most popular destination areas.
This area covers some of the most popular areas for coach holidays, and I seem to have spent much of the past thirty odd years tramping around hotels, trying to find car parking spaces, or attempting to travel on the overcrowded roads at the same time as everyone else.
My own experiences started taking clients to Weymouth in the 1970’s to catch the old Sealink ferry “Earl Godwin” over to the Channel Isles, and watching the train make its way through the streets to the ferry terminal. This was such an unusual sight people came to the town just to watch it continue its journey from the ‘normal’ station through the streets of the town (with a Police escort) to the ferry terminal. It seems to have lost some appeal now it is a bus transfer.
Now this is a resort in the true sense of the word, with one of the best beaches in Britain, a lovely compact shopping area, level seafront with a little pier, and a selection of hotels to suit most pockets. I love the place. It is unique, traditional, well kept and maintained, and suits everyone whether 8 or 80.
Several hotels cater for groups, and I used The Russell, Prince Regent, and Hotel Rembrandt, along with the nearby Portland Heights, which is on the Isle of Portland and offers fantastic views of the Bay and Chessil Beach. I believe most if not all have changed hands since I booked them for groups, so as always I would urge some homework if you are planning to include one of them. There are others too you could consider, which I didn’t use purely because I couldn’t get a series in, and The Crown Hotel, right in the centre, has been popular with groups for years.
Both The Russell and Prince Regent – together with the nearby Sherborne Hotel, are all part of the Martyn Leisure Group, and are well versed in the needs of groups and the leisure market. This is a little hotel group that is growing gently, and not overstretching itself – unlike some – so is able to consolidate and modernise at a sensible rate. One to watch for the future I think!
I’m going to stick with the coastal tour for the moment, and this takes me to Swanage on the Isle of Purbeck. You will find it difficult to get group accommodation in the town, for the hotels can only just take a single group, so clearly prices are high and opportunities few. None the less Swanage and nearby Corfe and Lulworth are popular excursion destinations, and rightly so.
Bournemouth is one of the top two coach resort destinations in Britain (the other being Eastbourne), and it’s not too difficult to see why. The conference Centre ensures that most of the hotels are kept up to a good standard, and your options for group accommodation are almost endless. I am sure many reading this will have or know of your favourites, the only problem seems to occur when they change hands! Not wishing to preach to the converted, but I urge you to visit your chosen hotel at least once every year yourself, as changes –especially when money is tight and corners may have to be trimmed, can creep in almost without notice. This advice isn’t only for Bournemouth of course, but everywhere, and staffing levels and the quality of food and service are the first to suffer. As they suffer, so might your reputation with your clients. ‘Nuff said.
Top shows visit the resort, the beaches are amongst the best, the Chines and gardens likewise, and even the shopping can be a pleasant experience.
I don’t quite get what the town council keeps doing to the I-Max, or plans to do with it, but is looks very out of place by the pier, but with seven miles of very golden sands to admire I don’t have to look at it for very long.
Even if I didn’t wish to sit on the beach, Bournemouth is one of those resorts that doesn’t sit on its laurels, and there is usually something going on, from the annual Air Festival in August, to the BSO Concerts in Meyrick Park, Classic Cars on the Prom (every Sunday March to September), Rugby Sevens Festival, and Christmas Lights.
Nipping inland to Dorchester, I notice there are plans for a new 60+ bedroom hotel to be built in the centre, as part of a £60m ‘regeneration’ project. I hope they manage to keep the atmosphere of the old town, the site of the Hanging Judge Jeffries trials. (In total seventy-four people were executed, one hundred and seventy five were transported and twenty nine were pardoned. Executions were carried out in towns and villages close to Dorchester.) Mind you, it didn’t save him, for he died in The Tower of London in 1688 of kidney disease. Don’t you love our history? No? Well I do, so tough.
The problem with the whole of the south and south East is not what to include, but what not to include. The whole area is packed with gardens, historic houses, thatched cottage villages, country pubs, and visitor attractions, so a simple days excursion form a seaside or inland resort can be easily turned into a theme or something special.
From Dorset across to Kent I have found – just by exploring Google – over 200 places worth a closer look. Now if I can find them......? As an example, Tourism South East not only produce a brochure aimed at the groups market, but also ‘hot’ attractions for 2011. Bournemouth is well known for its love of the coach market, and their travel trade offices will always assist with group booking enquiries, and can guide you to other places of interest too. As well as looking at your oppositions brochures to see where they stay, do you look at their excursions too? Look at it this way, your regular client may travel to any resort several times, and to offer the same excursions year on year is boring, not to mention off putting. Included excursions are one item of sellability you can change every year (or so), and can make all the difference to a loyal customer who may see something better on offer with the competition for roughly the same price.
Not wishing to go on about wholesalers again (but I will), as they have the staff and time not to mention the expertise to put together new and exciting opportunities for your ‘normal’ resort tour. Why spend hours (unless you wish to) trying to find somewhere or something new when it can be done for you? The large coach holiday operators have tour planners as well as contractors, but this is a luxury few independent operators can afford. Worth a ‘phone call isn’t it?
Time to get my feet wet, as I walk across to the Isle of Wight (What? You can’t?) OK, maybe I’ll use the ferry – it’s too far for me anyway, and we find ourselves on yet another of our little Isles.
There really is something about going on to an island that makes the holiday different, and I suppose part of this is our navel heritage. Brit’s just seem to love the sea. Even the crossing can be exciting as you see some of the big liners or cargo ships creeping their way through The Solent.
I like the Isle of Wight, it’s compact, traditional, and has a good selection of group friendly hotels to choose from. However, oh how they range in standards! Little corporate money here to pay for refurbishment, so it has to come from the travel trade – and that is difficult. Do the homework, don’t expect The Ritz, and be prepared to pay a little more for higher standards.
Portsmouth and Southsea next on my tour, and that just has to include the Historic Dockyards too. Again this is one organisation that never sits still, and work has started on the £16.3m construction stage of the £35m Mary Rose Exhibition, due to open in 2012. It doesn’t seem 28 years since Henry VIII flagship was raised from the sea, but it has now over 19000 artefacts from the ship which sank into The Solent in 1545.
This is a boom time for museums in the UK, with 5.7m visiting a national museum in August this year alone, and 42m in 2009/10.
The importance of our Historic Dockyards cannot be underestimated, nor can the importance of the Royal Navy, and it is worth remembering that if Trafalgar had been lost the map of Europe could well have changed forever. It’s not just HMS victory and HMS Warrior that draws the crowds though, and there is much more to explore in a packed days visit.
The Spinnaker Tower is one of the newest attractions, and whilst I find this a fascinating build and experience, with tickets costing £6.50 it’s an expensive visit.
Plenty of hotels to choose from in the area, with many major groups again vying with privately owned ones for your business. Midweek can be pricey, but there are quite good weekend deals available.
Now some of you will notice that I appear to have sidetracked Southampton. Correct. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great city for the theatre, museums of all kinds, the docks and Ocean Village, but that’s about it really. Nearby Romsey has the Mountbatten Exhibition and Broadlands House, and Calshot Castle is an interesting place to visit – but I can’t help but feel that other towns and cities could offer greater opportunities for successful sales.
Before leaving The Solent area, might I mention the Royal Marines Museum in Southsea? Although there is a charge for admission, this is more than worth consideration, and is a great insight behind the history and training of ‘our’ marines.
Bognor Regis is an oddity on the south coast, but in a nice way. It has a pleasant quietish seafront, shops close to hand, and I notice that the old Jarvis Hotel, The Royal Norfolk, is now part of the Leisureplex group, so will see plenty of Alfa coach holidays in the future. There is a Best Western Hotel too, but generally you will find group accommodation hard to find in the town.
Arundel is of course a popular excursion venue, and although parking problems (charges) are taking place, it is still one of the most stunning places to visit. Arundel Castle, home of the Duke of Norfolk, has welcomed groups for over 200 years, and offers a range of ticket prices dependant on what you wish to include. The Cathedral is free to visit, and was built in the French Gothic style. It’s quite magnificent and even scores highly on Trip Advisor! Group accommodation is possible in the area, but bring your cheque book with you, for cheap it isn’t!
Now Worthing. If you are looking for a quiet resort this could well be it – good selection of hotels, nice seafront and promenade in the traditional sense and – for a pleasant change these days – a selection of theatres for live entertainment. (Check the website for shows on offer). It might still be seen by some as a town to retire to, but the population of over 100,000 is well mixed, and many large companies have relocated to the area to benefit from what is a relaxing and welcoming seaside resort.
When it comes to Brighton you either love it or hate it – or like me, can’t make your mind up! Love The Lanes, love the seafront, don’t go at weekends at the town – like others – has a Jekyll and Hyde theme. Fabulous Monday to Friday afternoon, and then, shall we say a little rowdy over the weekend? No, I am not complaining – each to their own, but the weekends here are for the younger end, not for the likes of me. I have been reading recently about coach pick up and parking problems, which I hope are sorted out soon. Brighton is a great place for group midweek, with all ranges of hotels at all prices and all standards – get my drift? A little care needed.
A word about The Amberley Working Museum, which is a 36 acre site dedicated to ‘the industrial heritage of the south east’ in West Sussex. Not too sure about this one. I phoned for more information, and was told the new 2011 brochure was being prepared. ‘What about 2012?’, I asked, ‘..as most coach operators are now starting to plan for that’. Negative response. I read it is mostly run by volunteers, so it would be unfair to criticise, but let’s just say it sounds an interesting place to visit. However with nonworking group prices on their website, mixed price offers, confusing comments both on their web site and verbal, etc, it sounds to me as if it is run by a committee. Draw your own conclusions. Still sounds interesting though. (http:www.amberleymuseum.co.uk)
And now to the number one coach tour seaside destination in Britain, Eastbourne. I don’t think I need to say too much about it as most reading this will know it so well. Great hotels to choose from, lovely gardens, all types of shops, mostly on the level – and an overpriced coach park so far out of town its almost in the next county.
Nevertheless the town rightly wins awards after awards, is very coach and group friendly, and who dare omit it from their brochure?
I don’t get Folkestone. Yes, it has a harbour, hotels for groups, cliff top walks and the usual trappings, but doesn’t have the charm of some other resorts. I usually pass through, or nowadays by, and end up in Dover, which few will see as any kind of resort, and more of a way of crossing The Channel. This is a great pity, because Dover is much more than this, and just a trip to visit The Castle and Wartime Tunnels opens your eyes to just what an important town this is.
Many readers will have been returning from Calais or Boulogne and welcomed the site of the white cliffs of Dover, the harbour walls welcoming us like a pair of open arms to a safe haven, and the majestic Castle standing proud and strong above everything. That was the impression it was meant to give when it was built, and nothing has changed. Looking closer at the cliffs we saw opening and possibly people looking down on us. How did they get there? What on earth are they?
The first time I visited The Tunnels was the official opening of The White Cliffs Experience (whatever happened to that?), and I loved every minute. Now even better, with access to hitherto unopened parts, The tunnels are a real eye opener, and you are able to see and almost feel the history entombed within the famous cliffs. Would I go again? At the drop of a hat! Just the views are worth the visit, and English Heritage are to be congratulated on bringing such an important piece of Britain back to life. Now please start on the rest!
Time – not to mention space – greatly restricts what I am able to include in this little piece, so apologies to those omitted, as I shoot along the coast via lovely Deal and Sandwich to the Isle of Thanet, and the resorts of Ramsgate, Margate and Broadstairs.
Now before swords are drawn, I have to admit I have never got on with Margate, even in the days of it having two Butlin Hotels and several I used to contract. It was Division Two as far as I was concerned, but have always given credit to the local council for their attempts to attract coach tourism, and looking at today’s goings on – they still deserve it.
The good points are access – it’s very easy to get to on much improved roads, or if you are so inclined, a new fast rail link. It’s nice as you drive in – the sands are just that – sand, and not pebbles, (and there are 15 sandy beaches and bays in the area) there is a theatre (Winter Gardens) showing good shows, it is easy to negotiate the roads in both Margate and nearby Cliftonville. I suspect that by 2012 will we once again be seeing more visitors to the area, for not only is the old Dreamland theme park due to reopen as The Dreamland Heritage Park, (www.dreamlandmargate.com), with old rides and thrills to bring back menories of the past, and not only is the Hornby Visitors Centre already open to bring our days of Horndy, Airfix and even Scalextric back to life (with test drives!) (www.hornby.com/visitorcentre) but the crème de la crème has to be the opening of The Turner Contemporary Art Gallery (www.turnercontemporary.org). Due to open in spring 2011, this is an important event not only for the area but for the nation.
When it comes to accommodation in the town – be careful please. Oh how it ranges! Go on recommendation, and don’t be tempted to book blind. See it for yourself if you can – it will be worth the effort.
Ramsgate is like Dover, more than just a ferry terminal, and it’s Regency and Georgian villa’s and houses are complimented by the bustling marina and town centre. Award winning sandy beaches here too, and like Broadstairs, just along the coast, has much to offer the coach tourist.
This little neck of Britain appears to have gone off the map over recent years, but I think we will shortly be seeing it once more featuring in coach holiday brochures.
The South and South East are packed with opportunities for coach travel, and only space has prevented me from waxing lyrical about the Castles, Historic Houses, Gardens, Vineyards, Railways – large and not so – and dozens of other attractions. But fear not – help is at hand! The area is also blessed by one of the best Tourist Boards in the country – and a Google search will take you there.
With a region so diverse it is not too surprising that more and more take holidays at home. Why go abroad when there is so much on our doorsteps?
