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Scottish Hostel Might Close

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Josh started this discussion 13 years 1 month ago

Fight to avert youth hostel ‘disaster’
http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/local-headlines/fight_to_avert_youth_hostel_disaster_1_1930891

THE closure of the region’s largest youth hostel – the 80-berth Priorwood House in Melrose – would be a “disaster for the central Borders”, it was claimed this week.

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uktrail

13 years

Oh no, not another!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a lovely hostel. I've stayed there twice, in the 1960s and the 1990s. No hostel could be less appropriate to close.

Not even the same organisation (SYHA v YHA). But they seem to work in the same way and have the same moral codes :shame:

However, the good news is that Derwentwater has been saved as a hostel! An unknown person has bought it and is enabling it to run as a charity, with the same managers who have run it very well for 20 years. Great that there are individuals who so much believe in hostels that they are able and prepared to invest a very large sum in their cause. Shame on the YHA for making this necessary!

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Josh Hostels

13 years

Are many hostels closing in Scotland?

I posted information about Derwentwater here:
http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forums/derwentwater-youth-hostel-saved-uk.html

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uktrail

13 years

Are many hostels closing in Scotland?

I'm not aware of any others at present. But over recent years, yes, a lot have closed.

I have an article written in about 2002 which refers to 'SYHA' as standing for: 'Sell Your Highland Assets'. :)

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Josh Hostels

13 years

Youth hostels chief to visit Borders

SCOTTISH youth hostels chief Keith Legge has agreed to come to the Borders and meet local tourism representatives to hear their concerns over plans to close the region’s three remaining youth hostels.

The invitation was extended by Borders MP Michael Moore, who was briefed by Mr Legge last week on the issues surrounding the planned closures of hostels at Broadmeadows near Selkirk, Yetholm and Melrose.

The Scottish Youth Hostel Association has cited financial difficulties and low visitor numbers as the reason for the closures.

Is it that the hostels aren't profitable, or that they are selling them to raise cash to renovate larger city hostels?

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uktrail

13 years

I doubt if any of the hostels are not profitable. (They've already sold those! ;) )

I presume they are selling them to raise cash. ie, defeating their whole reason for existence in order to stay in existence.

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Josh Hostels

13 years

It doesn't seem like a good idea to sell profitable hostels. Shouldn't the big city hostels be able to pay for themselves?

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Scotch Argus

13 years

It's more to do with the administrative costs of having a large central office staffing to pay than the city hostels. If your costs of administration are high (not including hostel staffing) then you have to make enough money to pay these costs. If your income doesn't generate enough money you have to sell assets to pay the wages of the bureaucracy. It's not a long term solution, but they have enough properties for 20 years or so at the current rate of burn.

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Josh Hostels

13 years

If that is the reason, it seems pointless to try to save a lot of administrative jobs by firing entire hostels full of employees. The closing of hostels probably also affects other local businesses.

How large is the membership? Do they get a say in things?

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uktrail

13 years

How large is the membership? Do they get a say in things?

In principle, yes. There are regional meetings, who pass motions. There are 'trustees' who presumably take account of these motions and take part in decision-making meetings.

For YHA, I went to one or two such regional meetings around 2000. Their motions seemed to be just tinkering at the edges even then. The (volunteer) directorate were not even aware of some of the changes that had been made (eg changes in charges). Back then, the YHA published an interesting newsletter written by enthusiasts, describing staff movements at hostels, improvements, plans etc.

Since then, the membership role has been slowly and firmly squeezed down. Think of Animal Farm. The only publication is produced by their marketing dept saying basically, look how great we are. I don't know what the trustees do at the meetings, but they in no way represent MY views. Writing to the YHA gets either no reply or a standard business-language reply identical to that from an insurance company or supermarket chain. I don't know about SYHA, but from their actions in selling hostels they appear to work the same way.

I am a life member. I have no say.

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Scotch Argus

13 years

If that is the reason, it seems pointless to try to save a lot of administrative jobs by firing entire hostels full of employees. The closing of hostels probably also affects other local businesses.

How large is the membership? Do they get a say in things?

I'm sure the current management would give a different opinion to mine, however when you see how many hostels which should be profitable closing, it does make you wonder. The members theoretically have a say, but most don't bother even voting for the executive. Since the association became a limited company the members and executive (board) have a lot less influence than the CEO and management.

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