Youth hostel to close by year-end (26 May 2010)
http://www.scarborougheveningnews.co.uk/news/Youth-hostel-to-close-by.6320041.jp
SCARBOROUGH'S youth hostel is set to close with the loss of two full-time jobs.
The hostel, which is off Burniston Road, just past the bridge over Scalby beck, will be one of eight across the country to shut by the end of the year.Caroline White, chief executive of the Youth Hostel Association (YHA), said: "Scarborough was chosen because when we looked at the amounts we would need to spend, even allowing for significant increases in the numbers of people staying and cost savings, the site would still make a significant loss.
"We estimate that even with an investment of £350,000 the hostel will continue to make a loss for YHA.
The hostel opened in 1935 and last year had 5,500 overnight stays. However its occupancy rate of 51 per cent compares poorly with 80 to 90 per cent at the association's best performing sites.
Two new youth hostels are expected to open next year, at Southease, Sussex, and at Berwick on Tweed, Northumberland.
Looks like a "holiday resort" and there are no other hostels in the town. Has anyone been to Scarborough?
14 years
I've been to Scarborough, albeit a few years ago. It's a long way out of the centre of town, as I remember, and has old-style big dormitories as opposed to the 4/6/8 bed jobs that the yha prefers these days. There might not be any other hostels round there, but I bet there's a lot of cheapish accommodation of other sorts - B&B, caravan parks Travelodges etc.
I'm tracking local press reports of this set of YHA closures at http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/closures-in-the-press
14 years
Yes, I've been to Scarborough many times. It was my favourite resort as a child. I stayed in the hostel on one of my first hostel trips. This was when we used to walk or cycle between hostels, and many hostels were in country locations. I guess that it is now old-fashioned in standards, and indeed not ideal for visiting the town.
There are reasonable-priced hotels in the off-season for couples and families, but nothing suitable for solo travellers who want company, cooking facilities and dont want to pay double price.
But it's part of the YHA's policy of financing their business by selling off the whole reasons for their existence.
Chuntuk: I will send you extracts from a report from YHA I have received.
11 years
Scarborough YHA never did close, and now - having finally found a buyer - it's not going to. See http://www.yhagroup.org.uk/archives/scarborough-set-fair for more information.
Related Pages
Log in to join discussion