'Makeover for Scottish hostels' on BBC Video

BBC video about 7 Scottish hostels being sold off:

Interesting quote in the video from Keith Legge of the SYHA:

"70% of all the customers booking with us ask for single rooms or double rooms. So we have been going through for a number of years a series of modernization to upgrade the buildings and to meet this customer expectation in particular."

More about the hostel closure issue on BBC Outdoors:

An expected £3m will be released by the closure of the seven hostels. The SYHA argues that the cost of retaining and improving some of the hostels to the standard expected by today's visitor would cost in excess of £3m, making them financially untenable.

The association's intention to invest in hostels located in "popular areas" and investigate opportunities for investment in new locations met some disagreement from those concerned over the effects of these closures on local communities.

However, the SYHA countered this by saying some of the hostels may be available for private investments, perhaps to be run by the communities themselves.

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Keith Legge said: "Our main market these days are families, groups and activity seekers so we need to ensure that we offer accommodation in places that provide the type of attractions that they are seeking.”

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In July, managers of Edinburgh's independently-run Smart City hostels celebrated their receipt of a 5-star grading from VisitScotland. Their innovative city hostels are designed for the youth tourism market, are located close to clubs and bars and have internet access. Their hostel in Edinburgh welcomes hen and stag parties, and has a female-only floor where "additional toiletries and pampering products for single woman and groups" are available.

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Bill Ward from Glasgow, said that hostels should raise prices in order to fund the repairs and upgrades rather than closing hostels.