YHA Selling a Third of its Hostels

[Ming the Merciless]

Whilst on a bus back to Bakewell recently, a family of two adults; mid thirties and a lass aged about ten got onto the bus, sat down and all three promptly got their cellphones out to start browsing.

Last night in a restaurant I estimated about 50% of couples had at least one on the phone not talking to each other. Table next to us the bloke had two phones out, taking his full attention, and his partner / date , well she looked completely bored.

 

[Jameshow]

The same goes for me, I resigned my membership in protest.
I don't mind that youngsters being at hostels, but they ought not be allowed to run amok.
What I do object to is the fact an ordinary card carrying member can not easily get a bed for the night,it seems priority is given over to groups or families, if a school party is staying there is no hope of getting abed for the night, school parties insist on whole building occupation.
More a case single adults are more at risk from students staying than a bona fide member, that's my belief not a statement.
I pity those who took out lifetime membership, many of my friends did.
Unfortunately times & situations change, Foot & Mouth & the recent pandemic hasn't helped.
But perhaps the YHA shot themselves in the foot. ,by relaxing regulations , and dumbing down to allow family groups who have the means to afford 'hotel' facilities.
That's not to say they ought to be excluded, but being there excuses those who are of a more genuine need,and have actually travelled by independent means and not by expensive private cars. I accept sometimes I did drive to a hostel, but it was always on a car share basis, I either walked or cycled to my next hostel.
My arguement is Hostels were set up for those of limited means to enjoy the countryside, or those who chosen to travel by independent means, closing down Hostel that will make a handsome short term profit is not within the remit, you cannot enjoy the countryside from an urban townscape.
Perhaps I come across as a luddite, but the lifeblood of the hostel movement is the membership wanting to enjoy country pursuits,, not those who want a cheap fun weekend away

I think they will be replaced by independent hostels who get the hostel ethos and run them accordingly.

That's what I found from the three Indies I used on lejog

 

[Jameshow]

Last night in a restaurant I estimated about 50% of couples had at least one on the phone not talking to each other. Table next to us the bloke had two phones out, taking his full attention, and his partner / date , well she looked completely bored.

And you were people watching rather than talking to the Mrs!
*You might have been alone so apologies!

people watching is a favourite occupation of mine at restaurants and annoys the Mrs!!

 

[DaveReading]

One or two posts already about Scottish hostels, so I assume the SYHA isn't too off-topic.

In my third year at school (i.e. nowadays Year 10) the entire year (boys school) was despatched to Carbisdale Castle YH in Sutherland to spend a week doing various outward-bound type activities.

Like many Scottish "castles" it was more of a baronial mansion, complete with a number of marble statues of Greek ladies in various states of undress.

At the end of the week, it was customary for the boy with the most demerits to be given a bucket and sponge and instructed to remove the myriad of mucky fingerprints from the aforesaid ladies' upper regions.

 

[theloafer]

Carbisdale Castle YH stayed there on both of my LEJOGS rides 1995 and 2005 it was a stunning place

 

[Ming the Merciless]

And you were people watching rather than talking to the Mrs!
*You might have been alone so apologies!

people watching is a favourite occupation of mine at restaurants and annoys the Mrs!!

I don’t talk with my mouth full, a perfect opportunity for a quick glance round. We were talking about Mission Impossible 😁

 

[presta]

Likewise. My favourite being Winchester Mill YH. The bathing facilities were; put your swim cossie on, grab one of the thoughtfully provided ropes and jump into the millrace - !

When my father was at Black Sail during the war the beck was the washing facility, when I went in the 1970s it was an enamel bowl and a jug of water on the table.

I got to stay at Woody's top

I arrived quite early when I was there, and sat outside waiting for it to open, and as the afternoon wore on, one cyclist after another rolled up, so by 5pm it was buzzing. There wasn't anywhere nearby to go, so everybody stayed in instead of going to the pub, and the atmosphere round the dinner table during the evening was great. There was a guy from Belper who was cycling the coast of Britain on a Mercian who I bumped into the following year in Cornwall, and geordie with a huge recumbent trike who I saw again at Earby 6 years later.

top dog I suppose is Stepsbridge

They turned that into luxury B&B during the pandemic.

Carbisdale Castle YH stayed there on both of my LEJOGS rides 1995 and 2005 it was a stunning place

I never got to that one but I did Loch Lomond which was quite good, I could lay in bed with an aerial view right down the length of the loch. I did the castle at St Briavels when I was a kid too. Eyam that's on the for sale list has a bit of a castley look to it, but it's actually a Victorian folly. High Cross Castle used to have castellated walls, but it was a private house built out of reinforced concrete: the owner wanted to make it 'fireproof' after the previous one burnt down. It has an excellent aerial view down Langdale where you can watch the sun setting over Crinkle Crags & Bowfell.

 

[VeloToddALXVA]

Back in the early 90s I pulled into one Hostel wound up working there and the bike shop next door (same owner) for 6 months ...moved into an apt above the shop with an Australian girl doing her walk about thing. Was awesome.