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DAVIDH

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Posts posted by DAVIDH

    Flooding

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    On the subject of dreams about the Broads,I have a recurrent one that I'm on the Yare heading down over Breydon and at the point of the yellow post, the river is virtually dry...just a small stream running down from the Bure where the river should be. Boats are trying to traverse and going aground before the bridges. I'm looking out and trying to work out if the boat will stay afloat in such a narrow stream. Then the dream ends. I've had it about 4 times over the years. Never get further than the post turn. 

    • Like 4

    Aweigh App

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Smoggy said:

    One of the benefits of satnav on a connected device is traffic issues even on a route you know well, the machine re-routes when you are not expecting it means there's a problem come up on the roads that the radio hasn't mentioned yet

    Agree this is a big positive on app-based rather than an installed satnav. Just wish mine (tomtom) would tell me why it's rerouting, and give me a choice. Sometimes think it's trying to save me five minutes taking me all around the back roads.

    Hoseasons

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    From what I can tell from my own tracking, based on Easter, Spring Bank, the summer school holidays and October Half Term, Hoseasons are showing 62% of boats still to book, as against 56% this time last year, which in turn was a big drop from 2022, where there were 44% of boats still available to book. 

    Probably not that surprising given the economic position at the moment, though it has to be said, overseas bookings are still above the previous year. 

    • Like 4

    Hoseasons

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    22 hours ago, oldgregg said:

    I did think it would come back to bite them.... 

    They're a company that clearly spend a lot on marketing but they seem totally unable to understand that keeping customers happy is much more likely to lead to repeat business.

    I believe Hoseasons were caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, as were many other tour operators at Covid time. Many holidays had to be cancelled at the behest of the UK government. In many cases, the money paid by the customers to their tour op had already been handed on to the airlines, hotels and I guess, boatyards (all principles not agents). With no ongoing revenue to get them to the "sunny uplands" (to coin a phrase) post-covid, and limited cash flow to refund customers, these principals had to decide whose reputation they should protect. Their own by applying the refunds to those customers that had booked directly or their agents further down the stream. Hoseasons were caught in this way, as were many other tour operators at the time. 

    This is just one of the many reports of airlines failing to refund Covid customers (and agents of course) you can find online.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jun/01/us-fines-british-airways-11m-for-failing-to-refund-covid-cancellations

    • Like 3

    Rip Ian Hathaway

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    So sad to read this. What a sod life can be. New life with a new boat and the rug is pulled from beneath him. Respects to his wife, who must be devastated. He's suffered so much over the last year, but never gave up fighting to be with her.

    • Like 3

    The Maltsters

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    13 hours ago, kpnut said:

    When I’m on my own, I’d love to sit reading the paper rather than having my nose stuck in my phone. One looks the sort of thing you traditionally do in a pub, the other just looks antisocial!

    The former would keep me in there longer, spending more money. The other just makes me embarrassed that I’m on my own with no-one to talk to. Ha ha. 

    Me too, but I always make a point of taking my own.

    I think the biggest sin a business can make is to not be there when the customer expects you to be. If you advertise your opening times (Facebook and/or Google) then unless it's unavoidable you need to be open. It's so easy to put a quick notice on Facebook to say you're having to close early etc, and I'd wager a large proportion of customers will look there first when planning to visit....especially in the winter. I was one of them last year. I turned up at Ranworth one Thursday afternoon having seen a recent update of opening times on Facebook. Thought I should check so had a walk-over. No signs of life and just a note on the door of their SUMMER opening times. Not wanting to stay on Ranworth quay all night without hospitality, I tried telephoning...no answer.

    I ended up using Facebook Messenger for clarity. To be fair, within an hour I had a message back saying the place was only open Friday to Monday during winter. What a rigmarole to find out though, and a wasted journey. 

    • Like 5

    Would You Hire A Boat Too Wide For The Ant And Chet?

    in Hire Boat Discussion

    Posted

    The boat images will have been given to Hoseasons by the boatyard. Hoseasons don't send a photographer out. That's why you always see the same images on the boatyards own websites. 

    Just as an aside. First timers often have no concept of the distances anyway. So many call up concerned that the web page says they can't get under this or that bridge. Often, they're only on a 3 or 4 night break and need reassuring it won't be too catastrophic if they can't cruise the 3 to 5 extra miles above the bridges. (Ludham Bridge excepted)

     

    • Like 2

    Ferry Marina Discount For October 23

    in Broads Chat

    Posted

    Reviews are a double-edged sword for the business owner. Google uses them in its ranking algorithms and a good reputation will help you get or stay on the first page of search. As such, businesses court them. Of course, all businesses will attract unwanted/unwarranted reviews from time to time. How they react to criticism is also a factor. I think the consumer is less likely to be taken in by unwarranted reviews than they were perhaps 5 years ago, 

    • Like 3

    Taking A Gander At Goosander

    in Holiday Tales & Blogs

    Posted

    Friday 25th August Ludham to Ranworth to Horning
    After taking someones advice on here, arrived at Ranworth Staithe just gone 10am to find 4 vacant spaces. Chose one on the front smaller section. I would never have dreamed of visiting Ranworth in the summer due to the queues of boats waiting to moor. I had to pay £5 for the day but it did facilitate our visit. Stayed until around 4pm then back to Goosander's home mooring.

    Saturday 26th August. Handed the boat over to the next owner. No images

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    • Like 5

    Taking A Gander At Goosander

    in Holiday Tales & Blogs

    Posted

    Thursday 24th August. Thurne Dyke to Potter Heigham to Ludham
    Lunch was a cake and coffee at Bridgestones (of course) following a visit to Lathams. We had booked the mooring at The Little Big Shop on Womack Staithe which worked well for us as we were able to arrive at 5pm (designated time) knowing we would still have a space. Really good meal at The Kings Arms in Ludham.

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    • Like 3
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