YHA to invest £13.5 million this year

29/01/2008 12:36:00

Plans to revitalise Youth Hostels across England and Wales gathered pace at the weekend when proposals for a further £13.5 million worth of investments were agreed.
 
Approving 37 building modernisation schemes is the latest development in a commitment to improving services at all YHA locations.
 
As well as the new property improvement projects, to be started in the next 12 months, substantial investment in staff and staff training to raise customer service standards has begun.
 
This includes extending the successful improvements to YHA catering, based on the use of local produce.
 
The first batch of 11 hostel upgrades, costing nearly £2million are now nearing completion and the new-look sites will be ready for the 2008 season.
 
These range from the clifftop cottage in Pembrokeshire, at YHA Pwll Deri, to city locations in Manchester and London St Pancras.
 
YHA  will also unveil three new properties in the next year with a new £4.3 million flagship Youth Hostel in Central London opening next month and two new facilities in Sussex - in Eastbourne and Lewes - will be opened early in 2009.
 
"When we announced a new strategy for YHA two years ago, we made a firm commitment to providing great hostels in great locations," said YHA Chief Executive Roger Clarke.
 
"It's all about improving the experience for guests who choose to stay with YHA and that means investing in our staff and our buildings.
 
"We've already started refurbishment projects and major training programmes and are ready to push ahead with the next batch of investments in places where people really want to stay.
 
"Some people were disappointed when we announced 32 closures two years ago but we promised at the time it was a means to an end.
 
"We needed to close and sell less successful properties to generate the funds needed to invest in the future so it's hugely exciting that we are firmly on our way."
 
Major schemes approved include a £2million revamp at YHA Ilam in the Peak District, £1million at YHA Bristol and almost another £1million to be spent at YHA Pen y Pass, in Snowdonia.
 
There will be £820,000 spent at YHA Penzance, in Cornwall, nearly £730,000 at YHA Conwy, in north Wales and £600,000 at YHA Ambleside in the Lake District.
 
YHA St David's, in South Wales, YHA Grinton, in North Yorkshire, YHA Treyarnon Bay, in Cornwall, YHA Windermere, in the Lake District and YHA Exeter, in Devon, will each benefit from improvement projects costing around £½ million.
 
While schemes in excess of £250,000 are scheduled for YHA Arundel, in Sussex, YHA Coalport, in Shropshire, YHA Coverack, in Cornwall, YHA Haworth, in West Yorkshire, YHA Port Eynon, in South Wales, YHA Salcombe, in Devon and YHA St Briavel's Castle, in Gloucesterhire.
 
The refurbishment projects were identified by an exhaustive in-depth survey of the 161 properties operated directly by YHA out of its network of 208 Youth Hostels.
 
This same survey has also identified 77 more properties for investment for the subsequent two years.
 
The Board has agreed three sites where the required investment would never be recouped.  As a result, YHA Bangor, in North Wales, YHA Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk and YHA Slimbridge, in Gloucestershire, will close at the end of the year.
 
Added Roger: "It is always regrettable when we announce closures and every effort will be made to support and relocate those staff affected at these sites.
 
"But the YHA property network is organic. The closure of sites is unavoidable for YHA, while the creation of good quality facilities in excellent  locations is a necessity for our survival and growth."