UK holiday village bookings up 30%

The economic downturn has meant that many people are now looking for value holidays in the UK. Pontins holiday villages have reported a 30% increase in bookings and Travelodge (the budget hotel company) have also reported a 30% jump in bookings.

Lyme Bay Holiday Village has operated at around 80% capacity for years - imagine how well it could do in the next few years if only it were not to be closed on 6 January 2009.

on the matter of unitary councils...

Read this one here
A logo for Cornwall's new super-council which has been criticised for its design is now being criticised for its cost too.

Rebranding council property with the futuristic emblem of black and gold flames will cost about £476,000, according to a council report.

The insignia, which was chosen from more than 30 entries, has been compared by critics to the hairstyles of Amy Winehouse and boxing promoter Don King.

hmm, I suppose this is a scenario soon to be repeated closer to home...perhaps there should be a public consultation on it.

Tesco to move into banking

More details in an article in today's Daily Telegraph
here

Government consultation on the future of town centres

The government is consulting EVERYONE on the future of town centres. The consultation document is

HERE

Responses need to be with them by 31st October 2008.

It is, of course, written in that well-known civil service language "Bureaucrat" but it is worth persevering with it and giving your response as, if we do not tell the government exactly what we want there is no chance of getting it.

The (very short) introduction gives a very good reason why town centres with independent, local shops should not be allowed to die.

Tesco in the United States part 2

A very-well reasoned and well-argued American academic research paper about Tesco's move into the United States can be found here with some pertinent points in it for those areas in the UK which do not yet have a Tesco presence.

No doubt within the next few hours a 100% Tesco-friendly website on the same subject will appear in the comments section here as it did with the last posting on this subject.

Funny that.

Tesco in the United States

It seems Tesco is having a bit of trouble in the United States.
Read about it here - the second part of the document is particularly interesting.

Tesco town

Plans by the supermarket giant Tesco to build a huge development in Glasgow's west end have been given the go-ahead.

Proposals for the so-called 'Tesco town' in Partick include large retail premises and 873 flats.


detail here
The unstoppable march continues then.

Never say never...

From Youth Work News....

"The future of a youth centre has become central to negotiations in a bid by Tesco to build a new store in Essex."

Jump to full article here

East Devon District Council could disappear by 2010

The Boundary Committee for England has today issued its draft proposals for how Devon should become a Unitary Authority (disposing of the current district councils and having only one, or two councils in Devon apart from those already in Plymouth and Torbay).

The full report is here

Its major recommendation is that there should be three unitary councils in Devon: Plymouth and Torbay should remain as they are (currently independent unitary councils in their own right) and the rest of Devon should be covered by one unitary council for the whole of the county.

It says that they also saw merit in one other scenario - four unitary councils:
1. Plymouth (remaining as it is)
2. Torbay (remaining as it is)
3. Exeter AND Exmouth - new
4. One unitary council for the rest of Devon - new

In both these options, East Devon District Council ceases to exist in 2010.

If you wish to give your opinion on either of these scenarios or to comment on the Boundary Commission's report on Devon you can do it here

East Devon District Council proposed a scenario that increased its own area by including Exeter and taking it beyond the M5 and over the Exe estuary to Teignmouth. This was one of many scenarios proposed by various District Councils in Devon, all of which have been discounted in this report.

The report has implications for the Seaton Regeneration Area. If planning proposals have not been decided by East Devon District Council by 2010 they will all pass over to the new unitary authority for decision-making. Reading the proposals for the new unitary authority, there is almost no mention of how the planning system will work in a Devon-wide authority - which will be the largest unitary authority by area in the in the country.

Whatever happens it looks like - quite soon - The Knowle could become available for development - perhaps for housing and a large supermarket!

Of MP's and expenses

Clicking here will take you to a list of MPs who voted to keep their generous expenses allowance...hmm, who's that under "S"?

ht: Guido Fawkes

Tesco and Waitrose still trade in Zimbabwe

It would appear from the BBC website here that Waitrose and Tesco are still trading in Zimbabwe.