Now that April is upon us, I can reveal that I will be standing for the House of Keys in the forthcoming election.
I am grateful to my good friend Murray Lambden for allowing me to make the announcement on his website:
www.manxathletics.com
However, I will be holding a full press conference at 12.00pm today to explain about my 85 point manifesto.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
Fly High with Electron
One of the things that really annoys me is the airlines adding any charge at all to use debit and credit cards but now it seems they're really taking the biscuit.
For a single transaction, they are now coming up with ever higher figures and some are charging for each person booked and even for each leg of the journey.
All businesses that take credit and debit cards must pay commission or fees on all the payments they take but over the years they have become more and more reasonable as competition is fierce to become your 'Third Party,' and as a business, The Welbeck Hotel Ltd. pays from 1.15% for personal visa/mastercard, less than 2% for all business versions of the same and 3% to American Express. Debit cards are a flat fee of about 15p per transaction. There is an insignificant amount invoiced to us for the rent of our EPOS machine.
Therefore, you can imagine how low major companies like the airlines must pay with their volume of sales power.
Many of you have probably already signed the 'Online Which Petition' against unfair fees but if you haven't, here's a link to join it:
http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/personal-finance/card-surcharges/pledge-your-support/
However, last night, while watching the new Phil & Kirsty series, 'Vacation, Vacation, Vacation,' they mentioned that each airline must provide a method of payment without any added charge.
Visa Electron was mentioned as the card which is the free way of paying ,'Flybe' the airline which visits the Isle of Man through most routes. Of course while being stupid enough not to see how short sighted it is to have all these hidden payments is making the consumer feel cheated, they are not stupid enough not to ensure their preferred card be one of the most difficult to obtain.
This is especially so on the Island but eventually after ringing round half the banks in Douglas, I was told that it is possible to get hold of one by opening an account at Barclays Wealth. It does require you to have money in the bank to make purchases with one, so it is more like a debit card rather than credit but in these days of internet transfer, you surely don't need to keep too much of your hard earned inactive in there for too long.
For a single transaction, they are now coming up with ever higher figures and some are charging for each person booked and even for each leg of the journey.
All businesses that take credit and debit cards must pay commission or fees on all the payments they take but over the years they have become more and more reasonable as competition is fierce to become your 'Third Party,' and as a business, The Welbeck Hotel Ltd. pays from 1.15% for personal visa/mastercard, less than 2% for all business versions of the same and 3% to American Express. Debit cards are a flat fee of about 15p per transaction. There is an insignificant amount invoiced to us for the rent of our EPOS machine.
Therefore, you can imagine how low major companies like the airlines must pay with their volume of sales power.
Many of you have probably already signed the 'Online Which Petition' against unfair fees but if you haven't, here's a link to join it:
http://www.which.co.uk/campaigns/personal-finance/card-surcharges/pledge-your-support/
However, last night, while watching the new Phil & Kirsty series, 'Vacation, Vacation, Vacation,' they mentioned that each airline must provide a method of payment without any added charge.
Visa Electron was mentioned as the card which is the free way of paying ,'Flybe' the airline which visits the Isle of Man through most routes. Of course while being stupid enough not to see how short sighted it is to have all these hidden payments is making the consumer feel cheated, they are not stupid enough not to ensure their preferred card be one of the most difficult to obtain.
This is especially so on the Island but eventually after ringing round half the banks in Douglas, I was told that it is possible to get hold of one by opening an account at Barclays Wealth. It does require you to have money in the bank to make purchases with one, so it is more like a debit card rather than credit but in these days of internet transfer, you surely don't need to keep too much of your hard earned inactive in there for too long.
Monday, 28 March 2011
Meayll Peninsula
Following up on my recommendation to a couple of our guests on Saturday, yesterday Irene & I decided to walk around the tip of the Meayll Peninsula.
Leaving glorious sunshine in Douglas, we became a little apprehensive as a haze seemed to be shrouding the Island somewhat but we ignored the advice of the Met Man (09006243200 gets you speaking to a real life meteorologist, so for the 50p price of a phone call, I often ring before heading out as the weather around the Isle of Man can be very diffferent) to perhaps look at hitting the high ground and pressed on to the south west.
To save time, we had taken the car but this walk is easily completed by using either bus or steam train. We parked on the Truggan Road on the outskirts of Port St Mary and walked into Port Erin, taking the Raad-Ny-Foillan (Literal translation: Road of the Gull, the Island's coastal path marked with pictures of a white gull on a blue background) which you can pick up just behind the red brick former Marine Biological Centre building.
It's a real lung-buster to start the walk proper but well worth it as already you have a view of the whole village of Port Erin, the hills surrounding and also Bay-Ny-Carrickey to the north. From a skeet angle, you also get to overlook Ballaman, the house built, complete with contrversal windbreak and pond by Nigel Mansell, the former world champion racing driver when he was resident here.
We certainly weren't hanging around and it took us under 45 minutes to get from Port Erin to the Sound but if you prefer to travel at a more leisurely pace, you may be as well allowing over an hour to an hour and a quarter. There are some places where it is quite challenging and others where the ground is littered with loose stone, so you would want to have reasonable levels of fitness and stability before attempting it.
We saw lots of choughs and gulls, though often you'd get a greater variety of bird than we saw yesterday and it is running over and alongside farmland, so there are usually domestic animals too.
The nearest point to the Calf, the island just a few hundred yards away is the Calf Sound and there is a cafe there, serving anything from snacks up to a full meal but as we had not long since had our breakfast, a coffee and a glass of water sufficed. Mind you if you are contemplating a large lunch and then walking to along the Raad-ny-Foillan to Port St Mary, it may be worth remembering how steep the hill is about 10 minutes into the journey. This always reminds me of two occasions when we have walked the other way. The first was meeting two elderly ladies with sticks just after there and wondering how on earth they'd ascended it and the second was one time when our youngest son Terence must have been about 8 years old and was in the middle of telling us how brilliant he was goijng downhill when he went splat! and ended up covered in mud from head to toe.
Even with the dry weather we've experienced lately, it was still a little wet there but we managed to avoid Terence's fate. This part of the journey took us over an hour but we hugged the coast pretty closely and there are shortcuts. Dramatic scenery includes Sugarloaf Roack, Spanish Head and with a short detour, The Chasms, before you pass the golf course, Perwick Bay and then come into Port St Mary itself.
The sunshine followed us all the way, despite our initial misgivings and even to the garden outside the Bay View Hotel where we had a couple of 'lemonades' to replenish after our exertions.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Return of the Pink Panther, a Knife, a Fork and a Keycard
Rumours were not true and the possible Manx Postworkers strike hadn't started early; our regular Postie had broken his foot (get well soon Mr Glassey.)
However, the Postie who hadn't done our round for 20 years, did make it eventually on Tuesday morning, well just into the afternoon actually and he came bearing a parcel, simply addressed to The Welbeck Hotel.
And contained inside? A knife and fork very much looking like the ones we use in the Welbeck Hotel and seemingly nothing else. No cover note but just a random knife and fork . Confusion reigned but a further inspection and tipping upside down brought a keycard falling out of the package.
Detective Clouseau was on the case and as we can read the basic data* about when it was issued and for how long it was valid enable me to work out who had sent it.
So thank you very much to the gentleman who did return it, though if you are reading this blog,; Why didn't you just leave it until next week when you are due back again.
We do very much appreciate cards being returned to us as we can re-use them but the irony is that we actually receive more of these back than we used to our old 'Weiser' keys and fobs which cost us considerable more and even had free postage, so that all anyone needed to do was to drop them into a Post box.
*Contrary to some information being distributed by people with nothing better to do, keycards(well definitely the Vingcard system that we use) contain no personal information and only refer to the room number, whether they are guest or staff cards, when they are issued and how long they are valid for.
However, the Postie who hadn't done our round for 20 years, did make it eventually on Tuesday morning, well just into the afternoon actually and he came bearing a parcel, simply addressed to The Welbeck Hotel.
And contained inside? A knife and fork very much looking like the ones we use in the Welbeck Hotel and seemingly nothing else. No cover note but just a random knife and fork . Confusion reigned but a further inspection and tipping upside down brought a keycard falling out of the package.
Detective Clouseau was on the case and as we can read the basic data* about when it was issued and for how long it was valid enable me to work out who had sent it.
So thank you very much to the gentleman who did return it, though if you are reading this blog,; Why didn't you just leave it until next week when you are due back again.
We do very much appreciate cards being returned to us as we can re-use them but the irony is that we actually receive more of these back than we used to our old 'Weiser' keys and fobs which cost us considerable more and even had free postage, so that all anyone needed to do was to drop them into a Post box.
*Contrary to some information being distributed by people with nothing better to do, keycards(well definitely the Vingcard system that we use) contain no personal information and only refer to the room number, whether they are guest or staff cards, when they are issued and how long they are valid for.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Hotel Walking Races
Competition while not being a necessity to produce excellence, it certainly does no harm and most at the pinnacle of whatever it is that they do, often have had someone either just ahead or behind them to drive them on or pull them towards greatness.
Now, though I am not yet quite conceited enough to shower such accolades on either the Welbeck or the Ascot Hotels, it is no coincidence that Douglas Bay, once described by Wordsworth as 'The Naples of the North,' had many buildings far better placed to survive the changing face of tourism, both the former have flourished and grown whilst all but a handful of their illustrious counterparts have either been demolished, segmented into apartments or used for some other purpose.
The point of my argument is that a year after the Georges moved into 13 Mona Drive, in 1979 the Mackeys first occupied 7&8 Empire Terrace, The Ascot Bradda and we've been friendly but definitely rivals ever since.
And now we've even taken it into athletics......
Following (of course) our lead - The Welbeck Hotel & Restaurant sponsors the 'One Hour Challenge,' The Ascot have really 'upped the ante' by putting their name to the most prestigious athletics meeting on the Island, namely the Manx Harriers Open Walks & 10k Run. In the past, it has seen such luminaries as Steve Barry, the Welsh former Commonwealth Games Champion, the holder of the British 50k record, Chris Maddocks, Irish Olympians, Rob Heffernan, Jamie Costin and Colin Griffin.
Of course, it would be remiss to forget the ladies and current World silver 20k medallist, Olive Loughnane has raced here many times. In her one visit to the Island Johanna Jackson who won Commonwealth Gold in India also set her then PB (She stayed at the Welbeck.)
Last Saturday, the 20k main event was won by Englishman, Dan King and although I grudgingly have to admit that he and twin brother Dom were accommodated at the Ascot. The twins from Colchester are hoping to be selected for 2012 where they are likely to be the only British representatives if successful.
Every other race saw victory gained by the Irish team who were billeted at The Welbeck and though consisting almost entirely of juniors, there are some exciting prospects for the future amongst them.
It is brilliant for our own young athletes to face such strong opposition and it is hoped that one or two of our crop of talent will follow in the footsteps of 18n year old Lauren Whelan, based at Leeds University raced successfully in Australia recently.
And the Hotelier rivalry? Perhaps competition doesn't always lead to excellence: We were both equally rubbish with Dave Mackey limping out after 4 laps and Michael George finishing 2nd last, 8 minutes down on his personal best.
Ascot Ambler v Welbeck Wanderer
.
Many thanks to Manx Athletics guru, photograper, videographer, athlete extraordinaire, Murray Lambden for the pictures that I nicked.
For comprehensive coverage of the above event and all things athletic, see:
www.manxathletics.com
P.S. He's also another competitor in the tourism industry:
http://www.murrayandmarie.com/
Now, though I am not yet quite conceited enough to shower such accolades on either the Welbeck or the Ascot Hotels, it is no coincidence that Douglas Bay, once described by Wordsworth as 'The Naples of the North,' had many buildings far better placed to survive the changing face of tourism, both the former have flourished and grown whilst all but a handful of their illustrious counterparts have either been demolished, segmented into apartments or used for some other purpose.
The point of my argument is that a year after the Georges moved into 13 Mona Drive, in 1979 the Mackeys first occupied 7&8 Empire Terrace, The Ascot Bradda and we've been friendly but definitely rivals ever since.
And now we've even taken it into athletics......
Following (of course) our lead - The Welbeck Hotel & Restaurant sponsors the 'One Hour Challenge,' The Ascot have really 'upped the ante' by putting their name to the most prestigious athletics meeting on the Island, namely the Manx Harriers Open Walks & 10k Run. In the past, it has seen such luminaries as Steve Barry, the Welsh former Commonwealth Games Champion, the holder of the British 50k record, Chris Maddocks, Irish Olympians, Rob Heffernan, Jamie Costin and Colin Griffin.
Of course, it would be remiss to forget the ladies and current World silver 20k medallist, Olive Loughnane has raced here many times. In her one visit to the Island Johanna Jackson who won Commonwealth Gold in India also set her then PB (She stayed at the Welbeck.)
Last Saturday, the 20k main event was won by Englishman, Dan King and although I grudgingly have to admit that he and twin brother Dom were accommodated at the Ascot. The twins from Colchester are hoping to be selected for 2012 where they are likely to be the only British representatives if successful.
Every other race saw victory gained by the Irish team who were billeted at The Welbeck and though consisting almost entirely of juniors, there are some exciting prospects for the future amongst them.
It is brilliant for our own young athletes to face such strong opposition and it is hoped that one or two of our crop of talent will follow in the footsteps of 18n year old Lauren Whelan, based at Leeds University raced successfully in Australia recently.
And the Hotelier rivalry? Perhaps competition doesn't always lead to excellence: We were both equally rubbish with Dave Mackey limping out after 4 laps and Michael George finishing 2nd last, 8 minutes down on his personal best.
Ascot Ambler v Welbeck Wanderer
.
Many thanks to Manx Athletics guru, photograper, videographer, athlete extraordinaire, Murray Lambden for the pictures that I nicked.
For comprehensive coverage of the above event and all things athletic, see:
www.manxathletics.com
P.S. He's also another competitor in the tourism industry:
http://www.murrayandmarie.com/
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