Systeme D

20 March 2005

Fuck the Youth Hostels Association of England and Wales

We've just had an excellent weekend's walking in the Brecon Beacons. Here's Anna on Table Mountain:



The only downside was, once again, the accursed Youth Hostels Association.

We stayed at Capel-y-ffin Youth Hostel. It's just what youth hostels ought to be - the accommodation is fairly basic but not uncomfortable, the wardens are friendly. It's in the middle of classic walking country, on a key National Cycle Network route, and just a few miles from the stunning Llanthony Priory. It's lovely.

So, naturally, the Matlock Muppets - the bunch of uber-capitalist arsewipes who, somehow, have ended up in charge of the YHA - want to close it.

The wardens are desperate to keep it open. For starters, they're appealing for just £3000 for a few facilities that should put it out of danger for the next few months: individual lights by each bed, a new shower unit, new locks to enable access through the day. (Would the lack of a bedside light stop you staying in a budget youth hostel? Me neither.)

We gave a donation to keep it open. We were pleased to see that many others had done the same, in the short period that the hostel has been open this year. And I'm also reassured that the local LibDems are campaigning for the hostel.

But Matlock has closed so many rural hostels of late that I don't rate Capel-y-ffin's chances. It would depress me too much to list all the hostels that have closed in the last five or so years. I'm only an occasional hosteller, and at least three I've used have gone - Elton, Copt Oak, Ellingstring. Plus, of course, Charlbury, just four doors away from where I'm sitting. (It's now luxury flats.)

They're well past the stage of being able to blame foot and mouth for the closures, but sadly this hasn't stopped them. Badby (Northamptonshire), Cynwyd (North Wales), and Kemsing (Medway Valley) are already announced as going this year. Lincoln, Bakewell and Malvern are under threat. Ystradfellte (Brecon Beacons) and Bradenham (Chilterns) are strongly expected to follow.

But worry not. We have a Youth Hostel on Oxford Street. We have another massive one built opposite St Pancras International, just right for the international backpacker market. (I would love to see the accounts for that one, given that St Pancras is still decidedly Parochial and will stay that way for another couple of years.) And we have a Hobbit-themed room at the brand new Oxford hostel... plus a punt - a fucking Oxford college punt! - on the ceiling of the 'restaurant'. Said hostel was relocated at great expense just so it could be almost next door to the well-established independent backpackers' establishment.

One day someone is going to look at the YHA's charitable objectives - "to help all, especially young people of limited means to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside" - and nail the fuckers for operating wholly outwith them for the last ten years.

Comments

Any chance of a co-ordinated campaign to stop the latest round of closures in mid wales? For startes are any of these hostels subject to restrictive covenants on deed of gift.

Posted by Richard Henderson on 7.2.06 15:58

The YHA has seriously lost the plot.
Next it will lose its members... and its YHA Local Groups.

Blackboys YH is a beautiful site and will not make any money for the YHA .. so they sell it. This was our adopted hostel that the club looked after.

Publicity Officer, Bromley Adventure Group

(Since 1977 I have been Publicity Officer for various YHA Groups)

Posted by Mr. Alan Sealy B.A. AKC on 3.3.06 23:18

I couldnt agree more about those tosspots in Matlock. I am a life member of over 20 years and only wish I could get a rebate on my life membership. I wouldnt dream of joining this organisation now. It has lost site entirely of the reason it was set up. I too have stayed in many of the small hostels which seem to bear the brunt of the closure plans. Who wants to stay in these money making glass palaces like Liverpool Manchester and all the London hostels where nothing is secure unless its screwed down. If you want old style hostelling now go and try the Republic of Irelands small hostels.

Posted by Dave Harrison on 20.3.06 00:46

I'm so glad that other people are angry at the closure of Capel-y-ffin. My Dad, Jack Evans was the first warden there and my Mum took over when he died and was there for 40 years! Since her retirement in 1999 it has been allowed to go to the pits and is now really a shadow of what it was despite the current warden's best efforts under extremely difficult circumstances. I grew up there and spent many years working there too. Today we went to visit the place and have a final look at it before its sold (to no doubt someone with connections at a knockdown price!). I have witnessed first hand the thousands of people who benefitted from staying there and for many it literally changed their whole outlook on the countryside.
I understand that times change but as it is a memorial hostel couldn't the yha have spent a bit to make it into holiday flats and then reaped the rewards of that?
If you've never stayed there, do go now before it closes as it really is a magical place.

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