YHAgroup.org.uk

The furore surrounding YHA’s application for 24-hour drinks licences for 118 of its hostels has persisted into the new year. Last week stories appeared in The Guardian, The Times and on BBC News, together with a somewhat tongue-in-cheek leader in The Independent. Whilst the nationals have generally passed on message about YHA not actually wanting to set up 24-hour drinking dens, local papers have been less measured:

• Youth Hostels in Sussex given 24-hour Booze Licences
• 24-hour drinking at the last bastion of clean-living
• Hostel Licence Must be Fought

YHA have, at least, published a press release about its licensing plans. Curiously, it was issued the day after I posted my previous article on the subject on this website. I don’t think the two facts are related!

A short report in Thursday’s Guardian appears to be the first appearance in the national press of an issue that been showing up in local papers up and down the country. YHA’s application for 24-hour drink and entertainment licences for many of its hostels has made the news in…

• Alfriston
• Cambridge
• Cockermouth
• St Briavels
• Newcastle
• Saffron Walden

All have made some effort to obtain and express the YHA’s side of the story, but I suspect many readers will still be getting the wrong impression of the Association. Unfortunately, the YHA appears to operate a “good news only” policy on it’s news and press web pages - stories which aren’t 100% positive are left to third parties to explain, with whatever inaccuracies and distortions they introduce. So, in the absence of anything from Matlock, I’m going add to the ranks of those third parties (remember this is NOT an official YHA site) and give the story as I understand it, largely based on a briefing given to Central Regional Council last weekend.

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You might no longer get a welcoming cup of tea, but if you’re after something stronger that won’t be a problem. Eastbourne Today reports that YHA has applied for a 24 hour entertainment and alcohol licence for Alfriston YH. They won’t be able to provide food after 5am though, so keep that dial-a-kebab leaflet handy.

Colin Rich, YHA’s food and beverage manager, deploys some impressive legalese to explain that YHA doesn’t really want to sell booze all night every night, but just wants to be legally in the clear for any special events that might be hosted at the hostel. At least I think that’s what he’s trying to say - whether it’s the message the the burghers of Eastbourne will get is another matter.

According to a thread on the uk.rec.youth-hostel newsgroup, the offer of a free cup of tea or coffee on arrival at a hostel is no longer to be made. A memo has gone out to hostel managers stating that “we now, no longer provide free tea and coffee for guests on arrival, other than as part of pre-costed packages”.

Now, this seems a little counter-productive to me. It surely can’t cost a lot of money to provide a cup that cheers on arrival (in fact, if staff are really expected to keep track of and report how many teas/coffees were provided on arrival as opposed to at mealtimes, that probably costs more in staff time than the drinks themselves). In return, YHA presents a friendly, welcoming first impression to its guests. Like that old advert used to say: “you never get a second chance to make a first impression!” Picture the scene:

Warden

Welcome to the hostel. You look frozen, would you like a cup of tea or coffee?

Hosteller

Yes please, that would be brilliant!

Warden

That’ll be 50p then.

Hosteller

Oh.

Is the YHA a warm, friendly organisation eager to attract new people into the fold, or is it just another penny-pinching budget hotel chain looking to get people through the door with apparently low prices and then squeeze every last penny from them with optional extras? I fear we’re drifting towards the latter.

Now, this isn’t an issue that I’d go to the barricades about. After all, you can always make your own cuppa in the Members’ Kitchen if you don’t want to pay for one. I do wonder, though, if YHA’s zeal to “increase the food and beverage spend per overnight” has gone a little far this time?