London Central in The Times
Whatever happened to Youth Hostels? asks an article in monday’s Times. One of their reporters has visited the new London Central hostel and found, instead of the drafty dormitories and cold showers that she appears to have expected, something more suitable for the 21st century:
While YHA hasn’t abandoned it’s principles of dorm bedrooms, bunk beds, a kitchen, and long tables for communal dining; it’s the internet cafe and bar that’s now the hub of the hostel, not the stove and the kitchen sink.
Bright furniture, bold artwork, big screens playing music videos and a vast back-lit map of the Underground decorate the walls of the open-plan reception and cafe.
I’m sure there are readers of this site who will blanch at the thought of music videos blasting away full time, but this is supposed to be a youth organisation, and I don’t think it’s inappropriate in this type of hostel. I wouldn’t expect to see such things in a countryside hostel (not great for our carbon footprint, is it?) .
It’s only a short article, but more postive press for the Association can’t be bad. Anybody here stayed at London Central?