New Hostel Prospects
News emerged today of two properties that might one day find their way into the YHA network.
In Ulverston, according to the North West Evening Mail, the Ford Park Community Group is hoping to create a 40-bed youth hostel in a historic house in the town. Perhaps most famous as the birthplace of Stan Laurel, Ulverston is the start point of the Cumbria Way though it’s a few miles outside the Lake District National Park. There’s a railway station in the town too, so it could be a good launch point for car-free explorations of the district.
Meanwhile, a couple of hundred miles further south, the Malvern Gazette reports that the YHA is having talks about taking over the Malvern Hills Outdoor Centre from Worcestershire County Council. Since selling Malvern Hostel to a mystery buyer last year, the Association has been looking for a replacement in the area. This outdoor centre may be it, but as it apparently needs £1.7m spending on it (as opposed to the £450,000 which they couldn’t afford to spend on the old hostel) maybe they’ll keep on looking. One to watch anyway.
The Ulverston group have received a £50K lottery grant towards their campaign, which must be a good sign.