A thriving cottage industry
A BUMPER year for bookings has just got even better thanks to Poldark power, says West Country holiday lettings agency Classic Cottages.
The business, already basking in a 15 per cent rise on last year’s figures, has now seen a further 30 per cent spike in website visits during the last couple of weeks.
This coincides with the opening episodes of the 18th- century period TV drama featuring Cornwall’s rugged beauty and stunning hero Ross Poldark, played by actor Aidan Turner, suggesting a definite link, according Classic’s chairman Simon Tregoning.
“We expected interest, but our traffic levels are noticeably higher, a high- profile hit like Poldark certainly helps consolidate our upward trend,” he says.
The family business, founded in the late 1970s, turns over £ 4 million and employs 69, working on four distinct brands within a portfolio stretching from Penzance to the Forest of Dean and Dorset.
The largest, Classic Cottages, features smart properties catering from couples to groups of 20 in coastal and rural locations taking in manor houses, stylish pads and thatched hideaways.
With Classic Glamping, and acquisitions Boutique Retreats and Aspects Holidays, the company has 1,300 holiday homes on its books and brings 100,000 visitors each year to the South- west.
The rise in self- catering holidays, grey breaks ( frequent short stays taken by affluent over- 55s), the recession- triggered staycation market, families with pre- school children not keen on the hassle of flying and dog- owners wanting pet- friendly accommodation have all contributed to Classic’s increased growth.
“Our core product has not changed, we have a good balance between supply and demand, but the quality of holiday homes has altered significantly,” says Tregoning. “Now the standard of the home is an important part of the holiday. This sector has led the field in improv ing the quality of UK tourism.”
The way customers find the company has altered too.
“Now it is internet channels,” explains Tregoning. “We have four full- time code writing developers and putting IT at the forefront is one of the fundamentals of our success. Customers have more choice so we have to work harder to keep their loyalty.”
And Tregoning adds: “Should a problem arise, although liability does lie with the property’s owner we work very hard to make everyone happy, which includes reaching into our own pockets when we think that the owner has not gone far enough.”
For further information visit www. classic. co. uk