All Creatures... village in spotlight for staycation boom
IT’S BEEN a tough 12 months. Lockdown, loneliness and loss has been hard hitting thanks to the pandemic, and most of us are desperate for a holiday.
The politicians’ roadmaps have given us a little light at the end of the tunnel, but foreign escapes still feel out of reach for many, and anxiety inducing to others.
So, it’s likely we’ll be holidaying closer to home this summer – which is fine by us, as long as it’s not actually at home. Never has a local escape – ideally with family and friends we haven’t seen or hugged for eons – been more welcome.
But is it worth the stress? If last summer is anything to go by, all the best places were snapped up before we even started Googling, and the ones left seemed bang average (at best) yet absolutely extortionate. So, is there anything left, where do we want to escape to, and when should we book?
Family holiday experts Vrbo surveyed more than 7,000 parents and discovered that unsurprisingly, we’re almost all keen to head to the beach this summer.
Cornwall topped the list of UK destinations its customers are interested in this summer, mirroring last year’s popularity of Cornish seaside destinations, such as St Ives. Its neighbouring county of Devon, home to the English Riviera, is also proving to be a popular staycation destination, while Norfolk, Dorset and Caithness, a historic county in Scotland, round off the top five.
However, North Yorkshire also featured in the top ten of the list.
Karen Mullins, market insights lead for Vrbo, says: “Our latest findings show that despite a year of postponed and cancelled holidays, this year will be the summer for UK staycations. It’s great to see families fall back in love with their home country once again, and support local businesses.”
Among the places particularly recommended by the company as locations still available to book is the ‘Tucked Away Cottage’ in Grassington – the village that has famously been transformed into Darrowby for the remake of All Creatures Great and Small.
The recommendation reads: “North Yorkshire is known for being covered in national parks, and if you take a trip to the heritage coast, you’ll be sure to enjoy some of the county’s striking landscapes.
“If you’re looking for a picturesque place to stay, then nestled within the Yorkshire Dales National Park is this Hide Away Cottage in Grassington village.
“The property sleeps four people, has two bedrooms and one bathroom.”
The average nightly fee is £125 and a minimum three-night stay is required to book.
Earlier this month, a separate survey suggested demand for domestic UK holidays this summer will exceed prepandemic levels.
The poll of 2,000 consumers by market research agency Mintel indicated that a total of £7.1bn will be spent on so-called staycations between July and September.
This is up from £5.8bn in 2019. Mintel associate director Marloes De Vries said there are growing signs many will avoid going abroad this year,” she said.
“The UK holiday market will continue to benefit from cautious and price-sensitive consumers who will opt to stay closer to home.
“The introduction of quarantine hotels and compulsory testing for all arrivals adds another layer of uncertainty in what would normally be an important booking period.
“As a result, more travellers will choose to book a staycation.”
■ For more information on the Grassington property and to search for other options, visit www.vrbo.com.
North Yorkshire is among the most sought-after locations for staycations – especially the village where All Creatures Great and Small is filmed. Claire Spreadbury reports.