Tissington expects... a spring and summer business boom
THE owner of the Tissington Estate, Sir Richard Fitzherbert, says he predicts a spring and summer boom for local businesses, as tourists respond to the easing of the lockdown by booking up selfcatering accommodation.
Sir Richard, who owns a cluster of holiday cottages in his picturesque village, says bookings have been flowing in, with many holidaymakers still wary about booking international travel.
Campsites in the area have also seen a surge in interest, with many sites booked solid throughout the spring, following Monday’s confirmation that people can stay overnight in self-contained accommodation from next week.
Sir Richard said: “We’ve got four cottages and two apartments and they’re all beginning to fill up nicely as we speak.
“One of the places that people can stay in is our gardener’s cottage, which used to be home to the gardener of the estate, and that’s full until the end of October.
“We’re also making further investments by converting a barn that’s been dis-used and un-loved for the last 20 years into an ecofriendly holiday spot.
“Overall weekends are pretty full for the next couple of months, but we’ve still got plenty of availability, particularly during the weekdays.
“That’s going to be good for all the other businesses associated with the area as well such as the cafes, independent shops and pubs which have all been having a really hard time over the last few months.
“The weddings side of our business has been the most affected by the lockdown and those waters have been very tricky to negotiate because weddings that were booked in for 2020 have been moved to this year, but a lot of our clients came from abroad and those are people who can’t travel here and so we have lost them.
“For the accommodation side of the business the council’s local restriction grants have been a godsend, but ultimately we’d prefer getting back to welcoming people rather than taking hand-outs because that’s what we do here.”
And the area’s attractions are also reporting a steady stream of interest and bookings from holiday-makers and day-trippers.
Bosses at the Alton Towers resort, the area’s biggest tourist attraction, say they are seeing a growing demand ahead of the summer period.
Francis Jackson, operations director, said: “In line with current regulations, we’re delighted to be able to offer some of our selfcontained accommodation for families to enjoy from April 12th, including our stargazing pods, woodland lodges and our luxury tree houses.
“We are already seeing demand which is a really positive sign in terms of UK staycations and the industry in general.”
Attractions at Alton Towers this summer will include a new “Gangsta Granny” ride based on the bestselling children’s book by David Walliams.
Francis said: “From May 17, under current guidelines, our remaining hotels will open ahead of the summer holidays which is going to be really key for both us as a business and our guests who like to spend more than one day exploring everything the resort has to offer.
“Summer is always a busy time for us here at Alton Towers Resort and we expect this summer to be no different, so we are using this time to re-instate our robust health, safety and hygiene measures across all our accommodation and wider resort to provide a memorable and safe experience.”
As of Monday people can stay overnight in self-contained accommodation, and this will coincide with the reopening of nonessential businesses, and pub beer gardens.
The next proposed stage in the government’s road map could arrive on Monday, May 17, and that would see pubs able to welcome customers indoors, and the remainder of the tourism sector, including hotels, B&BS and hostels, would be allowed to open.