Opening for New Year for first time

We decided to open for New Year and have brunch instead of breakfast on New Year's Day. Rooms 9 & 10 still not sorted with the plumbing, problem with the shower, so just got 4 rooms out. We know everyone coming and it should be a great weekend. First guests arrive today.

Back home

It's amazing how quickly 3 weeks can go when you're having fun. Plumber still not finished the bathrooms and decorator has cut up the wrong carpet!! He's paying for a replacement though. We're going to have to get back to the gym to get rid of the weight we must have put on.

Mexico here we come

One thing we miss about running The Waverley is our summer holidays to Italy. To get the sun now we need to travel further and Mel (Julie's daughter) asked us to go with her and her family to Mexico. We couldn't turn down the opportunity of 10 days with 3 grandchildren (Lucy, Jacob and Charlie) and sun as well. Photo uploaded later. After 9 solid months 10 days isn't enough holiday so we are going out via Washington for 6 days and back via Philadelphia for 5 days.

Off with the woodchip

James and Mark arrived today, James still complaining about stripping the woodchip!! When they started it wasn't half as bad as they anticipated because it came off in sheets like cardboard. Surprise surprise it didn't rip half of the Victorian plaster off either. It appears that the paper was originally put on in 1955 (before Julie was born) and has had so many layers of paint applied in the last 53 years that it just pulled off in stiff sheets - a nightmare to bag up though.

We've done it!!

Just had email from Billy at GTBS to let us know that we have got GOLD!!
We're really chuffed, particularly as we are not only the first (and currently only) accredited business in Whitby, but that we have gone straight in at their highest grading of gold.

Feet up time - ha ha!!

The last guests have gone home today and we are now closed until New Year brunch. We're off on holiday in 3 weeks and the decorators and plumbers are coming 10th Nov to refurb 2 bedrooms and decorate the hall, stairs and landings. James, the decorator has been moaning since last year because he has 3 floors of woodchip paper to remove.

Whitby Goth Weekend

Just had another good weekend, don't know why Ian and Adrienne weren't happy to have Goths here. I don't suppose we get many though, mainly spectators. I will have to go out with my camera next time, but here are some pictures on You Tube. Goth Weekend photos

GTBS Audit

We're hoping that we can change our GTBS logo very soon. From the conversations with Billy, the GTBS inspector, we're hopeful of getting a high grading. Would like to think that we can get gold but not certain until reviewed by the GTBS team back in Scotland. Watch this space!!

New fire alarm

The fire officer came earlier this year and suggested that we should consider upgrading the alarm system. Daft as it sounds, it has been cheaper to put in an entirely new system than have the old one upgraded - something to do with the wiring. Got a few quotes and settled on Matt who owns Botham Fire and Security Ltd. He has done a first class job - if you need an alarm try contacting him in Scarborough.

Soul Music Weekend

Just had another good Soul Music Weekend with a good group of people.

Chill out

Melanie and Jessica, Julie's and my respective daughters have said that the blog is too "formal" - probably comes of over 30 years working in large companies where formality was the norm. I need to chill and write in a more relaxed manner, all I can say is that I will try.

Country Music & Heritage Open Weekend

Heritage Open Weekend is a great opportunity to see the parts of Whitby not normally seen. It is one weekend a year where historic buildings are opened for everyone to see, for a flavour of what it is about click on the link above. It's also Country Music Weekend, usually another good crowd.

Folk Week's here again

Another Folk Week is here. Even though we're always busy for folk week it isn't too bad as everyone is here for a full week aqnd we have a good crowd. Makes it a bit of a nightmare on the Saturday when everyone goes though with every room to do for people checking in for Bank Holiday.

Green Tourism Business Scheme Advisory Visit

We have just had our GTBS advisory visit. We thought we were doing a lot but there is a lot more to do. Fortunately most of it isn't too difficult (or expensive) to achieve. We can officially use the "Awaiting Grading" logo now on our advertising.

Regatta

The end of another Regatta weekend with the usual fantastic firework display from East Pier. Next year's event is going to be more of a problem for everyone as it conflicts with the first half of Folk Week and the Regatta organisers won't consider moving it. The Folk Week cannot readily move as it is part of a whole programme of events around the country and is always the week leading to bank holiday, whereas the Regatta is governed by tides which are a moving feast. Click here for more photos of the fireworks.

Proud parents

Nothing to do with The Waverley, except that we were closed yesterday and today. Jessica has graduated from Leeds University with a degree in English, no doubt that she will complain about us putting this on the blog!!

Soul Weekender

It is the Soul Weekender this weekend. We are only a couple of hundred yards from The Pavilion, I guess that's one of the reasons why we have the same people coming back every year.

Hope that there isn't the same controversy about tickets this year - last year some people had problems getting in as there were apparently some forgeries around. It caused a lot of frustration and resentment.

Lynn's Bowel Cancer Campaign Big Bike Ride hits town

Here at last after several months of planning we have 40 intrepid bikers on their epic round Britain motorbike ride for Lynn's Bowel Cancer Campaign. We have been involved with Lynn and her campaign for 11 years since I (Stephen) had advanced bowel cancer. Lynn was a great support throughout the whole ordeal. Many thanks to Ian, from the famous Magpie Café who fed everyone down by the bandstand The main aim is to raise awareness about bowel cancer on a route that takes in Birmingham, Leeds, Whitby, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Conway, Cardiff, Brighton and London over a 4 day period. The ride, is about 1400 miles with a very eclectic mix of bikes.

From Big Bike Ride 2008

Swampy and Swampette!!

The article has been published in today's Whitby Gazette. Click on the photo if you fancy reading it, it is mostly accurate although the bit about napkins is a misquote. Should have said "We are considering whether linen napkins are a more environmentally friendly option than paper." Unfortunately there is no clear cut answer.

New Restaurant - Vinyard

Just been to a new restaurant with our friends Jon and Judith from Whitby Carpets, had a great meal. The Vinyard is worth visiting if you're in Whitby, whether you are staying with us or not.

Fame at last

Press photographer from Whitby Gazette has just been to cover the story about the GTBS pilot scheme. Story should be in paper in a week or so.

FOE and PBF

Having been to the Plastic Bag Free meetings we eventually found ourselves at a Friends Of The Earth meeting as the PBF is supported by FOE. We had been a bit surprised to find that we, and everyone else there had to contribute to the cost of the venue by having a "secret collection". As our guest lounge is under utilised we decided that we could host both FOE and PBF meetings. Tonight is the first meeting - just hope that too many people don't turn up.

What have we done?

We have just been to a meeting held by the Tourist Board and a "GREEN" company we had never heard of. We had decided to go as we like to think that we are reasonably aware of the environment but wanted to learn more. At the end of the presentations we were a bit deflated as we hadn't learned a great deal. In fact most of what was talked about we were already doing. At the end of it all we filled in a critique and ticked a box to indicate that we would be interested in being part of a pilot, particularly as there was some help with the funding (owt for nowt as we say up here). We didn't expect to hear anything else, especially as we hadn't been full of praise on the critique form, so were really surprised to be selected as the pilot guest accommodation for Whitby on the Green Tourism Business Scheme - that company we'd never heard of.

After all that we have another meeting tonight with Plastic Bag Free Whitby, no rest for the wicked.