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Dear Trimstone Manor Friend

HALF PRICE OFFER CEASES SOON!

Well, Monday through Wednesday we have been pretty busy with half-price cream teas, breakfasts and some High Teas.  You have till the end of Monday 31 August to qualify!

SUMMER

Phew – what a summer, what a scorcher too – going from effectively closed to being full within weeks is no mean feat and for hospitality businesses to try to plan that has been a challenge!  We have been meeting some lovely people who have chosen to come and stay with us, either self-catering or the Hotel and still with numerous plaintive last minute enquiries where it is almost impossible to help.  And welcome to all of the new recipients of these ad hoc missives too!

That said, as we know our properties and if there is a little flexibility with guests’ needs then we’ll do our best to try to oblige but it has not been easy.  Still, we have been receiving last minute enquiries too for groups of up to forty for a three night break and well… those need planning a year in advance really!

I think what it will do is make visitors plan in advance more and book during the winter for their summer, as used to happen!  Next season will be busy too as whilst it is hoped and anticipate that a greater degree of normality will have returned, the Virus won’t be fully gone and there will be plenty who still don’t want to risk a flight if they don’t have to do so.  Indeed, whilst the weather may not be so predictable, we have been seeing many otherwise far less-frazzled visitors who haven’t had the hassles and time wasted in flights too.  It has reminded millions too of how beautiful our Country really is and for our guests, the tranquillity of our Place and the surroundings have refreshed places which many holiday destinations and ideas can’t reach…  (those of you who are old enough will remember the famous Heineken adverts!  Were they really 1973…! https://www.creativereview.co.uk/refreshes-the-parts-other-beers-cannot-reach/ ).  Of course, I could also quote the Carlsberg advert for our fabled Cream Teas too, also 1973… https://www.businessfulcrum.co.uk/blog/post/no-3—famous-slogans—probably-the-best-lager-in-the-world

NEW ARRIVAL

A friend caught a lonely guinea fowl in the countryside and brought him along to us to add to our menagerie… all his friends had disappeared to the fox, one by one, so now he is in a safe enclosure protected by our emus… we suspect he may have been from a shoot which released some alongside their pheasants and maybe the shoot is not operating this season so no feeding, etc ongoing for waifs and strays!  Our friends called a few days later and enjoyed a Cream tea to inspect and he has settled-in well!

HALF-PRICE AUGUST!

This is up to a £10 saving per man woman and child)! https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/899768/Eat_Out_to_Help_Out_-_table_talker__English_.pdf

We have never served so many cream teas already and were run-off or feet when lots of guests all turned-up at the same time, running-out of our delectable home-baked scones on several occasions – not being able to cook them quickly enough!  You should be able to ‘just turn-up’ but we recommend you call to pre-book just to avoid disappointment.  These can be in our beautiful and large gardens or inside if a tad inclement or cold.  We have plenty of room so there’s lots of suitable distance between guests.  Gluten-free should be no problem either!

You can also have a High Tea (pre-booking imperative) for £17 per person and can add a bottle of bubbly to greet you if desired – alcohol isn’t in the scheme of course!  And hey, why not but you could also join us for a full breakfast if you fancy – that’s usually £12 per person (£6 for a child)!  (You must pre-book these).

Of course we are serving these delectations at any day of the week too but Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are special!

VAT ON YOUR HOLIDAY

You may remember that last time I noted we were going to do something very special for guests who had stayed with us between 15 July and 12 January 2021.  Well, this clarifies it!  Because of the VAT saving, we are going you a discount of 20% (one-fifth) against your total spend whilst you have been with us and you can use this against a subsequent stay next year.

So, if say a cottage cost £1200 and with breakfast and drinks at the bar your total came to £1500, whether direct with us or through an agent, you will have a £300 discount off the price of whatever you book next time (subject to paying a minimum £50 a night for your stay per family group).

We have been unable to do our usual daily Hotel room tidies for guests staying more than one night, including automatically replenishing towels and coffees, etc, as well, to reduce possible infection opportunity (but of course guests must ask for more, day or night!).  Sadly we had to close our evening restaurant too as we had to take a decision on its feasibility early in the season.  However, there is a great new takeaway which delivers for only £1.50 so there are other, new options for something to eat!  Our local hostelries are doing their best too even with fewer guest spaces.

The lower VAT is not against alcohol but we’re giving this special discount (a bigger one than the VAT cut too!) against ‘everything’.  There are no tricks as so often apply with ‘offers’.  You can use it any way you want – an Hotel stay or self-catering but you cannot use it against a peak season stay – so not during the summer holidays, October Half-term or Whit week.  Other than that, you can make an excuse to use your concession any time you want – a long weekend or what!

On top of that and despite being chockers this year, we are better incentivising our guests next year with lower accommodation prices for those who book directly with us.  This saves commission and saves our guests booking costs which otherwise they pay (eg Airbnb) and we’d prefer for you to have that money in your pocket than the travel agencies.  I realise some of the agencies appear convenient ways to book but their commissions have to be paid somehow and guess who really pays them – they can be up to a quarter of the value of the booking too.  Indeed, rather than ‘getting the cheapest deal’ as they so often advertise to entice you to use them, some of our guests have really paid penalty prices as opposed to what would have applied had they contacted us directly.

TRIPADVISOR

Thank you for some lovely reviews on TripAdvisor and which ‘deprioritise’ the odd nasty one which all establishments seem to suffer (and if they don’t, dare I be so bold to suggest you should smell a rat as nowhere can please all the people all the time… however hard we all try!).  There are also professional complainants out to enjoy establishments’ fare for no cost if they blackmail a bad review.

We had a great group of young men take one of our cottages for a long weekend and they’ve left a lovely review on TripAdvisor – thank you.  However, it’s the first time that I can remember our poultry collection being referred to as – ‘a lot of birds out back’!   Perhaps in reality there is something of which we are unaware… but there are some facilities I am sorry to say we don’t provide!

THE FASTEST WIFI

We have the fastest holiday accommodation wifi in the whole area!   We are fully fibre-optic.   This is a super, unique fibre optic link direct to the local Exchange.  We were slower than most but now faster speeds than 99% in the Country!  We have always believed in free wifi for all our guests. Holidaymakers need reliable and speedy internet.  When I go away (however rare and I think I need a holiday now!), I need to work and others do too.  For entertainment – or for their children, it is important and with no access restrictions on broadband width either!

This is not only for tourists but for business guests.  Wifi and mobile signals nearby are pretty poor (check before you book elsewhere!) and unreliable so no frustration here.  We shall also be open for conference facilities too when we can, so imagine streaming presentations – no interruptions or slow speeds – plus reliability and your delegates having great, free wifi.   The facility is encouraging more guests (even out of season for those escaping for work projects to enjoy the surroundings too).

So come, stay and see.  Average Broadband download speeds in the UK are 46.2mbps and upload speeds of 6.2mbps. Trimstone’s speed is 300Mbps download and 30mbps upload.  Our internet means you can download an Ultra HD film (70gb) in 31 minutes compared to 3.24 hours on the average speed.

Looking forward to seeing you sometime!

Our very best wishes,

Philip & Helen Milton