Save The Three Cups Hotel

The Three Cups Hotel

Campaigning for preservation of the hotel where J.R.R. Tolkien stayed and gained inspiration for his mythology. Jane Austen, G.K. Chesterton, Tennyson and H.W. Longfellow were also guests. The hotel featured in the film, “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”. Please send articles to me, Andrew Townsend, at afmt@btinternet.com or add a comment. Thanks to David Moss for all his work. Comments are closed at WDDC for the plans to redevelop the site but you can still write to the papers.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Why are we waiting?

While literary fans around the world wait to stay in The Three Cups HOTEL, spending their money elsewhere and the economy of Lyme Regis suffers, other parts of the country are getting on with business.

The BBC TV Series, "Last of The Summer Wine", may not be everyone's idea of high culture but that has not stopped the commercially minded people of Holmfirth in Yorkshire, taking every opportunity to exploit its fame as a filming location for the benefit of the tourist industry.

There are Sid's Cafe and The Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room among other venues to try. On a recent visit, my wife and I were looking for bed and breakfast accomodation and came across Ash House, which we can thoroughly recommend. Click here for their website. Interestingly, the owners also run a business called Summer Wine Classic Car Hire Ltd, mainly for weddings. Well, why not include that name in the title? I'm sure that the connection has been converted into sales many times over. I believe in Yorkshire such commercial acumen is called "Nouse". It's how they bring in business and create employment.

Obviously, there is a lesson for business (and property) owners in Lyme Regis that if you have famous media connections like, say, a film location (e.g. The Three Cups and The French Lieutenant's Woman) or links to authors such as Tolkien, Austen, Chesteron, Tennyson and Longfellow, you could be bringing in tourists to spend money in your town. And these people would want somewhere to stay which would create even more demand for HOTEL rooms. Others would want to see inside a hostelry with such literary and historical connections and spend money on drinks and meals. And when a hotel like that once again becomes the most famous venue open in the town (as opposed to a shut up decaying eyesore), I would expect it to be the most sought after place for wedding receptions. Then you would see people spending some money. And there would be life, laughter, enjoyment and happy memories. That would be enough to bring a smile to the face of even the most dour Yorkshire man and certainly this Lancastrian.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Jim Stuks said…

Really hope it's reformed to it's former glory.
You're right about the Three Cups Hotel having a lot of potential to bring money into the community

 
Anonymous perth car hire said…

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Anonymous Apartment in pattaya said…

I think the Three Cups hotel will need more publicity and advertising to start pulling in people again. I hope they will be able to survive these hard times and get back to the way it used to be.

 

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