Derwentwater (Photo: Alan Cleaver 2000)
The hostels earmarked for closure include three in the Lake District, Derwentwater, Helvellyn and Hawkshead, one on the North York Moors at Osmotherley, and also the hostels in Salisbury, Arundel, Totland and Newcastle.
In announcing the decision the YHA said, “Closing a Youth Hostel is never easy and YHA does understand the impact this decision will have, particularly for members and guests who enjoy close links and have strong loyalties with this particular hostel. We are working closely with all of our staff who are affected by this decision.”
“By closing and selling hostels, YHA can release the capital value of these sites to pay for the future investments need elsewhere and to reduce the amount of money we need to borrow to meet our total investment needs.”
In addition to the closures, the YHA plans to invest more than £4 million in hostels south of the border, including investment at Black Sail in the Lake District and Woody’s Top in Lincolnshire. A major scheme to redevelop YHA Oxford Street in London and the opening of a new Youth Hostel at Berwick upon Tweed are also planned for 2011.
Youth hostels in Scotland are run by a separate organistion, SYHA, in addition to the large network of independently run hostels and bunkhouses.