Technical note on images and links

Hi

Just to let you know that I have moved some files around on the site (for example in Images of The Three Cups: Slideshow). So, if you notice any broken links, please just add a comment here and I'll fix it ASAP.

Thanks
David

Read the full post

The Economics of Art

On the BBC Radio 4 this morning, Tracey Emin explained the importance of visual arts to the economy of Margate, through J.M.W. Turner's connection with the town. Turner also had connections with Lyme Regis.

There are many other famous names from the literary arts associated with Lyme Regis. It is time for those responsible for the economic well being of the town to allow Lyme to prosper by ensuring the famous Three Cups Hotel re-opens to attract and accommodate tourists.

Read the full post

Catching Up

Sorry you’ve been waiting a while for another post. I’ve gathered quite a few examples which show how The Three Cups could be making money for an enterprising owner as a HOTEL and attracting visitors to Lyme Regis. Click through to read more.

CAMROSE MILL
We visited Pembrokeshire over the summer and stayed in a cottage which is a converted water mill. We were attracted by the history of the place but imagine our delight when we read in the visitor notes that the mill had once belonged Anne Boleyn.

HAY-ON-WYE
On the way, we visited Hay-on-Wye. If ever there was a town which relied on literature for its livelihood, this is it. Perhaps Lyme Regis could learn something from Hay when it comes to promoting itself.

GEORGE HOTEL, BRECON
We stayed in Brecon while visiting Hay and wanted an old hotel with character where we could have a meal to celebrate some exam results. We chose The George Hotel because of its charm and history which suggested that many families must have celebrated happy occasions there down the years. Those are just the sort of reasons why residents of Lyme Regis would spend money at The Three Cups HOTEL if only it were open for business. Our visit to The George was an enjoyable and memorable occasion. We look forward to celebrating the re-opening of The Three Cups as a HOTEL with similar hospitalty, good food and drinks.

FISHGUARD & GOODWICK
Like Dorset, Pembrokeshire has beautiful coastal footpaths. We drove to Fishguard to walk a section near Strumble Head and visited a local tourist information bureau. I was interested to note that the area is promoted as the Last Invasion Country because of the landing by French forces in 1797. Perhaps Lyme Regis could add something along those lines to its promotional literature to draw more attention to its role in the Monmouth Rebellion. History drives tourism in the UK. And, of course, Lyme Regis has a literary connection with the Napoleonic Wars made famous through the film of John Fowles book, The French Lieutenant's Woman with some scenes set in The Three Cups Hotel.

DYLAN THOMAS & LAUGHARNE
On our way home we visited Laugharne in Carmarthenshire because of its connections with Dylan Thomas. I may post some images of the various places of interest for visitors but suffice it to say that the town capitalises on its literary connection to this one famous writer. What a pity that Lyme Regis Town Council doesn’t do something about the gold mine of literary history which they are sitting on with the closed and decaying Three Cups and the many writers associated with this HOTEL.

ALNWICK & HARRY POTTER
In October, we had a day out in Alnwick in Northumberland and visited the Castle. Even if you are not a fan of the Harry Potter films, you would soon know that some of the filming was done at Alnwick Castle and you would not be able to avoid the Potter related items in the tourist shop.

THE EAGLE PUB, CAMBRIDGE
On a visit to Cambridge, we were attracted by the history surrounding The Eagle pub and were not disappointed by the hospitality and food enjoyed within. They certainly let you know about their historical connections.

WILFRED OWEN HOUSE
More recently, I noted the publicity surrounding the rebuilding of a house in France associated with the war poet, Wilfred Owen, so that it can be open to the public. There are many famous writers including a poet laureate associated with The Three Cups Hotel. It should be open to the public as a hotel to receive visitors.

Read the full post

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.

Read the full post

Guard Duty

Things may have seemed quiet on the campaign front recently but Save The Three Cups HOTEL activists have been keeping watch over West Dorset District Council and Palmers Brewery to ensure that due diligence is applied to all plans for the HOTEL. Click on the link below to read more.

John Dover, chairman of the campaign group, wrote to local papers with the update printed below. You can see it in the 3/8/2011 edition of The View From Lyme Regis by clicking here and turning to page 16. Look for the headings, Lyme Letters Extra and Three Cups wait.

"For several months now it may seem that little has been happening regarding the future of the Three Cups Hotel in Broad Street, Lyme Regis. To the contrary, Palmers Brewery has been required to prepare further in depth reports for West Dorset District Council and English Heritage as part of the pre planning application process.

Currently we are content for this process to take its course. Following our regular and ongoing meetings with the Leader and Director of Planning at WDDC we are satisfied that a thorough and comprehensive ‘due diligence’ process is underway and has in part been brought about by the pressure from Lyme residents and our group in particular. This process will determine the extent of demolition, if any, that Palmers will be allowed to inflict on this important Georgian heritage asset.

Palmer’s current proposals, in the public domain since last September, are to demolish two thirds of the building including the historically important rear section where JRR Tolkien is known to have drawn his famous drawing of the Cobb and where we believe Jane Austen stayed in 1804 when it was Hiscott’s Boarding House and included what is now Sea Tree House next door and still linked to the Three Cups building.

Considering this is a grade two listed building, in a conservation area, in an area of outstanding natural beauty and adjacent to a World Heritage site it will be revealing to see the extent these factors protect this important icon of Lyme’s literary heritage.

It is likely that during August we will at last know how far Palmers will be allowed, if any, to include demolition in their future plans. We anxiously wait to see how much Lyme’s heritage will be allowed to be destroyed or whether common sense and the effectiveness of the protections available to this heritage asset really do apply. We have recently seen how the Planning Inspector has rejected an appeal for demolition and residential development within a ‘stone’s throw’ of the Three Cups at Holmcroft in Broad Street. Let us hope consistency by the planning authorities continues to apply.

Our group will continue to strive for further constructive dialogue with WDDC and to achieve a positive outcome not only for Palmers but Lyme as well’."

Read the full post

Good Publicity

The HOTEL Magazine for March 2011 has a major feature on the whole sorry story of the delapidation of The Three Cups. Click this link and go to page 12 to read the article. Any prospective buyers are encouraged to contact John Dover via the campaign website, www.savethethreecups.co.uk (phone numbers at bottom of that home page), or by emailing admin@savethethreecups.co.uk .

Read the full post

Potter and Wordsworth Again

I can't remember how many times I've mentioned Beatrix Potter and William Wordsworth as examples of famous names in the realm of cultural tourism ...

but I feel I must mention them again as just last weekend I was in the Lake District and you couldn't get away from tourist attractions with their names on.

Our objective was to take a young Canadian relative to Keswick to introduce her to that charming town with its delightful shops and cafes surrounded by wonderful scenery - much like Lyme Regis. However, it seemed a shame not to make a detour to see Beatrix Potter's Hill Top house and it was well worth it. Interestingly, this National Trust property does not have its own teashop but relies on the excellent Sawrey House Hotel next door which must profit handsomely and deservedly from the literary heritage next door.

I must add that I consider visiting the tea shops at National Trust properties to be one of life's great pleasures. There is one such place of refreshment in the South West which is still on my priority list and that is Castle Drogo, just over the border in Devon. I have heard that it serves the best lemon cake in the world and I intend to investigate and establish for myself the veracity of that claim. However, that ambition pales into insignificance besides my desire to take afternoon tea in the lounge of Three Cups Hotel where Professor Tolkien and G.K. Chesterton enjoyed the hospitality and atmosphere of one of Britain's greatest historical and cultural national treasures.

Meanwhile, back in the Lake District, we drove from Hawkshead to Keswick via Grasmere. If anyone doubts the value of literary heritage to the tourist industry, visit Grasmere. You can't escape Wordsworth there or Sir Walter Scott or Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Go and visit Dove Cottage and The Old Swan. I rest my case.

Read the full post

Best Western Understands

This week I was at head office in the South East and enjoyed staying at the Bromley Court Hotel owned by Best Western. I noticed that they use the slogan "Hotels with personality" to communicate the attraction of the history of their buildings.

The Bromley Court is an interesting property part of which was built around 1800 and was once the family home of Lord Farnborough. However, I thought it would be more relevant to see what hotels with personality there are in the South West of England owned by this group and I found the White Hart in Exeter on their website. Click this link to see the relevant page.

Wouldn't it be nice to see The Three Cups as a flagship hotel for a successful chain like Best Western who understand the importance of history to the hotel business? Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to visit the famous building open to welcome the public? And wouldn't it be fantastic for the business people of Lyme Regis to prosper from having The Three Cups as a magnet for cultural tourists from around the world?

Come on, West Dorset District Council. You have the power to save this most important building for the benefit of your electorate and the English speaking world. You can buy it and sell it in a day and make a profit. What's stopping you?

Read the full post

Romantically Linked? Or not interested?

My last article was in praise of The Old Inn at Crawfordsburn in County Down and the way the owners make the most of their history. I am pleased to be on their mailing list and this week I received an email promoting the hotel as a venue for loving couples to celebrate St Valentine's Day at the hotel. You can see the newsletter by clicking here. Sadly, my wife and I are otherwise engaged this weekend but I think I should draw attention to the excellent marketing ideas used by the Old Inn at this time. Surely, The Three Cups could do at least as well as this - if it were open for business!

Read the full post