YHA

[Bmblbzzz]

There were some figures given in the latest edition of Cycle that showed the total number of YHAs hasn't fallen much but the proportion open to random arrivals has approximately halved. I'll dig out the figures in a mo.

[mattheus]

There were some figures given in the latest edition of Cycle that showed the total number of YHAs hasn't fallen much but the proportion open to random arrivals has approximately halved. I'll dig out the figures in a mo.

for me, what would make that really helpful is to also state the number of independent hostels.

[Bmblbzzz]

1970s: "about 180 hostels"
now: "around 150"
of which only 93 offer private rooms and only 69 offer dorms.

The implication, *but not stated*, is that in the 1970s (until when?) every hostel offered bunk beds and/or private rooms for anyone who turned up.

[axel_knutt]

There were some figures given in the latest edition of Cycle that showed the total number of YHAs hasn't fallen much but the proportion open to random arrivals has approximately halved. I'll dig out the figures in a mo.

Haven't fallen since when?

Figures from YHA handbooks:

1998: 240
2001: 231
2005: 226
2008: 202
2011: 189
Current website: 113

They're closing about 4.7 hostels a year on average (net of new openings).

[Bmblbzzz]

There were some figures given in the latest edition of Cycle that showed the total number of YHAs hasn't fallen much but the proportion open to random arrivals has approximately halved. I'll dig out the figures in a mo.

Haven't fallen since when?

Figures from YHA handbooks:

1998: 240
2001: 231
2005: 226
2008: 202
2011: 189
Current website: 113

They're closing about 4.7 hostels a year on average (net of new openings).

Since the 1970s, according to the article in Cycle magazine.

1970s: "about 180 hostels"
now: "around 150"
of which only 93 offer private rooms and only 69 offer dorms.

The implication, *but not stated*, is that in the 1970s (until when?) every hostel offered bunk beds and/or private rooms for anyone who turned up.

As "about 180" and "around 150" really don't correspond with 240 and 113, you might want to write a letter to Dan Joyce suggesting they check their facts and state their sources!

[axel_knutt]

It's interesting that the rate at which they're selling off hostels hasn't really changed over 27 years, which seems to lend credibility to the story I'd heard that they just flog them off to make up the trading losses each year.

[TrevA]

1970s: "about 180 hostels"
now: "around 150"
of which only 93 offer private rooms and only 69 offer dorms.

The implication, *but not stated*, is that in the 1970s (until when?) every hostel offered bunk beds and/or private rooms for anyone who turned up.

I can’t remember private rooms being a thing back in the 70’s and 80’s when I was a regular hosteller. It was pretty much all dorms back then, though sometimes quite small ones, you’d rarely get a room to yourself or even just your group.

[axel_knutt]

In the 1970s, Buttermere hostel was unique for having a 'family annex' which had private rooms for families. Presumably it wasn't that well used at the time, or it would have been more widely introduced.