Free Trial with iknow-Uk
Online marketing company iknow-uk.com is offering accommodation providers a free trial to promote their business on their award winning website.
The one month free trial will allow accommodation owners from around the UK to upload pictures, information, availability, rates and links to their accommodation profile page so visitors to iknow-uk are fully informed of what is available when they plan their trip or holiday.
Property owners will have full control of the content featured on iknow-uk’s website and can change, amend or add information at their own leisure.
The company is renowned for its success in helping accommodation owners obtain the best search results and as a result, more customers coming through the door.
A well-known and trusted site with both accommodation owners and holiday makers, the site features thousands of properties across the UK, ranging from bed and breakfasts and guests houses to self catering cottages and hotels.
In 2008, the company helped over 2,000 hospitality customers beat the credit crunch by keeping them ahead of their competition. The site in 2008 alone received seven million visitors by the end of October, bringing them two million up from 2007.
The company has seen over 90 per cent of their clients renew their contracts each month due to the success they have seen since registering with the site.
So how does it all work?
iknow-uk is the UK’s fastest growing accommodation listing website, which allows anyone who owns their property within the UK to advertise their accommodation on the website.
The site offers property owners the platform to advertise their website and property details to people wishing to stay across a range of towns, cities and villages in the UK.
The consultancy aims to provide an advertising tool for clients to feature their properties on the website to enhance business and attract potential visitors to their property.
Features of the site include a comprehensive control panel that allows clients to edit and refine all aspects of their online advertising. Clients may add photos and captions to their profile page to obtain the best results when advertising their properties.
Guidance is situated throughout the site provided by iknow-uk, to ensure clients get maximum potential from the website.
A key feature to the online consultancy site is the ability to show potential visitors direct access online to when the client’s property is available. The page has been set up to display a calendar, which summarises the availability of the property and not individual rooms.
The iknow-uk website also features a last minute category whereby clients who opt to use the calendar feature, will see their properties placed in the last minute directory for guests wishing to find a quick getaway or last minute deal.
Links can also be made direct to the clients’ website through iknow-uk.com.
Marcus Simmons, Managing Director at iknow-uk Ltd, said, "The Internet is changing the way people find and book accommodation. Hotel, B&B and other accommodation owners have to learn quickly how to benefit from the effectiveness of Internet advertising.
“Most importantly we deliver results! This is demonstrated by over 90 per cent of our customers renewing each year because of the exceptional results they achieve over their 12 month subscription."
The website is split into 10 different sub websites each representing different areas of the UK.
For example, if you have accommodation to rent in York, you can register your York hotels or other types of accommodation online at iknow-yorkshire.co.uk and complete a profile all about the property, its location and attractions nearby.
The advantage of having the sub websites is so visitors looking for a holiday can easily find the information they are looking for without any fuss or confusion. For example, a person looking for Harrogate hotels does not require or need information about accommodation in the South of England and having the separate sites enables people to happily search for exactly what they are looking for without any hassle.
A great feature of the iknow-uk website is the extensive information about tourist attractions and places to visit within each region.
For example if you own accommodation within the Yorkshire region whether it be York hotels or Harrogate hotels, you can inform your prospective guests about the location of your accommodation and transport links to and from it. This is a key advertising tool for online marketing as you are able to sell your property based on its whereabouts in the city or town. For example if you have accommodation near York’s race course it would be to your advantage to post information about its whereabouts on the website.
A great advantage to having your own profile on iknow-uk is that you can tell people the exact requirements of staying at your accommodation so there are no surprises upon arrival.
The teams at each of the sub websites have come up with a wide list of categories for you to place yourself in, so people looking for accommodation can narrow their search to find what is right for them.
For example if you have lots of hotels and each of them caters for stag and hen parties, you can situate your property into this category on the website lists.
END
NOTES TO EDITORS
The iknow-yorkshire.co.uk website is part of a larger online consultancy company called iknow-uk.com.
The firm specialise in rental accommodation, providing a platform for people to advertise their properties to rent across the UK.
The companies main internet advertising websites are iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, iknow-northwest.co.uk, iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, iknow-devon.co.uk, iknow-cornwall.co.uk and iknow-wales.co.uk.
The online marketing site is keen to expand their sites, adding iknow-scotland.co.uk, iknow-somerset.co.uk, iknow-dorset.co.uk and iknow-kent.co.uk to their site in the last 12 months.
Weetwood Hall – training base for high profile sports
Weetwood estate is the ideal location for teams looking for up to date sporting and leisure facilities to prepare for a match or sporting events.
The estate comprises Weetwood Hall Hotel and Weetwood Playing Fields, which have come together to offer top quality sporting facilities and packages for a wide range of high profile sports including rugby, cricket, football and hockey.
Weetwood Hall stands out among the Leeds Hotels due to its close proximity to Headingley Carnegie Stadium, offering sporting and leisure facilities that are in the perfect surroundings to accommodate for large teams travelling to the area in need of training and recreational facilities.
Home to England Hockey in the North and one of only six MCC Cricketing Centres of Excellence in England and Wales, the sport facilities Leeds at Weetwood Estate are renowned for their high quality.
With a 3G rubber crumb pitch, a County standard cricket pitch maintained by Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Tiger Turf and sand dressed hockey pitches, County standard rugby pitch and over 100 acres available for extensive sporting activities, Weetwood offers an excellent training base for performance camps and pre-match accommodation.
Additional facilities include six tennis courts, cross country route, 24 dressing rooms with showering facilities and bar facilities plus much more.
To ensure that sporting teams can focus on achieving the best results whilst playing in Leeds, Weetwood Hall is the ideal sporting venue with a range of ‘Sport Packages’ to accommodate a variety of sporting needs.
The ‘Sporting Packages’ offer guests bed and breakfast with a nutritional breakfast menu, complimentary access to nearby David Lloyd Leisure and Fitness Club, three hours of complimentary Wi-Fi per night, as well as complimentary Internet and email stations for players to use at their leisure.
For extensive nutritional lunch and dinner menus, Weetwood Hall’s team of chefs are on site to work with sporting club’s nutritional experts to accommodate for specific dietary requirements. In addition club’s can also make use of the meeting rooms to prepare for a game, as well as the team lounge and dedicated room for their physio equipment.
In preparation for the 2009 U18’s 6-Nations, the England U18 rugby squad selected the Weetwood estate as their training base. The team alongside their coach, John Fletcher made full use of the floodlit 3G Rubber Crumb pitch as well as the nearby David Lloyd leisure facilities.
The team were highly impressed with the 4-star accommodation and training facilities situated within easy reach, combined with the easy access to high quality fitness facilities and Leeds city centre.
John Fletcher, England Under 18 Rugby team Head Coach, said, “Weetwood Hall Hotel and the Weetwood sporting facilities is a fantastic venue for all sporting teams at all levels. The hotel accommodation, food and conference area are outstanding.”
“All the staff are friendly, helpful and professional. Add this to the sporting facilities next door and it makes for a first class experience.”
ENDS
For further information contact:
Katja Pandza, Sales & Marketing Executive
Tel direct line: 0113 388 5790 Katja.pandza@weetwood.co.uk
Information for editors:
Weetwood Hall website www.weetwood.co.uk/sport
ResidentsHQ wins National eWell-Being Award for Building Community Networks
ResidentsHQ, the social networking service focussed on injecting life and community spirit into modern residential developments, today announced its win at last week’s National eWell-Being Awards. Through providing a secure and private service for each development, ResidentsHQ aims to make it easy for residents to interact with each other, assist managing agents as well as bodies such as residents’ associations connect to those living within their properties, and help developers add value to new developments.
Andrew Painter, managing director, ResidentsHQ said: “This award validates our belief that social networks like ours can really make a difference. Through the intelligent application of social networking technology, we help residents break the ice and connect with their neighbours, and empower managing agents to communicate with those living in their properties. Our work in developments such as the Royal Arsenal, Imperial Wharf and Chelsea Bridge Wharf - another major regeneration programme - is proof of this.”
For example, prior to the ResidentsHQ website being launched in the Royal Arsenal Development, many residents had lived there for several years with very little interaction taking place. Within weeks of launch this had radically changed. Over 100 residents joined in the opening week of the service and began initiating running clubs, mother/toddler groups and cocktail parties. After six months of service, ResidentsHQ had 600 residents signed-up at Royal Arsenal, with over 100 logging in each day – a number which is set to increase as the website is being extended to allow residents to communicate with the property’s managing agent. It must also be pointed out that this growth in numbers has been almost totally organic, with little requirement for central communications ‘pushing’ the service.
Andrew concludes: “As well as helping residents able to easily connect with each other, they can also discuss topics of mutual interest in a forum, exchange goods in a local market place and share views on local businesses. Furthermore, our service has facilitated the community in coming together to protect their interests, by for example, using the ResidentsHQ online surveys functionality to lobby against local planning applications and parking regulations.”
The National eWell-Being Awards aim to highlight those organisations that are at the forefront of innovation in ICT for environmental and social improvement. The awards, now in their seventh successive year, are organised by SustainIT, an initiative of the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development (UKCEED), and sponsored by BT and Unison amongst others.
- ends -
About ResidentsHQ
ResidentsHQ is a newly launched online secure and private social networking service exclusively for residential developments. Created in 2008, ResidentsHQ is a privately-held company, with headquarters in London.
For more information visit www.residentshq.com.
For further information, please contact ResidentsHQ Press Office:
Rebecca English, ResidentsHQ
Tel: +44 (0)7778 609675
E-mail: rebecca.english@residentshq.com
Clough Bottom Cottages Scoops Top Tourism Award
Clough Bottom Farm Cottages have won the ‘Self Catering Award’ at the prestigious Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board’s Tourism Awards 2009/10.
The three luxury holiday cottages, which were up for two awards at the ceremony, were presented with their trophy by Radio 2 DJ and fellow Northerner Stuart Maconie.
A celebration of innovation and creativity in the North West Tourism Industry - over 300 people attended the awards ceremony, held at Ribby Hall Village. This, the sixth annual ceremony saw a remarkably high level of entries which were narrowed down to four shortlist entries per category.
Commenting on the ceremony and finalists Mike Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board, said on the day of the event,
“Today was a day for celebrating great achievement in what we can’t deny have been challenging times. Those working in tourism have retained their nerve and called upon all their creativity and resources to sustain and, in some cases, even increase business and visitor numbers.
“In this year of the ‘staycation’ all our finalists and winners have shown tremendous strength of character and proved that with ingenuity, well-trained staff and great customer service that we can still achieve our shared goal, of making Lancashire and Blackpool a premier destination for domestic as well as overseas visitors.”
Upon arrival at luxury self catering cottages, guests are welcomed with a complimentary hamper filled with a selection of homemade and locally sourced produce, and can purchase a range of Food from the Farm seasonal ready meals, made with the farm’s own organic beef, fruit and vegetables.
The team at Clough Bottom is dedicated to enhancing their guests’ holiday experience and for 2009 have introduced a poly tunnel allowing guests to pick their own complimentary organic vegetables all year round. Herbs, salads and fruits are also available in the organic vegetable patch and orchard.
Narrowly missing out on the highly coveted Sustainable Tourism Award, Clough Bottom prides themselves on giving their guests a truly memorable holiday experience, and are totally committed to the environment and sustainable tourism.
While staying at the farm cottages, Clitheroe guests are encouraged to support local businesses and reduce car usage as part of the ‘Stay Local, Eat Local, Buy Local, See Local’ scheme. To support this, each of the cottages - Woodcutter’s Cottage, Saddle Barn and The Coach House feature welcome folders and ‘What’s On’ guides providing a wealth of local information including walks, places of interest and things to do in the area. Wildlife diaries are also included in each cottage for guests to record their sightings of birds and wildlife.
Clough Bottom will now go forward to represent the region along with accommodation providers from Liverpool, Manchester, Cumbria and Chester & Cheshire at England’s North West Tourism Awards due to take place later this year.
Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the NWDA, said, “These awards recognise and reward the best of Lancashire’s tourism industry and I’d like to offer my congratulations to all of the winners.
“Lancashire consistently produces top quality entrants for the regional awards and I look forward to welcoming them to the England’s Northwest Awards later this year.”
END
Notes to Editors
Situated in The Forest of Bowland – an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in rural Lancashire, Clough Bottom Farm is a 360 acre organic working farm that has successfully blended traditional diversification with a conservation-minded, more sustainable approach to life and business.
Owners Harry and Jane Backhouse ensure each of their varying ventures is underpinned by a strong environmental conscience.
From the rearing of their organic beef herd, thriving tree nursery business and award-winning holiday cottages, to the production of 10kg organic beef boxes and the provision of high-tech management training courses, everything they do is driven by a desire to safeguard the environment for future generations.
To book one of the four star holiday cottages at Clough Bottom, or to find out more about their trees and shrubs or organic beef, visit http://www.cloughbottom.co.uk or call 01254 826285.
Clough Bottom
Bashall Eaves
Near Clitheroe
Lancashire
BB7 3NA
Website: http://www.cloughbottom.co.uk
ISHOPSTYLE.CO.UK CHALLENGES RECESSION WITH DISCOUNT DESIGNER PRICES.
June 22, 2009, iShopStyle.co.uk has become an overnight internet phenomenon, rapidly growing from an unknown site, to make it in the nation’s top 50,000 most visited websites* in a matter of months. The site which was started by 18 year old sixth form student, Jamie Dickinson, is women’s first choice online store for cut price fashion clothes and accessories.
The site, which receives over 1,000 visitors a day sells tops, dresses, underwear and more. The site’s forte is its range of dresses, which it is able to trade for a mere £9.95 each, to a maximum of £18.95; the same dresses which were originally for sale at up to £90 in high street stores. Savings have increased as visits to the site have allowed for bigger bargaining power, and have allowed for the introduction of the iShopStyle.co.uk summer sale, with all prices being guaranteed to be up to 80% off the original retail price in the high street stores. The online shop now boasts of selling fashion products previously seen in stores from Topshop through to Ralph Lauren.
Jamie Dickinson started the online store after seeing the high price women were paying for style and fashion, and comparing them to the cost of producing such items, he said “I felt the high street stores were cheating consumers with extortionate prices, and had to find a way of helping people out, especially with the media being riffled with recession problems and job cuts”. Jamie invested in over 1,000 products, at massive reductions and passed these savings on to consumers.
Up until now, the British consumer has had no real way of combating the high prices high street clothes are sold at. The introduction of Primark stores helped to see low prices in basic wear, but brand name fashion has always been highly priced, especially in stores such as House of Fraser. Inspiration for the online store was reached after a visit to a nearby T K Maxx store outlined the emphasis for low priced designer goods, but their haphazard approach to store layout has disappointed many customers who have found that it takes extensive periods of time to search through the masses of clothes available; iShopStyle.co.uk has eliminated this problem by allowing all products to only be available through their easy to use online navigation system.
Once the customer has discovered their desired clothing, the online stock management control, allows them to see whether their selected clothes are in stock and displays a variety of high fashion alternatives also available.
Dickinson said, "The site has revolutionized the consumer’s ability to challenge the price of high end fashion, and has raised the bar in such an ever growing industry", which seems to be important as retailers fiercely compete with each other for valuable consumer pounds.
* Source: Alexa Web Rankings (alexa.com)
Edinburgh City hotels strengthened by weak pound as visitors flock
New data shows that despite increasing hotel space, occupancy was 6 per cent higher in April than in the same month of 2008.
It is the first year-on-year increase the city has seen since December 2007. And Edinburgh recorded the highest growth of any city in the UK.
A separate report also shows that the amount of money that hotels in Edinburgh make at the weekend is higher than any other city in the UK apart from Glasgow.
City leaders say Edinburgh's strong calendar of events is helping it outperform many other UK cities during the recession.
Many of the Capital's restaurants have also noted growth in the amount of tourist trade they are seeing.
However, it is thought many businesses have achieved the customer levels by dramatically reducing prices – which could hit their profits.
The data from business advisers PKF showed that Edinburgh hotel occupancy stood at 77.2 per cent in April.
Alastair Rae, a partner in the property and hospitality sector at PKF, said: "What this shows is that Edinburgh has retained its strong leisure market despite the economic situation over the last year or so.
"The city is continuing to attract large numbers of tourists, perhaps encouraged by the strength of the dollar and the euro, which is producing an encouraging stability in both occupancy and rooms yield for the hospitality sector."
The Edinburgh rise in occupancy compared to a 10.5 percentage point decline in Aberdeen and an 11.1 point decline in Glasgow.
Edinburgh's figure is also thought to have been helped by it being a popular destination for so-called "staycations", where domestic tourists enjoy a shorter and cheaper break in the UK instead of travelling abroad.
Councillor Tom Buchanan, the city's economic development leader, said: "A range of activities, festivals and events will help cities across the UK do well, particularly as more people are wanting to stay in the UK and take a holiday at home. These people will gravitate to those cities with a healthy and vibrant events calendar."
The separate report from Deloitte also showed that weekend revenues per available room increased by 3.4 per cent to £64 in the year to 20 May. Only Glasgow saw a larger rise in the whole of the UK.
Tourist attractions across the UK with Iknow-UK.com
With tourism set to boom in the UK this summer, British roads will be packed full of family-filled cars set to go on a quiet break away from their daily lives.
With the sat nav at the ready and pre-made sandwiches in the cooler the journey to your holiday destination can either go one of two ways.
If you have kids in the back shouting, “Are we there yet?” or the in-laws stopping at every service station for the loo, you may be dreading the holiday before it is even begun with the added stress of not knowing what the accommodation is like, what there is to do and how on earth you are going to keep everyone entertained. Or you could be in complete bliss to all of the above (including the kids and in-laws) if you book your holiday through Iknow-UK.com.
With thousands of different types of accommodation on their website, across various locations around the UK you can rest assured that you will find the exact holiday to suit your needs and requirements.
And Iknow-UK doesn’t stop at accommodation either. The website features an array of information to help you learn about the place, what attractions are available and where is best to stay for you and your fellow travellers.
And to help you that little bit more; we have compiled a list of top tourist attractions across the UK for you to visit to make sure that you don’t miss out!
NORTH WEST
If you are looking for a trip to the North West to get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life, then look no further than Iknow-UK.
The website features a range of different types of accommodation from bed and breakfasts to holiday homes to accommodate for your needs and requirements.
If you are looking to take a trip to Blackpool and are looking for Blackpool Hotels in the area the Iknow-UK website can tell you the exact location of each of the properties available and what tourist attractions are close by.
If you are looking to stay in Blackpool make sure that you visit Samlesbury Hall a fantastic haven for history lovers, a place of peace and tranquillity a home for Lancashire’s finest produce and a fantastic family day out.
Visitors can explore the country Tudor grounds, meander through the wildflower maze or visit the plant centre or miniature farm. A Henry VIII tour is available to visitors to learn about his life and admire his worldly possessions situated at Samlesbury Hall. A restaurant and cafe is located on site were guests can relax in the tranquil gardens with refreshments of their choice.
A beautiful and stunning tourist attraction for you and your family to enjoy.
And there is not just Blackpool to visit in the Northwest, make sure you take a trip to Manchester, Liverpool and Chester which are fantastic cities and only car journey away.
Or if you wish to travel and stop off in the other cities in the North West, Iknow-UK can provide you with a wide range of accommodation including Liverpool Hotels, Chester Hotels and Manchester Hotels to match exactly what you are looking for.
CUMBRIA, LAKE DISTRICT AND THE YORKSHIRE DALES
Think of these places and your mind fills with tranquillity, beautiful and traditional British locations for you to relax and get away from the stress of your daily life style.
And if you are a landlord and own a property across the UK, Iknow-UK.com may be the best platform for you to advertise your business.
For example, if you own Lake District Hotels you can advertise your property on iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk. The website can categorise your property whether it is a Keswick hotels or Windermere hotels so visitors can pin point your exact location when booking their trip.
If you are looking to advertise your property, make sure that you target specific attractions that are close to where your accommodation is. For example if your property is situated right by Bowness-on-Windermere make sure that you give travellers your exact location and the easiest mode of transport to get there.
On top of this, tell them what the attractions are all about. For instance, if your Windermere hotels are right by Windermere Lake Cruises, tell your guests that they can attend evening buffet cruises, with music and theatre attractions on board. It will help sell your property to potential guests.
SCOTLAND
If you fancy a wee trip up to the highlands make sure you visit Iknow-UK to book your accommodation.
From Edinburgh hotels to Glasgow hotels, the website hosts a variety of information about the location of each of the properties, including what attractions nearby and transport links.
For instance, if you are looking for a quiet and relaxing trip to Scotland, iknow-scotland can direct you to a wide range of holiday cottages in Scotland which are tranquil, away from the hustle and bustle and perfect retreat after a long week at work.
And if you are heading for Glasgow make sure you pay a visit to Mugdock Country Park, one of Scotlands most popular visitor attractions offering a great countryside experience.
Whether your interests are in local history and building heritage, beautiful and fascinating flora and fauna or general leisure and recreation, there is something for everyone.
Guests can take part in a wide range of activities such as walking, cycling, horse riding, archery, orienteering, history trail, environmental education, shopping and eating as well as children’s activities.
Either a train or car journey away, make sure that you visit Mugdock Country Park on your trip to beautiful Scotland.
WALES
The vibrant nightlife of Cardiff attracts thousands of people every year, but many often forget of the beautiful scenery situated in the busy and popular city.
And if you are visiting Cardiff or any other destination in Wales, make sure that you visit iknow-wales today.
A key feature to the Iknow-UK websites is the availability calendar situated on each of the property listings.
The calendar summarises the availability of the property to allow guests quicker and accessible information when booking their short break.
For example a trip to Cardiff may find you wondering where the best places are to visit, which suit your needs and requirements.
If it’s a fun packed night in the city, or a quiet break by the sea, there is a wide selection of Wales hotels available across the country.
The website has a range of hotels available across various locations including Cardiff Hotels and Llandudno Hotels for you to choose from.
And if you choose to stay in Cardiff this month, make sure that you visit Roath Park, a beautiful location at the centre of the busy capital city, stunning day or night.
The park retains a classic Victorian atmosphere where local inhabitants and visitors alike can enjoy their leisure time in many different pursuits.
A 30 acre lake is formed in the park by the damming of the Nant Fawr stream. It is a popular facility for fishing and rowing. Other elements of the park include superb floral displays, the famous conservatory and high quality recreational areas.
SOUTH WEST
Iknow-UK has had over 20,000,000 visitors to their site and 2,000 very happy customers.
The site wants each one of the clients to succeed, and provides helpful hints to improve your listing. They have friendly staff that are always on hand to help you get the most out of your advertising.
On top of this, advertisers are in full control of the content and targeting. Changes can be made to the advertisement at no cost to you and can be done at any time.
If you have a property to promote, visit iknow-devon.co.uk for further information about how to advertise your property on their website.
The website features a variety of properties across various locations, including Newquay hotels, St Ives hotels and Cornwall hotels.
With the South West being one of the most popular tourist attractions for the summer make sure that you beat your competitors by staying ahead of the game.
Look out for deals going on at various attractions in your area and be sure to advertise these deals to guests at your hotel.
For example, there are a range of Celtic tours in Cornwall which your guests may not know about. From Coastline tours to King Author tours, guests have a wide range of activities available to take part in which you can tell them all about.
Where ever you are looking to go this summer, Iknow-UK has a range of different features to help you find the perfect accommodation for your trip.
Whether you are looking for Devon hotels, such as Torquay hotels, or Weston Super Mare hotels, Iknow-UK has a range of different types of accommodation to suit your trip.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
However help is at hand with Iknow-uk an online marketing consultancy who have thousands of different types of accommodation featured on their website.
The website is split according to each area across the UK, with each site focusing on just one part of the UK to ensure that maximum coverage is achieved.
The firm specialise in rental accommodation, providing a platform for people to advertise their properties to rent across the UK.
The companies main Internet advertising websites are iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, iknow-northwest.co.uk, iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, iknow-devon.co.uk, iknow-cornwall.co.uk and iknow-wales.co.uk.
The online marketing site is keen to expand their sites, adding iknow-scotland.co.uk, iknow-somerset.co.uk, iknow-dorset.co.uk and iknow-kent.co.uk to their site in the last 12 months.
Top Tips for Holding A Successful Conference – Weetwood Hall Hotel
At some stage in our career most of us will have had to attend a conference or worst still, hold one.
And the thought of holding a conference in front of business colleagues can be a daunting task, especially if the previous ones you have been to have been pretty dull and unprepared.
Well fret no further, as we at Weetwood Hall Leeds Hotel have come up with some top tips to help you deal with the pressures of a conference, and how we can help you in making sure that yours is a successful one.
1. Plan Early and consider your guests
It is a good idea to set a date and a place for a large conference about a year in advance as hotels, conference centres, halls etc are booked out on a regular basis for weddings, functions and other conferences, which may often leave you in the lurch in finding a place to stay.
On top of this, if you have guests travelling from afar, make sure that you choose a conference centre close by to a hotel, or better still choose a conference centre which has hotel rooms too.
At Weetwood Hall Hotel in Leeds they have the largest and most flexible conference centre and hotel in the North of England. There are 106 en-suite bedrooms, 14 of which are located in the original Manor House.
Amenities include, Satellite/Freeview flat-screen televisions with 19 TV/radio channels including Sky Sports and two sub-titled channels, direct dial telephone, work desk, trouser press and iron, hairdryer and beverage tray with mineral water and chocolate.
At Weetwood accommodation in Leeds there is a dedicated team who will help you book your conference room accommodating to suit all your needs and requirements.
2. Set a theme for the conference
Start promoting your theme from the beginning. Include it on the registration forms. Mention it in all the confirmation letters. This will set a sense of excitement for the conference and set the tone for the rest of the day.
At Weetwood Hall, the team are offering fresh summer incentives to spice up your conference. You can choose one of their summer themes to ‘warm up’ the atmosphere at your conference.
On offer they have, Croquet on the glade with a summer punch drink, ice lollies, barbeques or an oriental buffet on offer for you and your guests.
3. Plan a variety of events
People learn and work in different ways and participants may get more out of a conference if you tailor their experience to their own needs. Plan lecture sessions, discussions, workshops and social events. Be sure to allow the guests’ time to relax throughout the day.
At Weetwood there are five self-serve refreshment breakout areas one of which is dedicated to Fair Trade along with complimentary Internet/E-mail stations. Wireless broadband and ADSL is also available throughout.
4. Ensure that all your technical equipment is ready to go
You will want to do an audio and visual run through the night before the conference. Make sure that all of the microphones, computers and other devices are functioning. Have backup systems available. There should be technical support people on site to repair any problems.
At Weetwood Hall all of the conference and syndicate rooms have ADSL broadband connectivity, telephones and flipcharts as standard. The Lawnswood, Headingley, Cookridge, Bramley and Kirkstall Suites all have an extensive range of in-built technical equipment including:
· Ceiling mounted data projector
· Wall mounted screen
· Lectern with laptop input
· Touch screen control
· DVD/VHS/CD player
· PA system (not required in Kirkstall)
· Hearing induction loop
· Voice enhanced microphones
· Wi-Fi
Conference rooms such as the "Wood" rooms and Office Syndicate also have data projectors, audio systems, screen and laptop input as standard.
Portable equipment includes:
· Data projectors
· Plasma screens
· Flipcharts
· TV/video units
· OHP
· White boards
· Screens
· 35mm projectors
· Video camera
· PA system
· Laptops
· Digital document scanner
· Video links
· Document camera
5. Prepare well for the conference
It is important that you spend plenty of time preparing and planning for your conference in order for it to be a success and keep your guests’ exciting and engrossed in what you are saying.
At Weetwood a dedicated ‘Trainers Room’ has been built for and organisers can relax, work and prepare for their presentations. The room includes a flip chart, PC, Internet access, Microsoft Office software, colour printer and a document shredder. The addition of lounge seating, television, refreshments and newspapers provides a place to relax as well as work.
6. Keep your guests entertained and raving about your conference
Get your guests raving about your conference and what a day you put on for them. Get creative and start thinking about what you could involve in their day to make it memorable and the talk of the town. At Weetwood Hall, Leeds, you and your guests can take part in a range of different activities such as Intimate Dinner Parties, Championship Golf Courses, Complimentary access to a health and fitness club, or The Manor House for a Private Event, all adding that little bit extra to your conference, Weetwood Hall is also a hotel near headingly stadium.
For further information on the conference facilities available at Weetwood Hall, or to book a meeting or conference room, contact the Conference and Events team on 0113 230 6000 or visit www.weetwood.co.uk
For further information and images please contact:
For further information contact:
Katja Pandza,
Sales & Marketing Executive
Tel direct line: 0113 388 5790 Katja.pandza@weetwood.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
- Set within 9 acres of parkland estate, Weetwood Hall is the largest and most flexible four-star conference centre and hotel in the North of England.
- The hotel offers 106 en-suite bedrooms, including 12 luxury Manor House bedrooms and 2 feature four poster bedrooms individually decorated to reflect the traditional style of the house.
- The venue boasts a dedicated conference centre with 18 primary conference rooms and 19 syndicate rooms, along with some of the most up to date technology available. The largest conference room can seat up to 200 people theatre style and 120 people cabaret style with the capability of a video link to another room seating 160 (theatre style).
- Conference Leeds is the official conference bureau for Leeds and West Yorkshire. Its remit includes Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield and Calderdale which covers 230 venues along with a multitude of meetings industry support companies.
Iknow-UK – UK citizens opting for short break bookings during 2009
The UK travel industry has tracked a record growth of short break bookings during 2009. UK airline bmibaby have reported that bookings for breaks of less than four days are up by more than 20 per cent year on year, between January to April 2009, in comparison to the same period in 2008.
The most popular destinations for short breaks between January to April 2009 are Edinburgh from East Midlands and Cardiff Airport, Amsterdam from Birmingham International Airport and Belfast from Manchester Airport.
Julian Carr, commercial director, bmibaby, said,
“We have seen a sharp increase in bookings for trips of less than four days this year. Fifty three per cent of our bookings between January and April 2009 are from people taking short trips, compared to just thirty one per cent in the same period in 2008.
“More passengers are booking shorter breaks, for business or leisure purposes. People are not prepared to give up the all important weekend break, and business travelers are migrating towards the low cost travel option.”
With so many people looking to take a short break within the UK this year, the low cost airline is encouraging travelers to book their accommodation early to avoid disappointment during peak traveling times. With so many landlords increasing the rate per night and competition rife over the summer months, travelers don’t know where to start when planning a short break away this summer.
However help is at hand with Iknow-uk an online marketing consultancy who have thousands of different types of accommodation featured on their website. The website is split according to each area across the UK, with each site focusing on just one part of the UK to ensure that maximum coverage is achieved.
The company’s main Internet advertising websites are iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, iknow-northwest.co.uk, iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, iknow-devon.co.uk, iknow-cornwall.co.uk and iknow-wales.co.uk.
The online marketing site is keen to expand their sites, adding iknow-scotland.co.uk, iknow-somerset.co.uk, iknow-dorset.co.uk and iknow-kent.co.uk to their site in the last 12 months.
Why choose IKnow-UK
Iknow-UK has a range of different features to help you find the perfect accommodation for your trip.
Whether you are looking for Devon hotels, such as Torquay hotels, or Weston Super Mare hotels, Iknow-UK is the best place to book your short break and we have a list of reasons why.
Wide choice available
The site features over 2,500 different types of accommodation on each of the individual advertising sites ranging from B&B’s to Holiday Cottages.
If you are planning a trip to the Northwest and are looking for that perfect accommodation for you and your fellow travelers, Iknow-northwest.co.uk can help narrow that long search for you.
With a variety of places to visit in the North West region, Iknow-UK have categorised each location to help you find accommodation close to where you need to be.
With Blackpool hotels, Liverpool hotels, Manchester hotels and Chester hotels, guests can browse through the wide selection available at their own leisure and convenience.
The website is fast, easy to use, comprehensive and informative for the customer to locate their perfect property to stay.
The advanced search engine on the site allows visitors to categorise exactly what they are looking for when staying at a property.
Guests can search under locations, types of accommodation, type, price and speciality. This ensures that the customer gets the best deal from the service and exactly what they are looking for.
Tourist Information Given
Each of the websites at Iknow-UK features tourist information in the area, allowing travelers to plan their trip with activities and days out to suit their wishes and desires.
If your short break takes you up to the Scottish highlands, iknow-scotland.co.uk cover all the main cities as well as surrounding areas on their website with a wide range of Scotland hotels for you to visit.
From Edinburgh hotels to Glasgow hotels, the website hosts a variety of information about the location of each of the properties, including what attractions nearby and transport links.
For instance, if you are looking for a quiet and relaxing trip to Scotland, iknow-scotland can direct you to a wide range of holiday cottages in Scotland which are tranquil, away from the hustle and bustle and perfect retreat after a long week at work.
Full information about all accommodation available
Each different type of accommodation comes with a detailed description of what the place is like, where it is close to, what they do and don’t accept as well as pictures for you to look at, of in and outside the property.
A key feature to the Iknow-UK websites is the availability calendar situated on each of the property listings.
The calendar summarises the availability of the property to allow guests quicker and accessible information when booking their short break. For example a trip to Cardiff may find you wondering where the best places are to visit, which suit your needs and requirements.
If it’s a fun packed night in the city, or a quiet break by the sea, there is a wide selection of Wales hotels available across the country.
Whether you are looking for Cardiff hotels or Llandudno hotels visit iknow-wales.co.uk to see what all the fuss is about and whether there is accommodation available for the week you plan to travel.
A great platform to feature your property
If you are a landlord and own a property across the UK, Iknow-UK.com may be the best platform for you to advertise your business.
If you own Lake District Hotels you can advertise your property on iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk. The website can categorise your property whether it is a Keswick hotels or Windermere hotels so visitors can pin point your exact location when booking their trip.
Trusted site to advertise your accommodation
Iknow-UK has had over 20,000,000 visitors to their site and 2,000 very happy customers.
The site wants each one of the customers to succeed and provides helpful hints to improve your listing. They have friendly staff that are always on hand to help you get the most out of your advertising.
On top of this, advertisers are full in control of the content and targeting. Changes can be made to the advertisement at no cost to you and can be done at any time.
If you have a property to promote, visit iknow-devon.co.uk for further information about how to advertise your property on their website. The website features a variety of properties across various locations, including Newquay hotels, St Ives hotels and Cornwall hotels.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
The iknow-Northwest.co.uk website is part of a larger online consultancy company called iknow-uk.com. The firm specialise in rental accommodation, providing a platform for people to advertise their properties to rent across the UK.
The companies main Internet advertising websites are iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, iknow-northwest.co.uk, iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, iknow-devon.co.uk, iknow-cornwall.co.uk and iknow-wales.co.uk.
The online marketing site is keen to expand their sites, adding iknow-scotland.co.uk, iknow-somerset.co.uk, iknow-dorset.co.uk and iknow-kent.co.uk to their site in the last 12 months.
Clough Bottom Farm shortlisted for Tourism Awards 2009
Clough Bottom Farm Holiday Cottages has been shortlisted for two awards at the prestigious Lancashire and Blackpool Tourism Awards 2009/10.
The three, four-star holiday cottages situated on an organic working farm in the heart of the Ribble Valley have been shortlisted for the Self Catering/Serviced Apartments Award and the Sustainable Tourism Award, competing against some of the other top tourism businesses and attractions in the North West.
The sixth annual awards have seen some remarkably high level entries which have been narrowed down to four shortlist entries per category. Mike Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board said,
“This year the applications have been impressive particularly as they reflect heightened levels of creativity and quality of service, setting inspiring benchmarks for tourism businesses across Lancashire.”
The winner of each of the thirteen awards will be decided by public vote, where approximately 25,000 known visitors to the region will be invited to vote on the shortlist compiled by district tourism officers.
The winner of each award will progress to the Northwest regional finals, with the chance to go on to the Enjoy England national finals.
The awards ceremony will take place at Ribby Hall Village, Wrea Green on 10th June, where the winners of the hotly-contested awards will be announced. Presenting the awards will be Radio Two broadcaster Stuart Maconie, who visited Clough Bottom organic farm cottages for his travel guide ‘Short Stories for Short Breaks – Hidden Gems in England’s Northwest’.
Clough Bottom – who are holders of the Green Tourism Business Scheme: Gold Award –has a strong commitment to promoting sustainable tourism from the recycling bins supplied in each cottage and the use of ‘no-phosphate/chlorine’ cleaning products, to using low energy light bulbs, and the installation in 2006 of a borehole which provides water for irrigation and livestock.
Upon arrival, guests a welcomed with a complimentary hamper filled with a selection of homemade and locally-sourced produce, and guests can even purchase a range of Food from the Farm ready meals, made with the farm’s own organic beef, fruit and vegetables. New for 2009 is a poly tunnel allowing guests at the luxury holiday cottages to pick their own complimentary organic vegetables all year round. Herbs, salads and fruit are also available in the organic veg patch and orchard.
Guests are encouraged to support local businesses and reduce car usage as part of the ‘Stay Local, Eat Local, Buy Local, See Local’ scheme, and both the website and the welcome folders in each of the cottages – Woodcutter’s Cottage, Saddle Barn and The Coach House feature ‘What’s On’ guides and a wealth of local visitor information including walks, places of interest and things to do in the area. Wildlife diaries are also included in each cottage for guests to record their sightings of birds and wildlife.
In terms of the natural environment, Clough Bottom Farm has been part of the Countryside Stewardship Scheme for 20 years as well as the English Woodland Grant Scheme, and in addition to planting well over 100,000 trees creates wildlife corridors and ditches, creates and restores ponds and maintains ancient woodland.
Owner Jane Backhouse said, “We are thrilled to have been shortlisted in these two categories as we feel it is great recognition for what we do here at Clough Bottom.
“We are dedicated to ensuring our guests thoroughly enjoy their time here and pride ourselves on giving them a real taste of rural Lancashire whilst being socially responsible and ever mindful of the environment.”
Notes to Editors
Situated in The Forest of Bowland – an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in rural Lancashire, Clough Bottom Farm is a 360 acre organic working farm that has successfully blended traditional diversification with a conservation-minded, more sustainable approach to life and business.
Owners Harry and Jane Backhouse ensure each of their varying ventures is underpinned by a strong environmental conscience.
From the rearing of their organic beef herd, thriving tree nursery business and award-winning holiday cottages, to the production of 10kg organic beef boxes and the provision of high-tech management training courses, everything they do is driven by a desire to safeguard the environment for future generations.
To book one of the four star holiday cottages at Clough Bottom, or to find out more about their trees and shrubs or organic beef, visit www.cloughbottom.co.uk or call 01254 826285.
Weetwood Hall – a place for team players
Part of the Weetwood estate includes the Weetwood Playing Fields which are also owned by the University of Leeds and have some of the most up to date sporting facilities in the region.
Peter Chubb, General Manager of Weetwood Hall hotel in Leeds says “the portfolio of sport and physical activity adds an exciting and innovative dimension to what is available at Weetwood Hall for teams, clubs, associations and sporting organisations”.
The location of the playing fields adjacent to leeds hotel Weetwood Hall is ideal as it provides the services of the hotel to unwind after strenuous exertion and the conference centre when you need to combine work in the classroom with training on the pitch, without any transport concerns.
Facilities include a county standard cricket pitch; the square is maintained by Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Tiger Turf and sand dressed hockey pitches, state of the art 3G artificial football pitch, county standard rugby pitch and over 100 acres available for an extensive range of sporting activity.
The Weetwood Playing Fields is home to England Hockey (North) and is also one of only six MCC Cricketing Centres of Excellence in England and Wales.
Dr. Sue Jacklin who is the Assistant Director of Sport & Physical Activity at the University of Leeds said “this partnership allows athletes and coaches to hone physical fitness, develop technical and tactical expertise, review strategy and have the opportunity to relax and unwind, all on one site”.
This may be of particular interest for clubs who have fixtures in Leeds, sporting associations who regularly meet and especially for performance excellence camps that are looking for combined residential and sporting facilities. Weetwood hall is also popular as a wedding venue in Leeds with its impressive 17th Century Manor House, refined decor and beautiful grounds is an ideal location to hold your wedding reception to make your special day perfect.
Ends
For further information contact:
Katja Pandza, Sales & Marketing Executive
Tel direct line: 0113 388 5790 Katja.pandza@weetwood.co.uk
Information for editors:
Weetwood Hall website www.weetwood.co.uk/sport
Picture 1: Weetwood Hall Conference Centre & Hotel
Picture 2: Weetwood playing field Cricket
Picture 3: Weetwood playing fields
Lake District still a popular resort for that perfect break away
The Lake District, Windermere is still proving a popular location for short breaks and family holidays for residents of the UK.
As the current recession drives people to stay at home, Iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk has noticed an increasing interest in people wishing to rent Windermere accommodation over the spring and summer months.
With this rising interest, Windermere hotels and Windermere bed and breakfast will see a boost in their sales and their rooms fully booked.
And to make sure that landlords are receiving full advertisement of their property, iknow-lakedistrict has the perfect platform for landlords to feature their property including all its features, with pictures of the accommodation included.
Visitors to the site have the luxury of accessing a variety of accommodation to rent within one location, knowing that they are looking at some of the best deals on the market for summer 2009.
Customers looking to rent a property in Windermere
Whatever your reasoning for traveling to Windermere, iknow-lakedistrict don’t disappoint and keep customers coming back for more.
The online rental property site offers its visitors a platform to access an array of accommodation in Windermere, ranging from budget priced rooms to top-notch Windermere accommodation across great locations in and surrounding the area.
Guests to the site can expect to see a variety of properties such as; Windermere hotels, Windermere b&b, guest houses, holiday cottages, pubs and inns, holiday parks, holiday flats and apartments, to accommodate for all guests wishing to get away to the Lake District for a well-deserved break away from the draining credit crunch.
On top of this, the website is fast, easy to use, comprehensive and informative for every customer to locate their perfect property to stay.
The advanced search engine on the site also allows visitors to categorise exactly what they are looking for when staying at a property. Guests can search under locations, types of accommodation, type, price and speciality. This ensures that the customer gets the best deal from the service and exactly what they are looking for.
The website also features tourist information in the area, allowing customers to plan their trip with activities and days out to suit their wishes and desires.
Marcus Simmons, Managing Director iknow-uk ltd, said, "We constantly work to improve the effectiveness of Internet advertising with iknow-uk both in terms of attracting more site visitors and also converting those visitors into enquiries and bookings.
“The control panel has many features which allow customers to refine their listing including an online availability calendar which enables site visitors to conduct site-wide availability checks and narrow down their search by area, price and property type."
Landlords looking to rent their property in Windermere
Iknow-lakedistrict is the UK’s fastest growing accommodation listing website, which allows anyone who owns their property within the Lake District to advertise their accommodation on the website.
The site offers property owners the platform to advertise their website to people wishing to stay in the Windermere area.
The consultancy aims to provide an advertising tool for clients to feature their properties on the website to enhance business and attract potential visitors to their property.
Features of the site include a comprehensive control panel that allows clients to edit and refine all aspects of their online advertising. Clients may add photos and captions to their profile page to obtain the best results when advertising their properties.
Guidance is situated throughout the site, provided by iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, to ensure clients use the maximum potential the website has to offer. A key feature to the online consultancy site is the ability to show potential visitors direct access online to when the client’s property is available.
The page has been set up to display a calendar, which summarises the availability of the property and not individual rooms.
Iknow-lakesdistrict website also features a last minute category whereby clients who opt to use the calendar feature, will see their properties be placed in the last minute directory for guests wishing to find a quick getaway or last minute deal.
Links can also be made direct to the clients’ website through iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk.
Simmons said, "The internet is changing the way people find and book accommodation. Hotel, B&B and other accommodation owners have to learn quickly how to benefit from the effectiveness of Internet advertising.
“Most importantly we deliver results! This is demonstrated by over 90 per cent of our customers renewing each year because of the exceptional results they achieve over their 12 month subscription."
Whatever your traveling to Windermere for iknow-lakedistrict can help
Windermere have a range of beautiful attractions and fun activities for you and all the family. Whatever your reasoning for traveling to the beautiful Lake District, iknow-lakedistrict can offer you a wide range of advice about locations, attractions and the history of the village.
If you are looking to travel with the children and want fun-filled activities, guests can visit the Brockhole Visitors Centre Boat trips, which features an array of shops, numerous exhibitions and a children’s adventure playground, perfect for all the family.
If a quiet trip is what you are looking for, visiting Lake Windermere for a spot of fishing in a relaxing and tranquil environment can be the perfect experience for you and your fellow travellers to experience the sights and sounds of traditional Lake Windermere.
With so much to see and do in Windermere from now into the near future, visit the iknow-lakedistrict website to find about the latest offers on Windermere accommodation and book your trip to the beautiful resort to see what all the fuss is about.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
The iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk website is part of a larger online consultancy company called iknow-uk.com.
The firm specialise in rental accommodation, providing a platform for people to advertise their properties to rent across the UK.
The company’s main Internet advertising websites are iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, iknow-northwest.co.uk, iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, iknow-devon.co.uk, iknow-cornwall.co.uk and iknow-wales.co.uk.
The online marketing site is keen to expand their sites, adding iknow-scotland.co.uk, iknow-somerset.co.uk, iknow-dorset.co.uk and iknow-kent.co.uk to their site in the last 12 months.
Iknow-northwest.co.uk sees UK seaside resort soar as Blackpool accommodation and Blackpool tourism booms
Iknow-northwest.co.uk has seen a growing interest in renting accommodation in Blackpool, as UK people race to the seaside resort for a well-deserved holiday. And the rise in Blackpool tourism is only expected to grow more as people flock to the North West to enjoy British summer weather.
With the tourism trade set to boom, Iknow-northwest.co.uk offers the perfect platform for businesses to feature their properties online to drum up more business over the coming months.
With so much to see and do in Blackpool, travellers are clocking on to what is on offer in the current recession and businesses are already on the ball in providing the right deals for your holiday through Iknow-northwest.co.uk.
The website, last year, helped over 2,500 hospitality customers on their website, staying one step ahead of their competition. The website also received 7 million visitors by the end of October, almost 2 million up from 2007.
Visitors to the site have the luxury of accessing a variety of accommodation to rent within one location, knowing that they are looking at some of the best deals on the market for summer 2009.
Customers looking to rent a property in Blackpool
The marketing company also offers visitors to its site, a platform to access an array of properties, ranging from budget priced rooms to top-notch Blackpool accommodation across great locations in the Blackpool area.
The online marketing consultancy host a variety of different properties on their website such as; Blackpool hotels, Blackpool b&b, guest houses, holiday cottages, pubs and inns, holiday parks, holiday flats and apartments, to accommodate for all guests wishing to get away to Blackpool for a much deserved break away from the draining credit crunch.
The website is fast, easy to use, comprehensive and informative for the customer to locate their perfect property to stay. The advanced search engine on the site allows visitors to categorise exactly what they are looking for when staying at a property. Guests can search under locations, types of accommodation, type, price and speciality. This ensures that the customer gets the best deal from the service and exactly what they are looking for.
The website also features tourist information in the area, allowing customers to plan their trip with activities and days out to suit their wishes and desires.
"We constantly work to improve the effectiveness of Internet advertising with iknow-uk both in terms of attracting more site visitors and also converting those visitors into enquiries and bookings,” said Simmons.
“The control panel has many features which allow customers to refine their listing including an online availability calendar which enables site visitors to conduct site-wide availability checks and narrow down their search by area, price and property type."
Whether business or pleasure, Blackpool has loads to offer
Whatever your reasons for visiting Blackpool, Iknow-Northwest offer a range of Blackpool accommodation across all areas of Blackpool, whether you are looking for a Blackpool bed and breakfast to stay with your partner, Blackpool hotels for you and your family or whether you are traveling to Blackpool for business.
The website is dedicated to offering customers information about the location of the Blackpool accommodation, and what is in and around the area. That way, you can make sure that you book the perfect property to suit your need and requirements.
Landlords looking to rent their property in Blackpool
Iknow-northwest is the UK’s fastest growing accommodation listing website, which allows anyone who owns their property within the North West to advertise their accommodation on the website.
The site offers property owners the platform to advertise their website to people wishing to stay in the Blackpool area.
The consultancy aims to provide an advertising tool for clients to feature their properties on the website to enhance business and attract potential visitors to their property.
Features of the site include a comprehensive control panel that allows clients to edit and refine all aspects of their online advertising. Clients may add photos and captions to their profile page to obtain the best results when advertising their properties.
Guidance is situated throughout the site, provided by iknow-Northwest.co.uk, to ensure clients use the maximum potential the website has to offer.
A key feature to the online consultancy site is the ability to show potential visitors direct access online to when the client’s property is available.
The page has been set up to display a calendar, which summarises the availability of the property and not individual rooms.
Iknow-Northwest website also features a last minute category whereby clients who opt to use the calendar feature, will see their properties be placed in the last minute directory for guests wishing to find a quick getaway or last minute deal.
Links can also be made direct to the clients’ website through iknow-northwest.co.uk.
Marcus Simmons, Managing Director iknow-uk ltd, said, "The internet is changing the way people find and book accommodation. Hotel, B&B and other accommodation owners have to learn quickly how to benefit from the effectiveness of Internet advertising.
“Most importantly we deliver results! This is demonstrated by over 90 per cent of our customers renewing each year because of the exceptional results they achieve over their 12 month subscription."
With so much to see and do in Blackpool from now into the near future, visit the Iknow-northwest website to find about the latest offers on Blackpool accommodation and book your trip to the seaside resort to see what all the fuss is about.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
The iknow-Northwest.co.uk website is part of a larger online consultancy company called iknow-uk.com. The firm specialise in rental accommodation, providing a platform for people to advertise their properties to rent across the UK.
The company’s main Internet advertising websites are iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, iknow-northwest.co.uk, iknow-lakedistrict.co.uk, iknow-devon.co.uk, iknow-cornwall.co.uk and iknow-wales.co.uk.
The online marketing site is keen to expand their sites, adding iknow-scotland.co.uk, iknow-somerset.co.uk, iknow-dorset.co.uk and iknow-kent.co.uk to their site in the last 12 months.
Barton Grange Hotel Preston – Top tips to planning your perfect summer wedding
Planning your big day can often be a stressful and demanding time, with so much to pay out, book, arrange and organise. From inviting the guests, to choosing the dress, there is so much to think about that often small tasks can slip your mind and crop up just days before the big day.
To ensure that you have your checklist at hand, Barton Grange Hotel in Preston have come up with some top ten tips to make sure your wedding day runs smoothly and you have everything in place.
The award-winning Preston hotel have the staff and expertise in ensuring that your day is made special, from the flowers at the reception to the food on the table and know what hiccups can occur during a wedding day, and how to avoid them.
1. Finish the dress from top-to-toe
Make sure that you have your wedding dress steamed and pressed before the day, so you are not walking down the isle in a wrinkled dress. At the Barton Grange Hotel, you can leave your evening clothing (of you choose to get changed) in your beautiful luxury wedding bedroom suite, so you don’t have to worry about getting your belongings from A to B throughout the day.
2. Finalising the details of the ceremony.
Make sure that you finalise the details, including the church and venue and verify any last minute scheduling to ensure you get a good nights sleep before the big day. At Barton Grange Hotel, the wedding venue, Preston is also licensed for Wedding Ceremonies. If guests wish to marry at the hotel, they should contact the Ceremonies Officer in Preston, and give notice to the Superintendent Registrar of the District in which you live. The team at Barton Grange Hotel can create a beautiful setting for your ceremony in one of the luxury suites, with rooms accommodating for 30-300 people.
3. Choose your flowers
Meet with your florist to discuss the colours of your flowers making sure that you match them to your theme or colour scheme. A good tip is to give her a swatch of the fabric to match the colour of the linens, decorations or dresses. At Barton Grange Hotel you can make use of our wedding services such as our chair covers from £3.75 per chair, as well as floral vases from £15 per vase.
4. Arrive at your wedding in style
Make sure that you and your partner arrive at the wedding reception in style and allow Barton Grange Hotel to do the hard work for you. Walk down the red carpet on arrival, and add those little treats to welcome your guests such as a champagne reception and our staff on call ready to direct your guests to the main room.
5. Feast like a king and queen
Filling up your guests is the trick to a fun-filled happy ceremony. And the chefs at Barton Grange cook an impressive range of menus and always receive glowing compliments. And you can personalise your celebrations to suit your guests. Whether you want a carvery buffet to die for, pie and peas all round or our usual silver service, Barton Grange Hotel can offer a wide range of menus to cater for your needs and requirements.
6. Finish it off with your personal touches
Dressing the venue is a personal part of the wedding, and your finishing touches count. At Barton Grange Hotel, we have two banqueting rooms, meticulously dressed with fine table linens, alongside your own personal touches to create a truly impressive setting. Whether you are looking for a more intimate celebration in The Grange Room or a larger Wedding banquet in the Barton Suite, our approach is always to give you a good wedding celebration that is delivered with warmth, genuine friendliness and good humour.
7. Sleep soundly after your romantic day
After the day is over, and your guests retire to bed, make sure that they book their accommodation at the Preston hotel. The recent refurbishments at the hotel create an irresistible blend of warmth, and stylish contemporary look, retaining its traditional charm. Special accommodation rates are given for guests staying at the wedding venue Preston and if you celebrate your wedding at the Barton Grange Hotel, the bride and groom will stay in the Executive Room on the night of your wedding.
Notes to Editors
Barton Grange was built in 1900, as a country residence for Mr. John Healey, a Justice of the Peace and local cotton mill owner.
In 1925 Levi Collison, described in the deeds as “a country gentleman from St. Annes on Sea”, purchased the house. He was still living here in 1940 when the house was requisitioned by the War Office as a mess for officers of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Several years ago a guest staying in the hotel explained that he had been the requisitioning officer and that Mr. Collison had chased him away with a shotgun and he had to return with a police officer!
In 1945 Edward and Ada Topping were running a market gardening business in New Longton, west of Preston. Ada was looking for a large house to run as a bed and breakfast whilst Edward continued market gardening from the grounds. Barton Grange appeared to be tailor-made and they successfully purchased it at auction for £6,450. Unfortunately it was not de-requisitioned until 1950, by which time “it was in a dreadful state”.
Nonetheless, Ada set about transforming it and opened for business on the 16th July 1951 with 6 bedrooms. Trade increased steadily, new bedrooms were added in the 1950s and ‘60s and the ballroom in 1960. Significant expansion in the 1970s added 30 more rooms and a new restaurant and bar. The latest major changes occurred in 1996/7 when the entire property was re-designed and refurbished.
During these works, plans from 1901 were discovered; for a Walled Garden to the south of the house. This garden was re-created in faithful detail, had a roof put on it and became The Walled Garden Bistro. The hotel now has 51 bedrooms, a leisure centre, 2 restaurants and conference and banqueting facilities for 300 but the original house is still at its heart. (You can see the lintel announcing “1900” as you enter this room - through the original front doors)
In 1958, Edward Topping Junior (“Eddie”), returning from his National Service, started Barton Grange Landscapes, operating from the grounds of Barton Grange. In the 1970s Eddie also established a wholesale plant growing division, supplying garden centres up and down the country. Both divisions, located in various places around the county, are still going strong, now under the direction of Eddie’s eldest son Peter.
In 1963 Eddie started the North West’s first garden centre in the grounds of the hotel. This too started out in a very small way, little more than a cabin, but it soon became well established and very widely known. In 1990 Eddie’s youngest son, Guy, returned from Australia to expand the garden centre division with a new centre in Bolton. In March 2008, having outgrown this site, Guy moved the garden centre here two miles north, straight up the A6 to Brock. It now occupies a fantastic, 50 acre site with the Lancaster Canal running around it and the River Brock running through it and includes a farm shop and narrow boat marina as well as Willows Restaurant and The Riverside Café. Eddie also ran the hotel for 20 years from his mother’s retirement in the mid 1970’s before handing over to his other little boy!
Striking gold – Weetwood Hall achieves esteemed accreditation
23rd April 2009
Weetwood Hall Hotel and Conference Centre is the first venue in the North of England to be awarded with the prestigious Gold accreditation from the Meetings Industry Association (MIA).
The Gold Accredited in Meetings (AIM) certification, which has been achieved with support from Conference Leeds symbolises the levels of service, the range of facilities and quality of the offer at Weetwood Hall and it was presented after a day of rigorous assessment focusing specifically on its facilities, services and processes earlier this year.
Peter Chubb, General Manager of Weetwood Hall is thrilled with the accreditation: ‘We are delighted that we have been awarded with the Gold accreditation from the MIA for our conference facilities. This is a fantastic achievement for Weetwood Hall which recognises the high standard of our wide-ranging services and facilities which businesses and organisations can expect from us.’
‘Weetwood Hall is not only the first venue hotel in Leeds and West Yorkshire to achieve this accreditation, but in the North of England putting us at the forefront of conferencing venues and destinations. My congratulations go out to everyone involved within the Weetwood Hall team’.
Nicola Lockwood, Manager of Conference Leeds commented: ‘We want buyers to know that our region celebrates and supports quality venues. We want them to feel confident when they book their event in Leeds and West Yorkshire, because they know that we are a region that is committed to delivering conferencing excellence’.
Simon Bullough, Membership Development Director from the MIA who awarded Weetwood Hall with the gold accreditation said: ‘The AIM accreditation is all about recognising excellence and giving consumers the assurance that a venue is of good quality. Weetwood Hall is a superb location for conferences, events and meeting rooms and undoubtedly deserved the gold accreditation. They have set the standard high for other conference centres across the UK and they should be very proud of their achievement’.
Axel Muller, Director of the International Medieval Congress who regularly uses the conference facilities at Weetwood Hall said of the venue: ‘Weetwood Hall is the ideal home for us; the setting of the site is perfect, calm and relaxing, yet professional and productive. The facilities operate seamlessly and smoothly which turns the environment in to a pleasantly creative and constructive workplace. Without exception all of Weetwood Hall’s staff are very friendly and helpful and take a real pride in delivering the best customer focussed service. And of course it helps to have an excellent and well stocked “real ale” pub close by for post lecture networking”.
For further information on the conference facilities available at Weetwood Hall, or to book a meeting or conference room, contact the Conference and Events team on 0113 230 6000 or visit www.weetwood.co.uk.
For further information and images please contact:
Caroline Hill
Sales Manager
0113 388 5798
Notes to Editors:
- Set within 9 acres of parkland estate, Weetwood Hall is the largest and most flexible four-star conference centre and hotel in the North of England.
- The hotel offers 106 en-suite bedrooms, including 12 luxury Manor House bedrooms and 2 feature four poster bedrooms individually decorated to reflect the traditional style of the house and offer the perfect accommodation in Leeds.
- The venue boasts a dedicated conference venue with 18 primary conference rooms and 19 syndicate rooms, along with some of the most up to date technology available. The largest conference room can seat up to 200 people theatre style and 120 people cabaret style with the capability of a video link to another room seating 160 (theatre style).
- Conference Leeds is the official conference bureau for Leeds and West Yorkshire. Its remit includes Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Wakefield and Calderdale which covers 230 venues along with a multitude of meetings industry support companies.
Blackpool Hotels – Launch of the Blackpool Hotels Comparison Site
Blackpool Hotels - Short Press Release for Hotels in Blackpool.
The launched Blackpool Hotels comparison site has proved to be a big massive hit for travellers and tourists searching for holiday accommodation in and around Blackpool. Only selected tourists and holiday makers were issued with an invited before the site was launched to the public.
Within the first hour of its launch, the hotel comparison site received over 1,500 invitees searching for that cheap bargain accommodation in the Lancashire area. Over 1,300 hotels, bed and breakfasts and guest houses were quickly viewed by the upcoming visitors.
The main features for the hotel directory include:
- Browse all or a few of the hotels listed.
- Advanced search, which will allow users to view hotels in Blackpool with up to 75% off their room price.
- Hotel facilities, which allows users to view the hotel and to see if the facilities are what are required.
- Read guest reviews
Hotel owners in Blackpool can also submit their hotel to the directory and allow users to review their hotel.
As the Easter term proved to be a massive hit with the weather truely showing the hotest the UK has had within years, Blackpool was full with tourists whom enjoyed many of the attractions such as the Pleasure Beach and Tower.
Notes to Editors
Norbreck Castle is part of the Britannia Hotels chain. The hotels comparison site is now viewable to all the public, since becoming a massive hit with the selected invitees.
Broadcaster finds a ‘real gem’ in the Lancashire Hills – Clough Bottom Cottages
Radio 2 DJ, Stuart Maconie found a real gem in the heart of the Ribble Valley, during his stay at the award-winning luxury holiday cottages at Clough Bottom Farm. Maconie gave an outstanding review of the organic farm cottages, praising the warm welcome he received upon arrival.
His stay at Clough Bottom Farm is part of a campaign by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, (NWDA) to promote tourism in England’s Northwest region.
Titled, ‘Stuart’s Short Stories for Short Breaks,’ the campaign takes him around the North West to discover traditional and modern places to stay within the region; with Clough Bottom Farm Cottages as one of his stops along the way.
Throughout his trip through the North West, Maconie kept a travel diary of his experiences, focusing on city culture and the regions outstanding sites.
His experiences are available online at www.stuartsstories.co.uk, through podcasts and articles, and have been published in a paperback travel guide which can be ordered through the website.
An extract from his book, about Clough Bottom Farm Cottages, said, “On entering the lovingly converted stone-built building, I was greeted by the sight of a welcome hamper stocked with local produce including organic Lancashire cheese, Bowland milk, Tea Bread made on the farm, jam and chutney made with fruit picked from the trees around the farm and fair-trade tea and coffee.”
Maconie stayed at one of the three beautifully appointed luxury self catering cottages, situated within the heart of the beautiful Ribble Valley.
The three 4 Star holiday cottages, The Coach House, Saddle Barn and Woodcutter’s Cottage have all been individually designed and furnished with antiques and elegant fabrics. Packed with original features, each cottage is beautifully appointed and equipped with every modern facility. Sleeping from 4 – 14 (when all booked together), the cottages provide a warm and welcoming home from home environment.
While staying at the self catering holiday cottages, Maconie was impressed with the thoughtful touches owners Harry and Jane Backhouse provide, in the shape of breakfast hampers and seasonal ready meals, made with farm and locally-sourced produce. Commenting, “And to make your stay even more relaxing, the proprietors will even prepare a home cooked meal and have it waiting in the fridge for you when you arrive. You can even order a Lancashire Breakfast Hamper too; now that I did take advantage of.”
The Lancashire Breakfast Hamper can be pre ordered prior to arrival, for guests to enjoy a traditional breakfast within their self catering holiday cottage. The hamper features a variety of organic products, including, local dry cured bacon and sausage, Lancashire black pudding, bottle of pressed apple juice, organic free range eggs, loaf of home-baked bread and Clough Bottom ‘Rise and Shine’ muesli. Guests can also pre order seasonal ready meals, which are left in the fridge for guests to cook themselves.
Jane Backhouse said, “We are delighted Stuart enjoyed his stay at Clough Bottom Farm Cottages and are thrilled to have been included in this unique travel guide.
“We pride ourselves on providing not just superb accommodation, but a truly memorable holiday experience. From the homemade and locally-sourced produce we include in our hampers and ready meals, to the wildlife diaries and ‘Things to Do’ ideas we provide for exploring – our guests soon become captivated by Clough Bottom and this stunning part of rural Lancashire.”
Stuart Maconie, radio DJ, TV presenter, journalist and author, said, “If this campaign helps people to see the North West as the wonderful place that it is, then I’m pleased to be able to help.”
Stuart Maconie’s book on short trips in the North West can be purchased online at www.stuartsstories.co.uk where you can read the extract about Clough Bottom Farm as the opening paragraph to life in the Ribble valley.
Notes to Editors
Clough Bottom
Situated in The Forest of Bowland – an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) in rural Lancashire, Clough Bottom Farm is a 360 acre organic working farm that has successfully blended traditional diversification with a conservation-minded, more sustainable approach to life and business.
Owners Harry and Jane Backhouse ensure each of their varying ventures is underpinned by a strong environmental conscience. From the rearing of their organic beef herd, thriving tree nursery business and award-winning holiday cottages, to the production of 10kg organic beef boxes and the provision of high-tech management training courses, everything they do is driven by a desire to safeguard the environment for future generations.
To book one of the four star holiday cottages at Clough Bottom, or to find out more about their trees and shrubs or organic beef, visit www.cloughbottom.co.uk or call 01254 826285.
Stuart Maconie
Stuart Maconie is a TV and radio presenter, journalist, columnist and author. His most recent book, Pies and Prejudice, was one of 2008’s top selling paperbacks. He co-hosts the Radcliffe and Maconie show on BBC Radio Two every Monday –Thursday evenings.