A Northumberland castle has achieved a staggering 95% occupancy rate since reopening, putting this down to NOBLES – New-Order Bucket-Listing English Staycationers – and its own positivity.
Langley Castle Hotel, in Langley-on-Tyne near Hexham, has witnessed a boom in bookings since it reopened on July 4. Guests have travelled with one intention in mind – to stay in an authentic, fortified English castle. They have come from all age and demographic groups and have seemingly felt very safe within the walls of a castle that are seven-feet thick and have withstood all the Border Reivers could throw at them.
One common denominator has been realism. Guests have largely believed holidaying in the UK is the new normal and have drawn up a battle-plan of what they want to do and experience, within the UK. A night or two spent in a castle has been top of the wish-list.
Langley also points to the desire to have a “fortification vacation”. Guests have seemingly done their homework and recognised some castles are more facades than the real deal. Few castle hotels can claim to have the best example of medieval garderobes (posh loos) in Europe, still on display and an echo of the extensive periods of time in which Langley would have been under siege. Few castle hotels had to be rebuilt because an arsonist – possibly Henry IV – razed it to the ground in anger at its allegiances (1405). No other, has a Jacobite bench in the garden commemorating two of former owners and brothers, beheaded at the Tower of London thirty years apart, having supported the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite uprisings. Langley is simply unique and alluringly close to Hadrian’s Wall too, for those on the track of Romans.
The castle’s great attention to detail, in terms of the rules and regulations, has also gone down well. Most guests, staying for a few days or longer, have recognised their room cannot be serviced every day and have accepted the new order of hospitality. They have been happy to eat in, enjoying the 2 AA Rosette Josephine restaurant to the full.
Whilst the castle’s own positivity has been crucial, it is also benefiting from the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. For the first time ever, those travelling along the roof of England – the A686 between Alston and the A69 (deemed One of the Greatest Drives in Britain by the AA), can see tables, chairs and parasols, laid out to social distancing guidelines in the grounds. Curiosity is attracting them and they are spending their vouchers on relaxed dining meals and pre-booked afternoon cream and Gentleman’s teas, served in the shadow of the castle in an outdoor area in which seating has quadrupled.
“We feel that, without knowing it, Langley has been truly spearheading UK tourism’s revival and showing what can be done to get the sector back on its feet,” says Executive General Manager, Margaret Livingstone-Evans. “The Government has actually used one of our stories as part of its publicity drive to get the sector going again.
“We now wish to inspire other hospitality providers to feel positive about the future and just work with what is possible. We have a host of other things coming up, from dark sky stargazing events to music in the grounds, plus new and very special wedding features that also comply with current guidelines, so we’re just doing what we can and going with the flow and it’s paying off hugely. We have a few rooms left for Christmas, but not many. We have a private booking for New Year’s Eve, so couldn’t ask for more.
“People are working with the new order, adapting, becoming more focused on what really matters and enjoying discovering that England really does have a lot to offer, if you seek it out. It’s now or never for some, when it comes to a castle stay, but not for all. Some just want to almost use Covid-19’s travel restrictions as an excuse to do what they were never brave enough to do before or have reimagined life and want to connect with the true English holidaying experience.”
