[Rosemary]

Anyone going? If so, do you want to meet for a coffee?

[jameslindsay]

Hi Rosemary. Kerstin and I are coming down for it opening at 10.00am  think it is? We won't be there for long but I am sure Kerstin would love to meet up for coffee.

[doganjo]

I might come through for it too - where is it?

[Womble]

Yes please! We're possibly in the market for a couple more hens, so would appreciate any advice going. Also, we only have room for two more, so may be interested in splitting a lots with other people perhaps in a similar situation!

Just let us know where and when, (and possibly what you'll be wearing!?  )

[QWOLF]

Think i will go for a wee look and see if the seller i want to buy from is there as they usually sell at lanak, as it would save me waiting till august, maybe see you all there

[sandy]

So spill the beans, who has more hens and did you all have coffee??(hint of jealousy) 

[jameslindsay]

Sandy the sale is not till this Saturday!

[sandy]

Oh!

[sandy]

A lot on my mind and people arriving on Saturday Visit Scotland visit later today and cannot even be bothered to change my flower arrangements, we will loose a sat anyway due to no en suits!!!!! are you with visit Scotland James?

[jameslindsay]

We are not with them Sandy, they are too expensive and we fill our rooms ok without their help. I find these rating organisations a rip off, when I was a manager with the "big boys" they would from time to time have one of their hotels loose a star. The owner of the company would phone them up and threaten that if the star was not replaced immediately they would pull their business. This hotel company had over 65 hotels so paid the likes of the Tourist Board, the AA etc a fortune every year so they could not afford to loose the business and therefore the star was replaced!!!! Defeats the whole purpose but small places like you and I have don't have a leg to stand on.

[sandy]

Not bothered about the star but in order for us to have road signs we have to be with them and your correct, what a rip off!!! I had a salesman here early in the year saying they could put a link on our web site so people could book and pay a deposit directly and they would take a small percentage, so I said "so how would that benefit us?" We do OK anyway and get very few bookings through visit Scotland, maybe people look on their site but go on to look on our site, most people we ask just do their won searches. We kept a star last year when I said we were not bothered about being with them!!! Another company we advertise with is comming up for renewal and out of the blue we are getting an usual amount of enquiries through them!!! I smelt a rat last year as the same happened then!!!! I am off for a very late shower as all the water was cold...someone had a bath this morning >:(how inconsiderate!!!

[Rosemary]

The sale starts at 10.30, I think at Caledonian Markets, Millhall, Stirling.

I'll try and get along about 10ish too. I'll wear by CSSA T Shirt! Hope it's not cold. If it is, I'll wear it OVER my other clothes - so fat bird in a white T shirt!

About the VisitScotland stuff, I was reading an article in Scottish Field this morning about how woeful VisitScotland (or the Scottish Toursit Board) is and how Glasgow, Edinburgh and Shetland have withdrawn. They've done the dirty on Clackmannanshire as well by closing the only visitor centre in the County. The article actually said (it's by Alan Cochrane, Scottish Editor of The Telegraph) that VisitScotland was far too concerned about the number of fire doors and not concerned enough about the service, the welcome and the food. Sounds ike you'd support his view.

[sandy]

Visit Scotland take a lot of money, I am not bothered about the star rateing in fact I think once you have stars people judge you more. As we are small we are never going to get rich from the proceeds of this B&B alone that is not our idea however nice that would be and if Visit Scotland take so much off us each  year then our small profit is eaten into although in principal the idea is nice but being a private organisation they are just out for your blood!!!!!!! Just cancelled todays visit as (1) I feel rough and (2) Just had to call out the heating engineer as the water is not heating up, great for a B&B to have cold water

[sandy]

May get to the sale on Saturday, we have guests arriving but my OH can see to them

[doganjo]

As I said this morning, Sandy, call me if you want to come - I'll probably leave here about 9.45 and can pick you up.  We can all wear our CSSA badges! (if I can find mine!  )