South Tyneside Self Catering at it’s finest
It’s been a tough year for us all. And as many know the hospitality industry has been hit hard by lack of travel. So we’ve been busy keeping our heads above water. Improving our existing places and setting up 4 new ones since lockdown started! Quite a feat. And we’ve been busy telling you the […]
Property Wisdom – One in One Out
People say to me “I don’t know how you do it.” “You never stop” “You need to learn how to chill out” Well, I’ve finally found the solution. Wisdom teeth extraction! Last Friday I got mine taken out. Well my two left ones. By a current guest of ours. But he is a dentist! He […]
Survival, Separation and Soften up
Well we are out of the old year and into the new. The quasi respite of the festive period is gone and it is back to this new constantly changing norm. The restrictions are becoming tougher again. In Aberdeen, Scotland anyway where I now call home. Where I live, and where my 2 teenage kids […]
Aberdeen City Winter Woodland Walk
During the first lockdown, like many we slowed down. My kids decided to start spending half their time with me which we still do. We bonded more. And much of that was done in our family walks round our local area. The COVID rules were that we couldn’t leave the house apart from essential reasons […]
Necessary Evil Versus the Power of Social Media
Until the last year or so I have been busy building our small family business up. Literally almost brick by brick. But not quite! We’ve went from 2-3 places to 8-9, 250 miles apart in the last 2 years or so. Make that 258! South Shields to Aberdeen, a trip I’ve made a hundreds of […]
Things to do around Aberdeen and South Shields
Hi everyone! We had a lovely our day trip an hour or so up the coast to the stunning seaside village of Sandend , then Cullen (note to self – post more photos/a blog of this amazing day out, and all the others!), where we devoured the legendary Linda’s Fish and Chips by the harbour and explored their […]
Family Walk from West End to Aberdeen City Centre
This afternoon, well yesterday but you know what I mean, I managed to drag my teenage son and daughter out for a walk. I wanted to head into the highlands, or maybe along Deeside but the script from my daughter was to “walk into town.” So given that she accompanied me for a wee trip […]
Things to do in South Shields Part 1 – Sandhaven to Marsden Kinda Circularish Walk.
There are already loads of blogs out there on the best things to do in South Shields. And I will get round to writing a more complete one based on my extensive guide to the area which I send to all guests who book one of our South Shields self catering apartments. But most South Shields […]
A Victorian Townhouse Restoration
In early 2016 I bought a Victorian townhouse maisonette in my old hometown of South Shields. Black front door in a beautiful quiet residential street I landed in South Shields on the 9th February with my furniture and all my belongings from my Aberdeen house (I actually travelled down in the removal van!) and helped […]
From Aberdeen to Arasaig
It had been a tough few months, and was only going to improve many years later. So I decided that the rest of 2013 would consist of getting as much fun packed into my time off work as possible. This was my 40th year and I was going to enjoy it despite the backdrop. Kicking […]
Do What You Love, or Love What You Do
I’ve always fancied writing a blog. Well for a good few years anyway. When I started operating my first South Shields serviced accommodation I wrote my own personal independent guide to the area. Whenever I travel anywhere I want to escape the rest of the tourists. Get out of my comfort zone and sit in […]
Our Aberdeen West End Granite House Renovation
The lovely dear I bought my house in Aberdeen from, Grace, had owned it since it was built. Which was just after the war ended. Anyway, the house was in need of some SERIOUS TLC! The conservatory and “greenhouse” soon to be kitchen diner! Tyneside burglars would have had a field day with this place. […]
Lockdown Benefits and Serviced Accommodation Slow Down
I’m lucky in that I can manage many aspects of my business online and over the phone in isolation. I have been able to concentrate on marketing for the future and trying to secure the bookings which are currently allowed like key workers, folk unable to return to their home address, self isolations etc. It’s […]