GH Away travel to CARLISLE UNITED - Your thoughts

Thanks for your thoughts - this was the same re-action we had on the coach coming back from Barrow yesterday - that they would prefer the overnight trip rather than the there and back option even with the pitfalls.

As an aside I would like to thank all those who travelled up to Barrow - a great weekender again and the icing on the cake was that we won. 

The support from everyone who travelled by whatever means was brilliant - lets hope we can have even more positive results in the next few weeks and months - you couldn't fault the team for effort or endeavour for the whole 90 minutes. 

 
 

Shame you might enjoy it, Allan  

The trouble is we are doing a large group booking for possible 30+ rooms which we have all been reserved since July and as a group booking you pay up front the total amount a month in advance for the total rooms required of your reservation (Barrow was 28) - but unlike when you only book single or two rooms you can take out the option for late cancellation as generally you don't need to pay until you arrive - we don't have that on a group booking.

It's surprising how may people actually stay in these Travelodge's for the Lake District throughout the year on a regular basis especially at weekends - we had trouble finding this one for Carlisle at a reasonable cost and that was back in July when we found out that the Morecambe Hotel had been sold, which did come as a surprise - we tried most of the usual chain hotels both overnight matches in Lancaster and Carlisle but the rates were so much higher than our choice now at Penrith. Even that was more expensive than our hotel in Barrow.

When we have been to the Clifton Hotel in Morecambe previously the owner didn't charge us the full price for the room for people that didn't come - we only lost the initial deposit but actually she didn't need to do that - it was only the good will on her part. We only initially paid the deposit and the balance was paid on arrival at the hotel which she was willing to do - we did have a good relationship with the hotel management over the 13 years we stopped there. 

Its the same when sorting out the buffets on our trips at the pubs - we confirm we are coming on the Wednesday before the game - we are taking a risk that we won't have traffic problems or the game get called off on route. On the two occasions we have had traffic hold ups we have somehow arrived at the pub about an hour late but still had time to eat on a shortened stop - and the one occasion the game was called off on our way to Bradford we were at Sheffield and the pub was only about 15 minutes away so we still went to the Minors Arms and had the buffet and a drink before returning home.

A few years ago we could get Travel Insurance for the supporters coaches if the game was called off within 24 hours through the FSA which covered any match late cancellation - its a shame they stopped that as it gave you peace of mind when travelling and well worth the cost of the insurance.

  

 
 

Carlisle United UPDATE -

We have to make the decision early next week about whether we run the coach or hire a minibus for the trip to Carlisle United on the 15th January 2022 - at the moment we have only 18 supporters who have booked on the trip - from Monday we will make the decision - unless we get more booked on for Carlisle by then we will only take a minibus. Those of you that are already booked on and not happy about travelling in the minibus then let me know so we can take you off the list and cancel your room. We pay for the room next Wednesday.

The Carlisle United match will remain as an overnight trip – cost is £75 for a Twin/Family room or £95 for a single occupancy room. We depart from the stadium at 5.30am and travel up to Carlisle with a couple of stops on route - we will not organise a buffet if we run the minibus, but will have a pub stop on the way at Penrith. After the game we return back to Penrith and stay at the Travelodge on Saturday evening and then travel back to Crawley on Sunday.

Please contact me as soon as possible if you want to travel but we do need to know urgently so that we can make the decision.