Seated at a beachside café this morning, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation between two couples sat enjoying the sun, cappuccinos in hand as their children played happily in the sand. “This really is beautiful”, one said. Their friends concurred, staring out at the Harbour and the Wareham channel beyond. The husband went on, “…and the next time I come down I’m definitely going to hire a boat and get out on that”, gesticulating at the sparkling water before us. I was suddenly struck with the thought that this family could have been us, 15 years ago, when we began exploring this region, and fell in love with Poole for the first time.
Wherever you choose to live, life has a habit of getting in the way – the school runs, the early starts, the late finishes all conspire to drag us away from the very reason we chose to make our homes by the sea. At Quay Holidays, we’re always at our busiest when everyone else is taking a well-earned break. When our guests are enjoying the bountiful recipe of sunny strolls, outdoor events and delightful eateries, we’re more likely to be cursing the traffic, en-route to service one of our more far-flung holiday-let properties. If we do see the sea, it’s usually in second gear!
So today is a day to remember. To remember why we are here, doing what we’re doing, in a place that we love. As I stride the old lifting bridge, I cast an admiring eye over the old tugs that still moor alongside Sydenhams. From there to Harbour Reach and the footbridge to Hamworthy Park beyond. There’s a camaraderie amongst the early risers, the dog-walkers and joggers, a combined sense that we’ve all made the effort, and by God it’s worth it! Stopping at Hamworthy beach, I reach for my ‘phone and take a ‘pano’ for my teenage daughter – evidence for the doubtless still-snoring that here is something not to be missed. When I reach the Lake Road slipway I pause to chat to a lady whose spaniels were enjoying the water every bit as much as the human bystanders. “Isn’t this beautiful?!” she enquires. “Absolutely”, I respond. Everyone is more friendly when the sun shines – a beautiful day here just has to be shared.
From Hamworthy pier, I walk the beach until it runs out, a solitary white Egret guarding the promontory where water meets cliff. I climb the concrete steps to complete the journey across Ham Common to Rockley beach café, where my Costa awaits. I sit watching youngsters practising capsize drills in the safety of this sunny millpond, and smile at the remembrance of more challenging conditions, in the freezing lakes of my youth.
Poole is too good to be kept to ourselves. It deserves to be shared, and I like to think that Quay Holidays gives people that opportunity, but it’s not all one-way traffic. Tourists are the lifeblood of a seaside town -after all, half our retail hinterland is in the sea! If our town is to succeed, we need tourism to fill our restaurants, our pubs, and our shops. At Quay Holidays we’re proud that the 284 bed spaces we offer to our guests are doing their bit, and of course many of our repeat clients may one day do what we did ourselves some 15 years ago – arrive, and never leave!
If you’ve ever wondered whether your property could be suited to holiday letting, give us a call. You may be surprised to hear that we regularly achieve 70% occupancy. With more and more guests choosing mini-breaks in the UK, Poole’s appeal goes well beyond the ‘core’ summer months. As we start to prepare schedules for the 2019 season, we would be pleased to hear from you.
t. 01202 683333
w. www.quayholidays.co.uk
a. Quay Holidays, Orchard Plaza, 41 High Street, Poole, BH15 1EG
Leave a Reply