Tag: UK

Ski costs slip in dollar-stricken USA but head east for the best downhill bargains

Posted by | Dec 3, 2007 | |

Costs may have tumbled in the USA but bargain-hunting skiers will find the best value by travelling east to Bulgaria, Romania and Slovenia, according to the Ski Resort Report by Post Office® Travel Services.

Borovets in Bulgaria emerges as the cheapest ski destination¹, half the price of ski equipment and living costs in the fashionable resort of Vail, Colorado. Romania (Poiana Brasov) and Slovenia (Kranjska Gora) are also significantly cheaper than long established resorts in the big three ski destinations – Switzerland, Austria and France.

But Canada, hit by an 9.5 per cent drop in its dollar value against sterling, was by far the most expensive ski destination of 12 surveyed by the Post Office®. At GBP 457.56 for the seven items compared, the resort of Banff was almost three times as expensive as Bulgaria and 27 per cent more than Vail – where the weak dollar has resulted in a price drop of 30 per cent in the past two years.²

In the mainstream European market, the survey shows that Italy still offers best value for ski equipment and resort costs – well ahead of traditional favourites Austria, France and Switzerland. Germany, better known as a cross-country ski destination, is also good value this year – one of only two destinations where prices have dropped³.

The Post Office® found wide variations in the prices charged across Europe. Ski equipment hire varied by around GBP 60 whilst a six day lift pass cost just GBP 82 in Poiana Brasova, Romania but GBP 144 in Soldeu, Andorra – no longer the bargain destination it was a decade ago.

And in its shopping basket of items regularly purchased by skiers, Post Office® Travel Services found the total cost to vary by almost GBP 300.

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Tesco reveals ambitious expansion plans for USA

Posted by | Dec 3, 2007 | |

Tesco is planning to open a 1,000-strong chain of discount stores in the US meaning shoppers in urban towns and cities could be within a mile of one of its Fresh & Easy stores.

Three weeks after launching in California, CEO Tim Mason says he expects Fresh & Easy’s first 15 stores to rise to around 200 by February 2009. “We want the stores to be no more than two miles apart so no one has to travel more than a mile to get to a Fresh & Easy,”

The company is also planning to open a second distribution centre in northern California. Located near Los Angeles, the centre could serve up to 500 stores. Tesco is pursuing an aggressive hard-discount model in the US, with its US stores having similarities to discounters Aldi and Lidl.

Tesco chief executive Terry Leahy has said Fresh & Easy could one day rival the retailer’s UK business.

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Post office services may move to council buildings in Southampton

Posted by | Dec 3, 2007 | |

Threatened post office services in Southampton could be moved inside council owned buildings to save them from closure plans.

Services could be located in housing offices, leisure centres and libraries and a mobile post office could be launched if five city post office branches get the axe.

Liberal Democrat and Labour city councillors have agreed to explore whether the move would be feasible under new powers given to local councils.

Lib Dem councillor Ann Milton who floated the idea said there was “profound concern” for the impact the closures would have on communities, especially on elderly and disabled people.

However the minority Tory administration voted against her motion, saying although it was an admirable idea it wouldn’t work in practice and blamed the Labour Government for allowing too many services to leave post offices.

The move comes as Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead is calling on Post Office bosses to postpone their closure decision.

Mr Whitehead claims urban obstacles’ to alternative branches such as busy dual carriageways and dimly lit parks and underpasses have not been considered.

Mr Whitehead said: “They can act as a real impediment to customers trying to get somewhere on foot.

“The Post Office Network needs to demonstrate that they have taken into account the kinds of obstacles faced by my constituents, and they have so far fundamentally failed to do so.”

The MP is calling for a review of the plans until urban obstacles have been clarified.

Under the closure plans customers losing their local branch are supposed to be within a one-mile road distance of another post office.

A Post Office spokesman said: “In developing our proposals for an area a number of criteria are considered, including the routes to alternative Post Office branches, the availability of public transport as well as the demographics of the locality and the impact on local economies.

“It is worth noting that the four branches which are proposed to close within the Southampton Test constituency referred to by Mr Whitehead are all within a mile of an alternative branch.”

In Hampshire the Post Office plans to shut 62 of its 291 full-time sub post offices in both rural and urban areas Watchdog Postwatch has urged customers to take part in the consultation process over the closures.

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