To bring cheer to the winter months, follow medieval tradition and keep your decorations up until 2 February!
After an especially tough year, English Heritage is encouraging the public to do as their medieval ancestors did and leave up their festive adornments until Candlemas on 2 February. This opposes the theory that leaving decorations up beyond Twelfth Night is bad luck, which is a modern take on the tradition.
The charity will be following its own advice at several of its historic places, with decorations remaining in place throughout January at Audley End House in Essex, Framlingham Castle in Suffolk and Osborne on the Isle of Wight.
Falling exactly 40 days after Christmas, Candlemas (or the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary) was observed as the official end of Christmas in medieval England.
The date itself was a great feast day and is so-called because candles intended to be used in churches in the coming year would be blessed on that day. There were also candlelit processions in honour of the feast.
Evidence that decorations were kept up until the evening before Candlemas is well documented. To this day, Christmas cribs remain in place in many churches until Candlemas, and their removal is described in an early 17th-century poem:
Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve, Robert Herrick (1591-1674)
Dr Michael Carter, English Heritage’s Senior Properties Historian, said: “In the Middle Ages, houses would be decorated with greenery for the Christmas season on Christmas Eve day. The feast of Christmas started at around 4pm on Christmas Eve afternoon and continued until the Epiphany on 6 January.
“But contrary to popular belief, the Christmas season actually continues right through to Candlemas on 2 February so there’s no real reason why you should take your decorations down earlier.
“The tradition that it is bad luck to keep decorations up after Twelfth Night and the Epiphany is a modern invention, although it may derive from the medieval notion that decorations left up after Candlemas eve would become possessed by goblins!
“I’m of the opinion that, after the year we’ve all had, we certainly deserve to keep the Christmas cheer going a little longer.”
National Express will be running extra coach services on its UK-wide network in the run up to Christmas to ensure people can get home safely during the festive season (18 December 2020 – 4 January 2021).
The UK’s largest coach operator will be increasing the frequency of over 35 routes, introducing 13 new direct services and adding more locations to its timetable – starting from 18 December and running every day, including Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Supported by the Department for Transport, they will initially be doubling the mileage of the network, making nearly 250,000 seats available over the festive period*; and will further increase the number in response to demand – all with covid-secure measures in place.
Tickets are on sale now with more availability being released as soon as possible. Customers are being advised to plan their journey and book in advance as demand has been strong.
Chris Hardy, managing director of National Express Coach: “Trains won’t be running on Christmas Day and there are limited services on others, plus the planned engineering works on the railways.
“We’re happy to step up to help the UK public get home safely this Christmas, when it’s more important than ever.
“This is also good news for the network of local coach companies who operate services on our behalf, at the end of what has been a challenging year.”
Increased frequency routes:
Bristol<>London
South Coast<>Heathrow
Manchester <>London
Birmingham<>Manchester
East Mids<>Heathrow
Sheffield <>London
Cardiff<>London
Bath<>London
Halifax <>London
Birmingham<>London
Aberystwyth<>London
Leeds <>London
London<>Dover
North-West<>London
Thanet<>London
Brighton<>London
Leicester<>London
Birmingham<>Heathrow
Southampton<>London
Gloucester<>London
Birmingham<>Bradford
Bournemouth<>London
Nottingham<>London
South Wales<>Heathrow
Bristol<>Birmingham
Yorkshire<>London
Liverpool<>London
Coventry<>London
Norwich <>London
Birmingham<>Nottingham
Nottingham<>Bradford
Plymouth <>London
Swansea <>London
Birmingham<>Leicester
Portsmouth<>London
North Devon<>London
Haverford West<>London
New direct services:
Tyneside<>London
Teeside<>London
Hull<>London
Edinburgh<>London
Glasgow<>London
London<>York (via Leeds)
South Wales<>Birmingham
Cambridge<>London
Birmingham<>Hull
Cornwall<>London
Leeds<>Manchester
Leed<>Manchester<>Liverpool
East Mids<>West Yorkshire
New locations on festive timetable:
Hull
Peterborough
Cambridge
Chester
Sunderland
Newquay
Penzance
Falmouth
Lincoln
Swindon
Weston-super-Mare
Truro
All National Express coaches have significant covid-secure measures in place including enhanced cleaning, reduced capacity, wearing of face coverings, temperature screening and additional air conditioning filters.
Anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 so is unable to travel, can request a full refund or amend their ticket. Passengers who no longer wish to or are unable to travel as planned will also be eligible for a free ticket amendment*.
More than £8 billion worth of package holidays are estimated to have been cancelled since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, with just over £1 billion still estimated to be outstanding in refunds, according to new research from Which?.
Millions of people have had a package holiday cancelled by their provider since the UK went into lockdown in March, with refunds for one in five (21%) holidays where a cash refund was requested still outstanding at the beginning of October.
Which? surveyed more than 7,500 people who have had a package holiday cancelled as a result of the pandemic to understand how the situation around refunds has developed since the UK first entered lockdown.
An estimated total of just over £1 billion is being illegally withheld in partial or full refunds from customers who requested their money back, with the survey suggesting the average cancelled holiday cost £1,784.
Under the Package Travel Regulations 2018, if a package holiday is cancelled by the provider, the customer is legally entitled to a full refund within 14 days. A package holiday is a booking comprising at least two types of travel or travel-related services made through the same source, most commonly flights and accommodation.
Around 9.4 million people are estimated to have had a package holiday cancelled by their operator since the pandemic hit the UK. The backlog of refunds for cancellations caused by the coronavirus pandemic meant that the majority of operators struggled to refund within the legal time limit, with customer service lines overwhelmed by travellers trying to contact them to ask about their refunds.
Some package providers reported delays in receiving refunds back from airlines, many of which – despite making commitments to the aviation regulator – continue to break the law on refunds. This has meant package holiday operators have often only been able to process partial refunds for customers.
But while some companies have managed to get on top of the backlog caused by these delays, several other major providers have continued to leave passengers out of pocket, with Which? still receiving huge numbers of complaints from customers waiting for refunds.
The average amount of time spent contacting package holiday companies about cancelled trips was around 15.5 hours. For more than four in 10 (43%) of the cancelled holidays reported to Which?, customers said they waited longer than a month to get their money back.
During the summer, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into package travel companies’ handling of cancellations and refunds. Following pressure from Which? and the CMA, Tui agreed to refund all customers by the 30th of September. The regulator also recently confirmed that Virgin Holidays has also committed to processing refunds for all holidays cancelled up to the end of October by 20 November.
Nearly four in ten (37%) people who have had a package holiday cancelled by their provider since the beginning of the outbreak said the experience has had a negative impact on their confidence in the travel industry.
Which? is calling on the government to outline how it will support the travel industry through the rest of the pandemic, and is urging it to introduce a travel guarantee fund to support package holiday providers that are struggling to fulfil their legal obligations to refund customers. It should also conduct a review of passenger protections following the coronavirus outbreak.
While the CMA has already secured commitments to process refunds from some companies, it is clear that some firms are not improving their practices of their own volition. The competition regulator must continue to closely monitor operators and secure further undertakings from those that flout the law, to prevent trust in travel being damaged any further.
Which?’s advice to anyone looking to book a future holiday is to book with a provider that can be trusted to refund their money promptly if they can’t travel, and to consider booking a package over a flight-only booking, to ensure they have greater legal protections if they cannot travel because of coronavirus.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“Since Which? first highlighted the issue of holiday companies delaying or denying refunds for holidays cancelled due to coronavirus, some operators have continued to flout the law and the sums of money being illegally withheld from holidaymakers are staggering.
“It’s simply unacceptable that some of the UK’s largest operators are still getting away with breaking the law, but without meaningful intervention from the government and the regulators in this space, many people will struggle to get their money back.
“The CMA must take firm action against any operators that are continuing to drag their feet on refunding holidaymakers, and the government must urgently set out how it will support travel companies in fulfilling their legal obligations to passengers.”
2021 holidays – the tour operators and travel agents Which? recommends:
HOLIDAYMAKERS IN EDINBURGH OWED NEARLY £8 MILLION IN WITHELD REFUNDS
LOCAL MSP SAYS REGULATOR MUST DO MORE TO SUPPORT CUSTOMERS
SNP MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands has demanded action after the latest estimations from Which? suggested people in Edinburgh could be owed £7,858,609 in withheld refunds for cancelled trips.
Customers across the UK are waiting on more than £1 billion in refunds according to the results of the survey of more than 7,500 people who had a package holiday cancelled as a result of the pandemic.
Expressed a proportion of population, the findings of the survey suggest that holidaymakers in Edinburgh could be owed nearly £8 million.
Holiday companies are required to refund money within 14 days but the huge number of cancellations has left many of firms overwhelmed. 21% of those surveyed who requested a refund in March were still waiting at the beginning of October.
The research also found that the average cost of a cancelled holiday was £1,784.
During the summer, the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into package travel companies’ handling of cancellations and refunds.
Commenting on the figures, local SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “For many people, this saga has rumbled on for far too long – it’s time for the UK government and the market regulator to get a hold of this situation.
“Times are tough financially for many local families, and while I appreciate holiday companies were inundated with refund requests earlier in the year, we are now in November.
“We aren’t talking about spare change here – the average cost of a cancelled holiday was £1,784 according to this survey.
“While we all recognise the travel industry’s acute financial difficulties, there can be no excuse for them hoarding the hard-earned cash of their hard-pressed customers.
“As a matter of urgency, the UK government needs to set out how travel companies will be supported financially to fulfil their legal obligations to passengers – and take firm action against those who continue to drag their feet.
“I would urge anyone in Edinburgh Pentlands who is still waiting on a refund from March to get in touch with my office – I will offer any support I can to make sure you get your money back.”
The UK holiday destination swaps that will save you hundreds
UK holidaymakers can save hundreds of pounds on hotel costs over the course of a holiday by swapping their location for similar destinations just a few miles away, Which? Travel has found.
With international travel restrictions in place around the world and the UK government warning against travel to a growing number of popular holiday destinations across Europe, many UK holidaymakers are continuing to book staycations to see out the end of the summer.
Which? Travel compared the average hotel room rates in towns in 10 of the UK’s most popular destinations, including Cornwall and the Cotswolds, before comparing these to other similar nearby resorts, to see how much people could save on their holiday by travelling just a few miles further.
The biggest saving was in Devon. An average of £59 a night could be saved by swapping one coastal destination for another just 20 miles away. The average cost of a hotel room in Salcombe was £209 a night. However, further down the coast in Dartmouth, holidaymakers could slash hotel costs by nearly 30 per cent, with a hotel room costing on average £150 a night. Over the course of a week, this works out as a saving of over £400.
Dartmouth received the second highest ranking in Which?’s recent survey of seaside towns and villages, achieving a customer score of 84 per cent and scoring highly for its scenery and tourist attractions. It also out-ranked Salcombe, which received a score of 71 per cent.
The shortest distance that Which? found people would have to travel to make a saving was just three miles – from Saundersfoot to Tenby. While a night in Saundersfoot could set you back an average of £155, a room just three miles south in Tenby costs an average of £112, saving £43 a night, or £301 over the course of a week. Tenby also fared well in Which?’s seaside survey, receiving a customer score of 79 per cent, while Saundersfoot received 71 per cent.
Some swaps meant travelling a bit further to make a saving. For example, holidaymakers looking for a Scottish city break could save an average of £25 a night if they travelled the 47 miles from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
Glasgow ranked highly in Which?’s recent survey of the UK’s best cities, scoring 82 per cent – just two percentage points behind Edinburgh (84%). It received excellent scores for culture, sights and attractions, as well as food and drink.
Additionally, with a return train ticket between the two cities costing less than £14 and the journey taking less than 90 minutes, the savings made by staying in Glasgow would cover the cost of a day trip to the capital with change to spare, meaning holidaymakers can enjoy the best of both cities.
Further savings could be made on a trip to the Cotswolds by staying in Gloucester rather than Cheltenham (average saving of £46 a night), a beach break in East Sussex by swapping Brighton for Eastbourne (average saving of £56 a night), and on a break in Somerset through booking in Wells instead of Bath (average saving of £53 a night).
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said:“These destination swaps aren’t just a chance to save money – travellers can expect to find fewer crowds and more space to breathe, with holidaymakers ranking many of the cheaper destinations as not only better value, but a better overall stay than their pricier and more popular counterparts.”
“As we come towards the end of a holiday season like no other, holidaymakers will be pleased to learn they can still squeeze the last out of the summer without sacrificing beautiful scenery or great attractions by just travelling a few extra miles along the road.”
A Cornish village with a population of less than 1,000 has triumphed over some of the nation’s most famous seaside resorts in Which?’s annual rankings of the UK’s best coastal destinations.
The survey – carried out before the coronavirus lockdown – shows British holidaymakers favour peace and quiet over crowds, crazy golf and roller coasters. It also highlights some of the lesser-known resorts savvy travellers can escape to if they want to avoid busy beaches, bars and restaurants this summer.
Which? asked thousands of holidaymakers to rate their recent visits to the UK seaside across a range of factors including food and drink, seafront, beach, value for money and peace and quiet.
St Mawes, in Cornwall, came top ahead of better-known beach destinations like Salcombe or St Ives – earning a full five stars for its scenery, seafront and peace and quiet – and a glowing overall customer score of 85 per cent.
Those who visited St Mawes recommended eating crab baguettes at Mr Scorse’s deli and spotting dolphins on the ferry to Falmouth, but admitted that avoiding peak season was the best way to dodge the crowds.
Dartmouth, arguably one of the most famous destinations in the Which? top 10, and home of Agatha Christie, scored 84 per cent. Those who visited drew attention to steam trains and delicious seafood, but advised using the park and ride service as finding a parking spot in town is “near impossible”.
With many people seeking to avoid already oversubscribed hotspots, particularly in Devon and Cornwall that may not be able to cope with the surge in people holidaying at home this year, Which? found that there are still lots of beautiful places which holidaymakers may not have considered.
Coastal Suffolk had two entries in the top five, with both Southwold (84%) and Aldeburgh (83%) scoring top marks for scenery and peace and quiet.
Holidaymakers highlighted the great food and drink on offer in Southwold – earning five stars in this category – as well as the deliberate lack of ‘kiss-me-quick’ gimmickry.
Aldeburgh was praised for its tranquillity, with one person telling Which?: “It’s not got the usual ‘seaside entertainments’”. Another described it as “far from the madding crowd of South East England.”
Bamburgh in Northumberland (83%), which topped last year’s rankings, has not fallen out of favour with visitors this year. It was rated a full five stars in almost every category.
One person summed up Bamburgh as “one of the UK’s top-secret locations,” adding that “Northumberland is outstandingly unspoilt and a UK treasure”.
St Andrews (81%), home of Scotland’s oldest university, also made it into the top 10, with a full five stars for food and drink, beautiful views and its attractions, including the world-renowned golf course.
Those who visited pointed to the West Sands beach, which extends for almost two miles and was made famous in the opening scene of the film Chariots of Fire. Visitors looking for peace and quiet were advised to check term times before travel, as the town is much livelier when the students are around.
For a more easy-going Scottish seaside destination, Oban (74%) could be a better option.
It is best known as the ‘Gateway to the Isles’, thanks to its role as a hub for tourists departing to the islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides, but this seaside town has enough to charm to warrant being a holiday spot of its own and also gets top marks for stunning scenery.
In Wales, St Davids (81%), Llandudno (80%), Tenby (79%) and Conwy (78%) all scored highly, with many destinations in Wales getting high ratings for scenery and value for money.
Which? found that crowds can easily be avoided by missing better-known destinations by heading a little further up the coast. For example, instead of Llandudno and Conwy, fewer people will know Criccieth which achieved a respectable 74 per cent customer score. This town was also received a full five-star rating for its stunning views, and being a bit further afield will also mean that hotel rooms are a little cheaper.
Also in the Which? top 10, but may be often overlooked by holidaymakers is Tynemouth (81%), eight miles east-northeast of Newcastle upon Tyne. This coastal town was awarded five-star ratings almost across the board, including for its sandy beach which is popular with walkers and is a nationally recognised watersports hub.
Meanwhile Skegness, the famous home of the original Butlins, only managed a 44 per cent customer score. It achieved one-star ratings in each category, apart from the three stars for its beach.
While some of those who spoke to Which? were scathing in their comments, going as far as to say the Lincolnshire town was “to be avoided,” nature lovers highlighted the seal sanctuary and bird watching at the Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve.
There were also those who spoke fondly of a “typical town that caters for all ages” and one visitor who told Which?: “Don’t be put off by the stereotypical opinions of Skegness. It’s a well maintained, vibrant area.”
Further down the table were other iconic seaside resorts complete with Victorian-era piers, amusement arcades and roller coasters, including Great Yarmouth (48%), Clacton-on-sea (48%), Bognor Regis (49%) and Blackpool (53%).
Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor said:“With many people choosing to holiday in the UK this summer it is a good time to explore parts of the country you may not have considered before and to spread our sandcastles beyond the beaches of Devon and Cornwall. As our survey shows, it’s smaller seaside towns and villages with fewer visitors that holidaymakers love.
“Whether that’s hitting the waves in Tynemouth or camping in Criccieth, there are good options for those of us keen to keep our distance from the crowds this year but still want to combine stunning scenery with sumptuous seafood. Don’t forget, if you book your hotel or accommodation direct and over the phone, you may even get a discount or free bottle of bubbly thrown in.”
Customers of major holiday firms could be left out of pocket by thousands of pounds if told not to travel by the NHS ‘test and track’ service, according to new Which? research.
Which? has reported some of Britain’s biggest holiday lettings companies to the competition regulator after an investigation by the consumer champion raised concerns that they could be using unfair contract terms to deny customers refunds for coronavirus cancellations.
Frustrated customers of companies including Sykes Holiday Cottages and Hoseasons have complained to Which? about problems in securing a refund for holidays cancelled as a result of the UK lockdown.
Some have complained about terms and conditions that make the refund claims process difficult, if not impossible. Others describe being unable to contact the company they booked through or being passed between the company and property owner as neither accepts responsibility.
Which? checked the terms and conditions of five of the UK’s biggest holiday letting companies – Sykes Holiday Cottages, Holidaycottages.co.uk, Hoseasons, Cottages.com and English Country Cottages – to understand consumers’ entitlement to a refund for cancellations under these circumstances, and found terms that could potentially be challenged as unfair under the Consumer Rights Act.
In four of the five companies’ contracts, the terms set out how owners of properties rented through the sites are allowed to cancel the holiday if circumstances outside of their control prevent them from being able to provide the property, but do not explain what the consumer’s right to a refund would be in these circumstances.
Which? is concerned that if the right to a refund isn’t provided by additional terms between the property owner and the customer this term gives property owners too much leeway to keep a customer’s money if a booking is cancelled – making it potentially unfair according to the law. The Holidaycottages.co.uk contract was the only one to not contain this potentially unfair cancellation clause.
Hoseasons, Cottages.com and English Country Cottages also tell customers that bookings are subject to the additional terms and conditions of the property owner and that these are “available from the suppliers if you ask”.
While the booking terms say other information may be provided to the consumer during the booking process, if this doesn’t include these additional terms and they are only available on request, Which? believes this could also potentially be challenged as legally unfair.
Jessica Tappin has been waiting for over a month for a full refund from Sykes Holiday Cottages, after receiving a partial refund and being told the remaining balance would be credited to her account.
When she still had not received the outstanding sum and heard of other customers getting full refunds, she tried sending a letter from a solicitor – but she told Which? that she has still not received the remaining payment.
Adam Kemp is also waiting for a refund from Hoseasons, who told him he cannot claim a refund without cancellation insurance, despite not cancelling the holiday himself. The company sent him a voucher for the value of the holiday instead.
Adam told Which? that Hoseasons pointed him to its terms and conditions about compensation in the event of circumstances beyond its control, which state that the company doesn’t cover additional losses. But Hoseasons did not point to any terms around refunds for cancellations made by the owner of the property.
Which? has reported its findings with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which this week launched an investigation into unfair terms and bad practice in the UK holiday lettings sector.
Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “With the coronavirus outbreak wreaking havoc on holiday plans, it’s extremely concerning to hear of so many people being refused refunds from some of the UK’s biggest players in the holiday lettings market.
“The CMA must investigate, and where terms are unfair, take action to ensure that companies act fairly so that holidaymakers are not left out of pocket for their cancelled holidays.”
Which? is warning urgent action is needed to protect consumers who face losing large sums of money amid a breakdown of the system of travel protections.
The consumer champion has been inundated with messages and requests for help from people who face losing large sums – with some airlines and package travel providers refusing to meet their legal obligations to issue refunds for cancelled flights and holidays.
While Which? supports the government exploring options to help the travel industry, it is demanding that the crisis not be used as an excuse to undermine consumer protections. Reports of some package providers refusing refunds running into thousands of pounds in expectation of changes to the law are unacceptable.
Which? has heard from a family who were meant to be travelling to a wedding in Italy and whose flights have not been cancelled, despite Foreign Office (FCO) guidance against going to the country hardest hit by the virus.
Instead, the airline is offering to switch their flights to more expensive ones in the future. In some cases this can cost as much as £100 more per person.
The consumer champion has also been contacted by unhappy airline customers who are being offered vouchers instead of being refunded, with many complaining that they have received no clear guidance from their airline about what the next steps will be.
All flights on EU carriers in or into the EU and all flights leaving from an EU airport are protected by the EU’s Denied Boarding Regulation, which requires refunds or rerouting when flights are cancelled.
People have also been in touch reporting that their travel agents are refusing to offer refunds for cancelled holidays, despite travel regulations. Dozens of holidaymakers due to travel to France in the coming weeks have told Which? that their travel agent is refusing to issue a refund.
One customer was refused a refund for his holiday with a well-known beach holiday specialist. The customer faces losing £2,300 and the only options being offered are a credit note or rebooking. And, that if he decided to cancel instead, he would have to try to claim on his travel insurance.
The law says you are entitled to a full refund if your package holiday is cancelled because of extraordinary circumstances at the destination – so you do not have to accept a credit note.
Faced with these difficulties, many people are finding themselves pushed from pillar to post between airlines, tour operators and insurance companies – whose policies are not set up for providers failing to fulfill their duties in this way.
Which? has also heard from holidaymakers who have fallen foul of little-known exclusions in insurance policies – meaning they were not covered for cancelling an upcoming trip, even after the FCO advised against travel to their destination.
Many more people are concerned that they will be uninsured for upcoming trips booked well before the coronavirus outbreak as insurers make sudden changes to their policy terms and conditions.
Taken together, these issues represent a serious breakdown of the current system of travel protections, which is vital to ensuring millions of consumers have the confidence to book expensive holidays and flights abroad.
Urgent action is needed to protect consumers amid the crisis in the travel industry. It is vital that any emergency measures under discussion, such as credit notes replacing refunds for package holidays, include strong guarantees or protections so consumers know they are not at risk of losing their money if a travel firm fails.
And while consumers with holidays booked under the current regulations may choose to accept a credit note, their right to claim a refund must not be taken away retrospectively by any changes to the law. The hard-earned money of thousands of holidaymakers – who may be facing difficulty themselves – must not be used as a backdoor bailout of the travel industry, when direct government support is being used in other sectors.
While the current uncertainty continues, airlines must respond swiftly to this fast-moving situation by informing passengers about what is happening with future flights, and show flexibility with rebooking options if a flight has not been cancelled.
Insurers must also heed last week’s warning from the FCA about treating customers fairly and work with the government and travel industry on solutions to tackle the coronavirus crisis, as the public must have confidence that they will be covered when they travel.
Rory Boland, Which? Travel Editor, said: “We’ve heard from hundreds of people who face losing large sums of money because their travel plans have been left in tatters or they have been abandoned abroad and face extortionate bills to get home.
“It’s vital that the government, insurers and the travel sector work together to tackle the huge challenge posed by coronavirus, as the travel industry depends on people having confidence that they will be protected in times of crisis.”
Which? is a non-profit organisation working to make life simpler, fairer and safer for consumers. During the coronavirus crisis, Which? is making a range of news, advice and guides available for free for anyone who needs it at https://www.which.co.uk/news/coronavirus
