As things start to bite, the Royal York & Faulkner Hotel is now up for sale, will its sale affect your trade?

The service industry is always more prominent in visitor locations and Sidmouth sits firmly in that category, so when somewhere that forms the very core of what this seaside town is, with its beautiful and traditional architecture is put up for sale, alarm bells will certainly ring within the industry. If it is sold to the right company it could ultimately enhance the town, but with so much uncertainty we wait with bated breath to see who picks up the reins.

I noticed on social media this week someone commenting on the sale which was a high profile story in this paper, saying 'oh dear, old news, the Sidmouth Herald used to be such a good paper', yet in general a newspaper can only report the current news, made very obvious by the television, and sadly if the news is not very good, because there’s a war on in Ukraine or cost of living crisis is affecting many people in a way not before heard of in peacetime, then the chances are that’s what’s going to be reported and discussed.

The Royal York & Faulkner will no doubt not be the only casualty of the current situation if such a title can be applied, but we cannot sit around with a 'woe is me' attitude. Two years ago we were just trying to stay alive! Sadly the world does not owe us a living and if you want it, you have to go and get it, it’s just a lot tougher at the moment to get it, which should encourage inspired decisions and innovation, not doom and gloom. If your business is struggling to keep afloat there are plenty of options available to you and if your business has been affected by the imminent sale of the Royal York and Faulkner Hotel, perhaps I should ask the question again in a year's time.