The Eden Project is working in partnership with the Youth Hostel Association and Snoozebox to create a Youth Hostel on the Eden site. The YHA sees the proposed new facility at Eden as a direct replacement for their Youth Hostel at Golant, near Fowey, which is due to close at the end of next month (May 2014). An application has been submitted to Cornwall Council to establish the 58-room hostel on Strawberry Car Park within the Eden site and the hope is that it could be operational this summer.
Caroline White, YHA’s Chief Executive, said:
“We are so delighted to work with the Eden Project. It is such an iconic place and for YHA to be able to provide first-class accommodation there is really exciting. We can’t wait to start inviting guests to stay with us.”
David Harland, Joint Executive Director of the
Eden Project, said:
“As educational charities, YHA and Eden are natural partners in this venture to provide affordable accommodation. The overall aim is to deliver an inspirational Youth Hostel, enhancing both organisations’ reputations as leaders in the engagement and education of young people from all backgrounds.”
The application is for two years while
Eden looks at various accommodation options on the wider site including Little Carne Farm which was purchased last year.
The proposal is that the
YHA core business will be made up of school groups taking part in educational experiences developed and delivered in partnership by the association and the
Eden Project. The Youth Hostel would also be used by a large number of families during traditional school holidays and at weekends.
At Golant last year the YHA had 11,500 overnight stays or 5,750 people, the majority being school children visiting Eden. With the imminent closure of Golant YHA the Eden Project was an obvious location for a replacement hostel.
A code of conduct would be provided to all guests on arrival to advise them of the nature of the location and to cover aspects of behaviour such as limiting noise at night. This would reduce any disturbance to other residents within the hostel and would promote responsible behaviour on leaving or returning.
The YHA currently operates 138 Youth Hostels in both urban and rural locations. Last year, more than 400,000 under 26-year-olds stayed with them. The YHA has a strong track record of good relations with neighbours, police and local authorities. They are proud of this aspect of their work and expect this to extend to the proposed Eden Youth Hostel.
