In the words of Slade - 'Its Christmas' - well very nearly!

Here at the Victoria Inn, Salcombe the tree's up, the decorations are up, the Christmas party bookings are up and hoorah we're off into the silly season......thank goodness it only comes once a year!! Having said that, after the atrocious weather we've had in Salcombe this last ten days or so, and the disastrous knock on effect that the weather has had on our trade, all and any bookings are more than welcome! The party season starts with a vengeance this weekend and continues through to the 23rd, anything from small gentle gatherings of eight right up to close on 50 ( a quite raucous bunch, but lovely! ) for one of the parties. This time last year we were too new to the area to a) have done any marketing and b) been able to build up a reputation for customers to want to visit us! So this year, my letters with menus went out in early October, our reputation gained throughout the year has stood us in good stead, et voila, plenty of bookings.

What is peculiar this year though, is that a couple of weeks ago we decided to withdraw our £55 per head gala Christmas Day and New Years Eve Dinners - they just were not selling! Yet, by November last year we had all deposits in and very few spaces to fill. This year? Nothing, zilch, very little interest at all. Credit crunch - yes, I really do believe so. Plenty of our customers (who incidentally, many come from 2nd holiday homes in our area) from that festive period last year have visited us through the year and all enjoyed the dinners last year, but this year many have said 'we're having a quiet time at home', or they 'won't be down until Boxing Day'. So how do our bookings over this period reflect that fact...?? Well, on an enhanced menu, but not to full Gala Dinner production on Christmas Eve we still have plenty of spaces and New Years Eve we only have 2 tables of two that remain unbooked. Odd - well you couldn't make it up could you!

However, our staff are very happy as they get Christmas Day off, (first time in 14 years for our Chef!) we WILL be open on Christmas Day lunchtime for just a couple of hours but other half Tim and I will man / woman the pumps, he then gets to cook me lunch and we all have a great day!

Christmas - bring it on........!!