2020 has been described as the year of the “Great British summer staycation”.
Right across the country, Brits are choosing to explore what’s right on their doorstep this year, in favour of jetting off for holidays overseas.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic may have brought with it a lot of doom and gloom – especially as flights have been grounded, holidays cancelled and stricter quarantine measures introduced – but it’s certainly gifted us with the unique opportunity to get out and see the beauty that our country has on offer, right?
Now, in order to help Brits decide on where next to pitch up this summer, HomeToGo – the world’s largest holiday rental search engine – has researched the UK’s Best Outdoor Destinations aimed at “cooped-up holidaymakers dreaming of spending some time out in nature”.
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If you’re looking to get some fresh air and explore the most scenic areas of the country this summer, then the top 14 destinations in the UK have now been carefully selected and revealed.
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HomeToGo’s data and insights on 14 of the most searched National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in the UK is based on the following factors:
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Affordability – Average nightly price of a holiday home.
Availability – Booking rates for August and September 2020.
Weather – Average daily hours of sunshine for the month of August.
Walking Trails – Number of walking trails nearby.
Met Office climate data was used to calculate the average hours of sunshine for the month of August, HomeToGo used its own metasearch data to forecast the average price and booking rate for places to stay in each area, crowd-sourced data was collected from a leading trail map and navigation website for walking trail information, and then each of the factors were weighted and given a score out of 10.
So, what are the Top 5 Best Outdoor Destinations in the UK for 2020 then?
Best Place for Sun-Seekers? Dorset – Average days with rain 7.5, average daily sun.
Most Affordable Staycation? Suffolk – Average accommodation £116.48 per night.
Best for Last-minute Travellers? Peak District – Forecasted Availability 66%.
Best Spot for Active Travellers? Lake District – Over 380 walking trails.
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Other interesting survey findings showed that since the beginning of June, over 60% of all domestic UK holiday bookings have been for trips within 300 miles from the origin, and more than 78% of bookings over July and August are in listings in rural areas, such as the Lake District or North Yorkshire.
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Speaking on the survey findings, Mike Pearce – a spokesperson for HomeToGo – said: “We’re seeing an increase in demand for countryside getaways as more individuals and families are trying to make the most of their summer holidays,”
“We hope everyone has a chance to find a little more space this summer and spend some time outdoors, safely and responsibly”.
Want to check out the rest of the top 14 destinations? Head on over to the HomeTGo website here.
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Home Bargains has announced a special two-day closure of all UK stores
Emily Sergeant
Home Bargains has, once again, announced it’ll be closing all its UK stores on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day this year.
And it’s to make sure staff get a ‘well deserved break’.
After what has been yet another busy year for the retail industry, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off, which is why Home Bargains is following on with what has become a now-annual tradition by shutting up shop on two bank holidays.
All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day & New Years Day.
Announcing the move in a post on social media, the discount retailer confirmed: “All of our stores will be closing for Boxing Day and New Years Day. We would like to thank all our colleagues for how hard you have worked this past year, and want you to relax and enjoy the Christmas break with your loved ones.”
Of course, this isn’t the first time the retailer has kept its doors shut on bank holidays.
Many shoppers will recall it has made the same decision to give hardworking staff a break every year since 2019.
Explaining a little more about the decision taken to close all its stores, Home Bargains said: “As a family-run business, we know the importance of being together at Christmas with those we care about most, now more than ever.
“This is our way of saying thank you to our colleagues for their continued hard work and dedication.”
Featured Image – Geograph
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Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week
Emily Sergeant
Who says breakfast has to end at 11am?
In news that’s set to be music to the ears of breakfast lovers in Manchester, Greggs is giving them exactly what they want.
We all know that brunch is a ‘thing’ by now, so now it’s time for brinner to make a name for itself instead, as Greggs has teamed up with Heinz to bring its much-loved breakfast menu back for tea time, kicking off from 4pm onwards.
The move comes as a new survey has found that the majority of Mancs (69%) admit to enjoying eating breakfast food in the evening, saying it’s ‘convenient and comforting’ – even ranking breakfast as a ‘more important’ meal than tea, as well (38% vs 36%).
Two Greggs in Manchester will be serving their breakfast menu in the evening next week / Credit: Greggs (Supplied)
Greggs says it has ‘lost count’ of the amount of customers that have tried to order breakfast items after the usual cut-off time, especially in Greater Manchester.
But luckily for those breakfast-loving Mancs, they can finally get their favourite breakfast and sauce pairing long after the morning rush is over next… but only at two Greggs branches, and only for a very limited time.
On Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 October, the Heinz x Greggs Brinner collab will be available at Greggs St Mary’s Gate and Greggs Oxford Road, from 4-7pm only.
“We’ve lost count of the number of customers who have tried their luck ordering breakfast after 11am, so when Heinz came to us with the idea of making Brinner a reality, it felt like the perfect excuse to give the people what they want,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Customer Director at Greggs.
“And let’s be honest, a Greggs Bacon Roll just wouldn’t be the same without a squeeze of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th July 2020 
