Great news! We're re-opening!

Great news!  We’re reopening in time for the summer! Bookings are getting confirmed and we look forward to everyone - old and new - staying with us.

There will be a few changes due to Government directives, but we’re confident these won't spoil people's stay. Indeed, most of Ilkley is getting back to normal with many shops fully open and pubs, tea-tooms and restaurants re-opening in early July. Trains and buses are running.

Go to:
your log-in page for the latest information (if you have a booking with us)
Ilkley Chat for what's happening locally
What you can do from 4th July for Government guidance

We need to ensure everyone is safe. We will be working to the new official Visit Britain Coronavirus acreditation scheme "Good to Go".  We will be writing to everyone booked but, based on our thorough risk assessments, we know that:-

• We will be Good to Go acredited by Visit Britain before we re-open. This is the official UK mark to signal that a hospitality business has worked hard to follow Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines and has a process in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing. To comply means we need more time on changeover days, so check-in time is now slightly later.
• Government guidance about who can stay, and social distancing rules must be followed by guests.
• Shared facilities will be closed to comply with Government guidelines and to reduce risk. This means our hot tub, sauna, workout room and Wendy house and trampoline etc. are, unfortunately, not going to be available.
• If anyone becomes ill with possible COVID-19 symptoms during their stay you must follow NHS guidance and you let us know immediately, so we can discuss the implications and take appropriate action.

• On departure day, we will ask for your help with a few tasks to minimise risk for all. We will need you to strip the beds and place dirty linen and towels safely into our enclosed laundry bags. In the kitchen we ask that all crockery, glassware and cutlery is washed in the dishwasher and put away. We will need all rubbish carried out to the designated area and recycling split into the different bins. 
• Before you leave us, we will ask you a few quick questions about the health of your group, to check for any possible coronavirus risk.

​We're so pleased to be re-opening safely and really look forward to everyone staying with us.


Tim, Paula and the team at
Westwood Lodge Ilkley Moor
 

WE'RE RE-OPENING ON 4TH JULY!

The UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has confirmed that we can re-open on 4th July. We are studying the details and implications and will post more information as soon as we can.

Westwood Lodge Re-opening

We are constantly getting questions about our re-opening date and asking us to definitely confirm summer stays here. Everyone seems to assume that we have privileged information from the Government!  

In short, we don't yet know which hospitality businesses will be allowed to re-open or when

The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, made a statement in early May that hospitality businesses would start to be allowed to re-open from 4th July at the earliest. The date has not been confirmed since, but it's the one that everyone in the hospitality sector is working to.  We have met with our MP and explained how difficult it is to plan without guidance. He has written to the Tourism Minister as well as to the Cabinet Office. Our trade association, The Professional Association of Self-Caterers (PASCUK) has been lobbying several ministers, alongside other trade bodies and tourism groups. We had been told that a statement would be made yesterday (Thursday 18th June) but the day came and went. 

Current thinking suggests that some hospitality businesses will be allowed to reopen in England on Saturday 4th July. This is likely to only include places where there are no shared facilities. So, holiday cottages and apartments plus static caravans and possibly motorhome sites look set to get the go- ahead. Other activities such as camping in tents (including wild camping), camper vans, bed and breakfasts and hotels - anything with shared/ communal facilities - may not be allowed to re-open yet.
In the meantime, we are taking bookings on the basis that we will be allowed to re-open. We know that everyone else needs to plan their summers and we are getting ready behind the scenes ready to re-open.  We have carried out safety risk assessments on our business and have new detailed cleaning protocols and procedures "Good to Go" to ensure guest and staff safety.  If we are not allowed to re-open (because the number of new Covid-19 cases starts to rise) then we will give everyone who has booked a full refund of monies paid, or a transfer of funds to a stay later in the year.  

So, we can only reiterate, that we have active plans and preparations so that we can "go" and we will let you know about our re-opening just as soon as we know!

Kind regards


Tim and Paula

Westwood Lodge - What facilities will be closed when you re-open?

We regret that communal (shared) facilities will need to remain closed for the foreseeable future.  These include:- 

• The Cellars - hot tub, sauna, workout room, sun bed and changing rooms
• The Wee Shop 
• The Wendy House, garden games and trampoline 

We regret that non-residents cannot visit Westwood Lodge at the present time.

Each cottage has its own private garden and the apartments have a shared roof terrace where social distancing will work.

Ilkley Moor is open as are shops and take away services in Ilkley.  Trains and buses are running to a revised timetable.

Coronavirus - Latest update

Following the latest Government advice we plan to reopen "as normal" on Saturday 4th July. We will be writing to all guests about enhanced cleaning, which facilities will be open and precautions affecting your stay.

Many dates are getting reserved and you can book your summer/autumn stay with us with confidence. If Government directives prevented us from being open,  you would be refunded in full.

Until 4th July,  we can only offer accommodation to key workers and anyone else required to stay in Ilkley for essential reasons. Our accommodation is classed as “dwelling houses” which means each cottage/ apartment is completely self-contained (bathroom, kitchen, own washing machine/dryer, hot water system etc). 

Call 07841 697186 to book a stay between now and 4th July.

For the latest UK Government advice click here

For the Ilkley information click here

We will issue updated information here, as and when we have it. 

Tim Edwards

Westwood Lodge Ilkley Moor