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01cookjk


Posts: 141
Joined: Jan 2014
Last Visited: 09:09
6th Apr 2021
What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 12.15hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17
For many years now I have been 'Boycotting' Cairngorm Mountain. I am aware that many others, particually those that use this forum site have done the same in favour of the other ski areas.

The question is, is that the best policy. Lets look at the options:

A mass boycott of CML:

+ As skiers, we get a better skiing experience for our money
+ As customers, we are not supporting a business unworthy of our money
+ If we make it know that it is a boycott, not just a general dis-interest in Scottish skiing, there is a slim chance that NR will throw in the towel or start to make smart decisions.

- CML might just remove every single lift on the site due to the reduced demand and income, or further reduce uplift, or bullshit their way through the years, making a consistent loss and comming up with more fruitless ways to waste money
- The business's of Aviemore & Coylumbridge may suffer enough for an economic collapse in the town


Overwhelming CML by deciding to ski there:

+ This might show NR/CML that the demand and income is sufficient to grant new uplift and a focus of snow-sports
+ The amount of ques would go up, as would the amount of complaints, thus making our voices heard to CML/NR
+ The area might attract new grants

- As customers we might just waste our money with no positive response from CLM/NR
- As skiers, we might just incur further displeasure from sking days filled with long cues, high ski pass prices and a reduced ski area to enjoy
- As a business, CML/NR might just not give a shit.


So the question is, what is to be done? For the moment, Im sticking to the strike. I would recommend ski-related business's in Aviemore get the hell out of there and find new customers and pastures in Fort William or near glenshee!

Please weigh in. I'd like to hear your thoughts, rants etc!


alan


Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 17:02
27th Mar 2024
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Re: What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 14.50hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17
Overwhelming CML by deciding to ski there:

+ This might show NR/CML that the demand and income is sufficient to grant new uplift and a focus of snow-sports
+ The amount of ques would go up, as would the amount of complaints, thus making our voices heard to CML/NR
+ The area might attract new grants

- As customers we might just waste our money with no positive response from CLM/NR
- As skiers, we might just incur further displeasure from sking days filled with long cues, high ski pass prices and a reduced ski area to enjoy


Part of the two previous management regimes were happy to tell you on the one hand it would require a couple of 100k skier day seasons to invest in uplift, then on the other hand tell you there would never be a 100,000 skier day season again!! Explaining that the capacity wasn't there (CML worked hard on that aspect) and there wasn't the market demand in Scotland.

Roll on huge media coverage from the coldest UK winter since 62/63 in 09/10 and CairnGorm had a 145,000 skier day season and 2 of the next 3 years were over 100,000 skier days as well.

Far from seeing an improvement in uplift, as the queues mounted and the cash flowed in during February Half term 2010, resources were redirected not to managing the crowds, but pulling down the Fiacaill T-bar and gas axing the Aonach Poma.

One can draw their own conclusions about CML.

Boycotts damage the area with little to no chance of bringing CML down, HIE will constantly stand behind CairnGorm Mountain Ltd. Sadly with CairnGorm unfortunately still too widely regarded as Scottish Snowsports the shambles is beginning to damage the whole industry.

It has to be said though that on any given day where is best to go in Scotland will vary both by factors at the resorts and the ability / mix of abilities in a group planning a trip, thus there will still be days where CairnGorm is the clear choice of where to go for weather and snow, particularly for terrain that suits a wide range of abilities. However if that is the case on the weekend you might want to think twice!

For a lot of people though CairnGorm no longer offers what they are looking for, other areas have stepped up to the plate and are now more attractive. That is not a boycott, that is CMLs decisions coming home to roost. Unfortunately it seems though that CML alone are immune for the consequences of their actions and inactions.


Doug_Bryce


Posts: 1373
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 16.05hrs on Tue 8 Aug 17
A boycott simply adds conformation to the longer term plan of managed decline. Though I suspect the reduced uplift capacity is already self-restricting numbers?

Like it or not : Proximity to accommodation hub in Aviemore and a long season mean they have captive audience. Cairngorm can still be a fun place to ski : especially if you are lucky enough to get out midweek. But would you recommend anyone visit there on a busy weekend mid season ? Personally I would rather ski tour than stand in a queue.

The entire Scottish ski industry would benefit if Cairngorm was restored to it's former pre-2001 glory...

[www.haggistrap.co.uk]
cmorrison


Posts: 1121
Joined: Sep 2007
Last Visited: 10:36
21st Apr 2021
Re: What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 14.49hrs on Thu 17 Aug 17
I agree, a boycott will just add to the "skiing in Scotland is dead" mantra.

What about a day of protest. On the Saturday of the February holidays get as many people to drive up first thing in the morning and just sit in their cars in the Cas car park ensuring any punter has to be bussed from the Ciste car park.


tim1mw


Posts: 700
Joined: Nov 2006
Re: What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 10.50hrs on Tue 22 Aug 17
I never go to CG on a weekend and my last trip was 2011, I haven't bothered to stop by since then even though I could have. I tend to drive straight through from Braemar to Fort William or Glencoe.

I don't think a boycott will help, as others have stated this will make things worse by taking even more money away from the maintenance of uplift. I think the approach needs to be more marketing oriented. A protest which gets into the news is a good idea, although since the car park is technically private property you might get moved on by CG staff rather rapidly if a deliberate blocking operation was undertaken, so setting up banners on the approach road might be a better bet. That also avoids alienating the people who just want a nice days skiing without getting involved in the politics.

As has been stated, many people see Scottish skiing as CG and nowhere else, what is needed to try and rob CG of it's now undeserved flagship status in the minds of the wider skiing public. Their are many examples of voluntary support organisations which promote organisations which are effectively commercial enterprises because they care about the facility that company provides. eg the "Friends of the Settle and Carlisle Railway" might be a good model, they successfully campaigned to stop the closure of the route in the 80's and have continued to work hard to promote the line, even though they do not gain directly themselves. Is it time to form "Friends of Glenshee/Glencoe/The Lecht/Nevis" groups, with the express intention of raising the promoting the other 4 areas, with "Save the Ciste" continuing as an "associated" effort aimed at preventing closures on Cairngorm? Perhaps by raising the profile of the other areas and the positive work being done at them CG can finally be stung into action in order to avoid loosing their "flagship" status. These groups could fund stands at the London ski show (the English regional ones all seem to have died, is their still a Scottish one) and other marketing efforts. I'd happily donate a day of my time to sit on a stand if the money could be collectively raised to pay for it.
growwild


Posts: 3550
Joined: Oct 2005
Re: What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 00.31hrs on Sat 26 Aug 17
Faslane peace camp has been there for as long as I mind and they've been on the news plenty of times, yet - live die repeat.. It's up tae the other resorts tae rob cairngorms of the flagship status, Nevis is probably the only one that maybe could..

A few posh folk fae here boycotting the place aint gonna do feck all to in the grand scheme of things.. Ya gotta get creative.

Yous should aw chip some of yer inheritance money, sell a few acres etc and send up busloads of youths fae the central belt every Saturday n Sunday for a season.. Start planning it now and I'm sure the government would fund most it anyway, and this would gives yous time to get the schools involved so aw the loonies are handpicked for yas!

It'd put a dent in the place and some money in for a season.

Gogsyboy


Posts: 33
Joined: Jan 2008
Last Visited: 11:11
4th May 2019
Re: What's best for Cairngorm? A boycott or an increase in customers
Date Posted: 09.42hrs on Sat 26 Aug 17
Alan, any reason why Winter Highland can't boycott Cairngorm? Remove webcams, don't report on conditions etc. Without your efforts to provide accurate reporting of conditions, their lies would be further exposed. Why should you be spending time and money on them, when they obviously don't give a shit?
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