In the bustling world of the self-catering industry, few tales resonate as powerfully as that of The Gardeners Cottage. This month, we’re spotlighting the story of Andy and Avril, and their three-decade-long journey in helping to create a self-catering and tourist accommodation providers community that thrives on collaboration and mutual growth.
The Strength of Community
Since their first foray into self-catering in 1993, Andy and Avril have witnessed first-hand the transformative power of community. “In the early days, we got a group of people together (B&B and self-caterers) around the Loch Lomond area to promote ourselves online,” Andy recalls. Their collective endeavour led to the creation of a website; ‘Stay at Loch Lomond’, a pioneering effort in bringing a local community of self-caterers and B&Bs to the global platform of the internet. For 13 years, they were involved in nurturing this community, growing it to an impressive 50-60 members.
Rallying Together for Tourism
The tourism sector is an energetic landscape where change is the only constant. Andy and Avril’s initiative wasn’t just about building an online presence. It was about creating a movement where local tourism businesses rallied together, pooling resources and sharing insights. Working alongside peers allowed them to navigate the challenges and make the most of the opportunities. Their story underscores why rallying around the tourism sector as a unified force is vital.
The Gardeners Cottages: A Legacy of Growth and Friendship
From purchasing a basic property upon retirement to now managing three cottages, the journey of The Gardeners Cottage is a testament to Andy and Avril’s passion for the industry. While they’ve seen the digital transformation of tourism accommodation providers from its infancy, they’ve never lost sight of the human connections. “Keeping up with online advancements keeps our minds young,” says Andy. The couple also cherishes the lifelong friendships they’ve forged. “We’ve made a lot of great friends over the years.”
SuperControl: A Helping Hand
SuperControl stands shoulder-to-shoulder with industry torchbearers like Andy and Avril. Our commitment to championing community is unwavering. By working closely with tourism groups and trade associations, we endeavour to provide our clients with tools and resources that boost their business. For Andy, SuperControl’s intuitive features have made a significant difference: “All this background stuff… the overheads, these are all summarised automatically on SuperControl. By simply putting in a search, I can have the answer in seconds. That’s great.”
As we celebrate The Gardeners Cottages and their 30 years in the industry, their story reminds us of the timeless value of community, collaboration, and friendship. Here’s to many more years of success, innovation, and heartfelt connections.
