Departures

Hornet's nest

IN Departures, 4 July, I wrote about how the self-catering company SFV Holidays peremptorily dealt with a complaint from Marjorie Stanley of Kenilworth, Warwickshire. Mr H C Velissarides of Woking, Surrey, has stoutly jumped to SFV's defence.

Mr Velissarides says that while the travel industry does a good job, 'there are individuals who find fault and, by taking advantage of the consumer-oriented and litigious environment (and an inclination to write to the press), take any opportunity to stir up a hornet's nest.

'How does one deal with the unreasonable individual who is either out to 'play the system' or whom nothing will satisfy?

'My own approach is based on a belief that a 'soft answer turneth away wrath' - however much one has to bite one's tongue in the process. I take issue with you on your uncritical view of the history of the complainant's position and your publishing the name of the company involved.

'Certainly, I would agree with you that the reply from the managing director was incautious (given the opportunity for subsequent wider circulation) but the poor man may already have been driven to distraction by the whingeing of the '63-year-old mild grandmother'. We all know some pretty tough grandmothers and I am married to one who is only 53 . . .'

In reply to Mr Velissarides, I would point out that I made no judgement on the rights and wrongs of Mrs Stanley's complaint. I merely commented on the tone of SFV's unnecessarily abrupt letter to her. We have invited SFV to put its side of the story.

Disney bookings

REPORTS of the death of Euro Disney are exaggerated. When I visited last week, the theme park was as full as I've ever seen Disney World in Florida. The Disney Santa Fe hotel where I stayed - now good value at its reduced rate of pounds 55 per room - is almost fully booked for the rest of July and August. The more expensive Hotel Cheyenne - pounds 75 per room per night - is also almost wholly sold out.

But things have not been so rosy since Euro Disney opened in April. Business may have improved, but service still leaves a lot to be desired. Check-in at the Santa Fe was chaotic, a meal at Annette's Diner in Festival Disney took almost 20 minutes to appear: hardly fast food.

Faced with the challenge of filling the park and its hotels during winter, the Euro Disney management will introduce dramatic price reductions. Next week the company is expected to announce substantial hotel price cuts, effective from November to March. If they are to generate off-season business during one of the worst post-war recessions, the discounts will have to be very generous.

Ferry tale

WHAT a transformation has overtaken P & O European Ferries' on-board catering. The Portsmouth-Le Havre service used to be the Greasy Spoon Express: chips with everything, shovelled up by ex-stokers for whom customer contact skills were clearly not a priority.

Now the Greasy Spoon has become a wholefood cafe: Cranks salads, and a selection of vegetarian dishes from spicy bean casserole with a baked potato to mushroom stroganoff with rice.

It is pleasing to report that the new-style cafeteria appears to be doing a roaring trade.