Vivastreet blog

UK HOLIDAY HOME RENTAL ENQUIRIES ROSE SHARPLY LAST YEAR — AND SKYROCKET AHEAD OF EASTER

• Number of enquiries for caravans and motorhomes also shoots up

London, 21st March 2010 – Despite our exit from recession and the awful weather experienced so far this year, new research from free classifieds website, VivaStreet.co.uk, has shown that credit-crunched Brits are continuing to look close to home for their holidays – with holiday home rentals, caravan and campervan rental enquires all at record levels.

In the lead-up to Easter, VivaStreet has seen an 87% increase in enquiries for holiday homes in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same quarter in 2009. February and March also saw holiday home enquires up by 110% compared to the previous two months.

The number of enquiries for caravans for sale has shot up

UK holiday rentals were all the rage in 2009, after cash-strapped families chose to stay home for their family holidays rather then head off to popular short-haul destinations such as Spain and the Med. As a result, VivaStreet saw enquires for holiday rentals surge by 65% last year compared to 2008.

Unsurprisingly, more and more UK holiday homes are being made available to meet this soaring demand, with the number of holiday rentals advertised on VivaStreet last year increasing by 67% compared to the previous year.

The weak pound and the continuing impact of the recession on household finances mean that foreign travel is still out of reach for many. It is, however, terrific news for the UK tourism industry.

Alongside the surge in interest for holiday rentals, the number of enquiries for motorhomes, campervans and caravans for sale has shot up, too, with VivaStreet seeing the number of enquiries double in the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

In 2009, the number of enquiries for campervans, caravans and motorhomes for sale on VivaStreet increased by 114% compared to 2008.

And again, people have been quick to meet this demand: the number of caravans and motorhomes for sale on the site soared by an astonishing 239% in 2009 compared to 2008.

Yannick Pons, VivaStreet.co.uk CEO, comments:

“The traditional British holiday made a major comeback last year, thanks to tightened purse strings around the country. Government statistics also show that holiday visits abroad by UK residents dropped by 16% in 2009.

“Our research suggests that this Easter will see even more interest in domestic holidays, which might not be great news for the beleaguered airline industry but will delight the UK’s tourism hotspots.

“And despite disdain for caravans from the likes of Top Gear, it seems interest in caravanning and motorhomes has never been higher. The canny British public are clearly keeping their eyes open for ways to go on holiday without the expense of airline tickets and hotels.”

New research has revealed that the British public’s interest in astrology, psychics and spirituality has shot through the roof over the past 12 months, as witnessed by the success of TV shows like Most Haunted and Ghost Towns.

Free classifieds website, VivaStreet.co.uk, saw a massive surge in enquiries across the UK last year for astrology readings, mediums and psychics – up an astounding 438% on 2008.

In the past couple of months, this interest in the paranormal has become even more pronounced: enquiries for psychic and spiritual services in January and February were up 39% compared to the previous two months and double that of the same period in 2009.

Unsurprisingly, more and more psychics and clairvoyants are advertising to meet this soaring demand, as well as people offering Reiki healing and Tarot reading: the number of such ads posted on VivaStreet.co.uk last year jumped by 169% from 2008.

These days, readings and meetings aren’t just carried out face-to-face and over the phone but even online through, for example, Skype and other instant messaging technologies.

Bristol-based psychic, Aleksandra Lech, is witnessing the rise in enquiries first hand.

“Interest in astrology readings, tarot and spiritual guidance generally is definitely on the rise,” she says, “and I have no doubt that the difficult economic conditions are one of the main reasons for this. Many people feel insecure at the moment and are looking for new ways to cope with this and to find out what the future has in store for them.”

Yannick Pons, VivaStreet.co.uk CEO, comments:

“Back in Victorian Britain, interest in psychics and paranormal phenomena was widespread. Packed crowds would watch the stage shows of mediums and spiritualists and even celebrities of the time, such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, became involved.

“The modern popularity of psychics like Derek Acorah and the increasing number of TV programmes dedicated to the paranormal demonstrate that the Brits of today are not so different from their Victorian ancestors.

“Our research suggests that belief in the paranormal isn’t that unusual any more, especially as people hit by the recession look for answers and a way of coping with their financial woes. Church attendances may be in decline, but public interest in spirituality is apparently very much on the rise.”

Colon massage courses, a prehistoric hand axe, dead butterflies, a Gloucester Old Spot pig you can adopt (and then slaughter), a human scarecrow and a topless cleaner are six of the best — well certainly most bizarre — ads this month on free classifieds website, Vivastreet.co.uk.

It’s not our first choice of course to enrol on, but if you’ve ever wanted to massage a stranger’s colon and relieve their ‘sluggish circulation’ then you’ll be keen to hear about a series of courses running in Cardiff in our classes section. The Colon Massage Accredited Course is ‘predominantly practical-based’ so you can get stuck straight in. So to speak.

If you’re planning on cutting down a tree in your back garden this weekend, but haven’t got a Homebase or B&Q nearby (God forbid), for £6 you can purchase this prehistoric hand axe dating back to ‘circa 50,000 BC’ in our memorabilia and collectables section. And who knows? Once that old oak is down and cut up into logs maybe you could sell the axe to the British Museum for several grand?

We’re not telling porkies when we say you can adopt a Gloucester Old Spot pig for as little as £35 per month, receive updates and pretty pictures of the beast and then, six months down the line, ‘take delivery of your pig either butchered or whole’. If you’re planning a pig roast in the summer, then this is perfect for you. And if pork isn’t your food of choice, there’s plenty more nosh in our food and wine section.

If you’re a lover of Lepidoptera — flying insects to you and me — then look no further. On the memorabilia section of Vivastreet.co.uk, you can buy a gorgeous Orange Tip butterfly for a pound (it’s dead, btw). All you need now is a pin and a small glass case.  And a life.

Love working in the fresh air, live in Kent and looking to earn some extra lolly? Then why not apply for the position of ‘bird scarer’ in our jobs section. It’s an early start but then it has to be if you’re going to ensure that the early bird doesn’t get the worm — well, prize marrow!

Top rates of pay in Leeds are promised if you’re, errr, prepared to take off your top while doing the dishes, ironing and bleaching the loo. The gentleman in question, ‘ClassyBloke’ (real class), wants a topless cleaner, although stipulates that he prefers busty ladies. Has the man no shame?

— Ends —

The latest unemployment figures have just been published and they show that the number of people out of work has dropped for the second consecutive month. However, when you actually look at the figures, we are talking by a very small amount. More illuminating are the stats on the number of people who are working in temporary employment. The part-time job market has exploded over the past year as more and more people turn to part-time work while they wait for a full-time position to become available. The Office of National Statistics report shows that there are almost 1.5 million people in temporary employment and that 34.6% of people working on a temporary basis, said they had looked for full-time work with no success, and were working on a temporary basis until the job market improved.

We know how tough it is out there at the moment for the all those people out of work, but don’t give up, there are definitely jobs out there which could match your skills. VivaStreet.co.uk has seen the number of new full-time jobs posted on the site increase threefold in the past six months and that’s positive news for those of you out there actively looking for work.

We currently have a huge variety of jobs on the site, both full-time (2,624 new jobs) and part-time positions, from childcare and nanny jobs to marketing and accountancy jobs.

And for those of you specifically looking for part-time positions, we have 7,151 new part-time jobs currently posted on the website.

Finally, don’t forget you can post your CV on the website for free and create alerts so that you’re the first to hear whenever a hot new job is posted on the website.

Good luck!

Well it’s that time of the year again, where hearts are fluttering and mens’ brows are perspiring!! Yes, Valentine’s Day is on Sunday,  and across the UK, thousands of men will be tearing their hair out because; 1/ they’ve forgotten to buy their loved one a present or 2/ they have no idea what gift to buy their loved one – something which encapsulates, very simply, how much they love them – awwwww! Trust me chaps, two tickets to Chelsea vs Liverpool won’t get her heart palpatating, I promise you!

To be honest, if they could get away with it, most men would happily just buy their girlfriend/fiancee/wife a box of choccies and a cheap card from the local service station, on the way home from work. Unfortunately, there’s no avoiding it chaps – your loved ones will want sooooo much more than choccies, naff cards and a bunch of roses bought over the counter at Tescos! Don’t worry, it’s not too late to save yourself from spending a night in the doghouse… if you act now!

And because over here at Vivastreet, we care about the welfare of our users and particular those male users who could be spending a night in the doghouse, we thought we’d lend a helping hand if you’re in desperate need of some Valentine’s gift ideas inspiration. Vivastreet has set up a special category for one week only dedicated to love!!! Yep boys, your salvation, and more importantly a happy girlfriend, is just a click away. So, don’t delay, find a Valentine’s gift today, in our special category, which is listed in our Buy and Sell section on the Vivastreet Homepage.

Good luck!

The new year is a good time to consider relocating

With the new year comes an opportunity for fresh starts and new beginnings, and in our previous post we showed you lots of ways you can dust off those cobwebs and kick start a brand new you.

However some of us may be considering a bigger life change than simply losing a few pounds or getting a new hairstyle. Maybe you’re thinking about a complete change of scene, and upping sticks and moving homes. Well, the new year is the perfect time to think about relocating as more people put their homes on the market once the chaos of Christmas is out of the way.

Here at VivaStreet we have a wealth of properties for sale and for rent, from tiny pied-a-terres and studios to this luxury five-bedroom house. Perhaps you have had enough of city life and have always dreamt of living near the sea. We’re happy to report that you could go and make that dream a reality with this lovely 1930′s property in Devon, complete with panoramic sea views. Or for those who prefer a more tranquil water location, then take a look at this gorgeous house which has its own canalside private mooring. Heaven!

For the more ambitious, we also have a section specially dedicated to land for sale for those looking to build their own home. If you are in the fortunate position of having a sum of spare cash you’re looking to invest wisely, you could do much worse than considering purchasing land. Take a look at our investment land section where you will see an array of different types of land for sale from building plots on the Scottish borders to cheap land in Bulgaria.

Which leads us smoothly on to the option of relocating abroad. Our overseas property selection is extensive, with properties for sale in Europe and beyond. We list a huge number of homes on the market, from farmhouses in Italy and France, to ski chalets in Austria and villas in Cyprus. This farmhouse in Brittany kills two birds with one stone, as it comes complete with an established cattery business – ideal for those wishing to relocate asap!

So what are you waiting for? You may be saying au revoir to cold Blighty before you know it!