Value for money...

In this age of the credit crunch and recession value for money will become the new buzz word but do we know what value for money really is? Do memories last longer than material goods?

I had a friend at college who loved the sales; she would dress for the occasion having done the shoe equation she would sprint out the door in her Reeboks with purse in hand. When she returned the scars of the day were visible, her neatly coiffure hair now resembled Bridget Jones’ hair; you remember the scene, when she steps out of Daniel Cleaver’s classic Mercers convertible arriving at the hotel for a ‘mini break’ and turns to see Mark Darcy descending the stairs. The camera pans round to Bridget and she’s stood there with hair so highly back combed she could have given Farrah Fawcett –Major a run for her money.

Despite the scares of war she was clutching a dozen bags and had a smile on her face the size of Brazil, ‘I have got some amazing bargains,’ she said. From her bags she produced a collection of dresses, tops and skirts all with known labels. ‘Look at this’ she said ‘bargain of the week reduced from £100 to a mere £50’. As I examined ‘exhibit A’ I was drawn to the fact it was a slinky vest top which was made with no more than a napkin size of material. I was left considering the facts ‘is a 50% discount value for money or do we need to establish whether a slinky top is worth £50.’
This brings me to the thought do memories last longer than material goods?

Let me ask you this - can you remember what you got for Christmas last year? No not just the big stuff but everything , the slippers from aunt Ruby, the hankies from uncle Jon and not forgetting the cook book from your husband. But the good news is that cook books are the ‘new porn’ for the forty something’s, well so says Jonathan Ross. (17-10-08 when interviewing Gordon Ramsey.)

But then let me ask you do you remember when your husband asked for your hand in marriage?
I can see the exact spot when I was asked, Cannel road in Shipley, ok, I grant you not as romantic as it could have been, but the next 20 years have been lots of fun and full of memories. Like the time when the doctor turned to me and said ‘Well Mrs Proctor you are expecting twins.’ And the European city breaks we enjoyed together; I can see every detail of the hotel bedrooms we stayed in; the art galleries we visited and the coffee houses we drank in. So I ask you, where is the slinky top now and what would you prefer a draw full of memories that are truly yours forever or a draw full of out of fashion boob tubes.

So mini breaks it is then - and where better than the Malvern hills, they are not to big that you need oxygen and crampons to get to the top but at the same time after walking the hills the exercise will be sufficient to enjoy one of chefs famous cream tea’s; with freshly made scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam and not feel guilty. So the next step is to choose one of our 103 bedrooms, decide on a date and try our ‘body and sole’ package. All the details are on our website, and with maps to walk the hills and bath goodies to soak away the stress, leave the rest up to us.

Written by Rachel Procter, Business Development Manager at The Abbey