[nancy1975]

So you wear clothes for a swim? On a beach? It's nothing to do with how your body looks. People's and especially women's minds are messed up enough by this crap doled out by the media. It's freedom, contentment and a state of mind on how you feel with no labels. If you can't see that and accept others may be happy in different ways to you than this is a pointless argument. People do not 'need' to be dictated to by you on whether they can be allowed to get no tanlines. There are no perfect bodies in real life.

Oh and yes the gay lobby do have more rights. Ours we have to fight for every inch including retaining a few beaches around the UK.

[SolarSail]

Originally Posted by nancy1975

How is it more odd than spending a one or two night break at Champneys or whatever? Where's the idea people would go for a week? It's where it is because he owns the hotel 2 doors along.

Why do naturists on here have to constantly defend an enjoyable, harmless and social pastime?Don't knock it until.....

see your previous comment in bold

Originally Posted by nancy1975

For crying out loud....

Do many people have pools in their home? Saunas? Beaches? Why is it such a problem for some on here to accept naturism? It seems we have far less rights than the gay lobby. If Spain, France, Croatia, Germany etc don't have a problem with it why should we. It's a social thing either indoors in a spa or on a hot beach. Loosen up. Nobody's asking you to do it.

Nancy, I don't think anyone has questioned naturists' right to enjoy their preferences and I don't see why you're getting so uptight.

Most people don't have pools at home, and so I presume that one would be a big attraction to guests at a spa hotel, don't you think?
The actual fact is that I don't think this hotel has a pool, so whether guests want to swim in a suit or naked, it's not an option, furthermore it wasn't to my mind a particularly good venue to be at one with all things natural.

The whole premise of the programme was assisting a failing business, the naturist aspect is only one part of that.
It's either not reaching enough of the market it could command. or it is reaching them and not appealing sufficiently to remain a going concern - or - the market just isn't there.

The programme ostensibly addressed these issues by making a video and putting it out on You Tube to raise the hotel's profile and then made-over the garden so it was a more pleasant outdoor space for people who wanted to feel the elements on their skin.
The other suggestion that the food could be rethought and improved, fell on deaf ears.

As it happens I would never wander about or relax naked infront of people I don't know (or even 99.9% of the people I do know come to that) It holds zero appeal and furthermore I don't want to be confronted with naked strangers either...so there's nothing this hotel could possibly do that would make me want to stay there, not even for free, not even for free with a private chef - and I think the majority of people would feel the same. That said, I don't have a problem with people finding places they can enjoy this freedom - I just question if Birmingham is a brilliant destination and if it is, whether this establishment is catering for its market adequately enough.

Whether you like it or not, naturism is a specialist market for the hospitality industry and that is what the debate's all about.

[misha06]

Originally Posted by nancy1975

So you wear clothes for a swim? On a beach? It's nothing to do with how your body looks. People's and especially women's minds are messed up enough by this crap doled out by the media. It's freedom, contentment and a state of mind on how you feel with no labels. If you can't see that and accept others may be happy in different ways to you than this is a pointless argument. People do not 'need' to be dictated to by you on whether they can be allowed to get no tanlines. There are no perfect bodies in real life.

Oh and yes the gay lobby do have more rights. Ours we have to fight for every inch including retaining a few beaches around the UK.

It is not about peoples minds being messed with by the media, that is a relatively recent phenomena. As a 'culture' we are, maybe a bit repressed and shy, and perhaps a bit afraid of nudity.

Naturism/nudism is really only practiced by a minority, and it's not because of media or the law, its because most people don't want to, and because of the reasons I mentioned in my first sentence they may be offended by the sight of a random penis or vagina.

One may say "well that's their problem" but it's not really. Society has to have boundaries, those boundaries are set by what the majority will accept, and are fluid and change as attitudes change.

I have no problem with like minded people wanting to go about with no clothes in the appropriate environment.

If they wish to stay in a Birmingham Hotel, where they can check in, strip, and do their do in the nude, there is absolutely nothing wrong about it. They have that 'right'

But equally one has the right not to be upset/thrown/offended by something which is outwith the societal norms.

Maybe those norms will change so that going about ones daily business in the nude will come to be accepted, but until it does the minority have to except they are the minority.

[Damaged Hero]

Anyone curious enough to pay Clover a visit this weekend ? 4 Hours at the Hotel & Spa is FREE for 1st Timers,You just need to call before you arrive and put your name down.

Don't Knock It Till Ya Tried It : )

[nancy1975]

There are very few naturists who wish to go about daily business in the nude. For most it is purely a leisure activity to enjoy in appropriate circumstances. Yes it is a minority activity, but perhaps not as minority as you think. Many people who are not members of an organisation here go on a beach abroad. I am uptight only on an insinuation that it is automatically weird and somehow wrong. But in a culture that equates the naked body with sex, that is depressingly expected.

[nancy1975]

By the way the food has been rethought and improved if anyone's bothered to look at the website.

[daisydee]

Originally Posted by nancy1975

So you wear clothes for a swim? On a beach? It's nothing to do with how your body looks. People's and especially women's minds are messed up enough by this crap doled out by the media. It's freedom, contentment and a state of mind on how you feel with no labels. If you can't see that and accept others may be happy in different ways to you than this is a pointless argument. People do not 'need' to be dictated to by you on whether they can be allowed to get no tanlines. There are no perfect bodies in real life.

Oh and yes the gay lobby do have more rights. Ours we have to fight for every inch including retaining a few beaches around the UK.

This

[myss]

Originally Posted by nancy1975

There are very few naturists who wish to go about daily business in the nude. For most it is purely a leisure activity to enjoy in appropriate circumstances. Yes it is a minority activity, but perhaps not as minority as you think. Many people who are not members of an organisation here go on a beach abroad. I am uptight only on an insinuation that it is automatically weird and somehow wrong. But in a culture that equates the naked body with sex, that is depressingly expected.

If you read back, it's only a few who said that they think it's weird, which you should expect as you say it's a minority activity. I think most posters found the hotel owner a little strange regardless of his pastime or preferences.

[misha06]

Originally Posted by nancy1975

There are very few naturists who wish to go about daily business in the nude. For most it is purely a leisure activity to enjoy in appropriate circumstances. Yes it is a minority activity, but perhaps not as minority as you think. Many people who are not members of an organisation here go on a beach abroad. I am uptight only on an insinuation that it is automatically weird and somehow wrong. But in a culture that equates the naked body with sex, that is depressingly expected.

Although you didn't quote me, I believe you were referencing my previous post, and for the record I don't think naturism is wrong or weird

I don't think most non naturists or 'textiles' as I believe they are known by naturists, equate public nudity with sex, I would suggest most people think it is more down to exhibitionism.

A lot of people, I would suggest have gone skinny dipping with a group of friends, for a laugh, or because they have had a few, and I would say that the vast majority would quote their emotions as; feeling naughty or liberated not sexy or erotic

[don roberto]

It isn't so much about nudity per se but about a hotel that isn't paying it's way. Clearly there are not enough enthusiasts visiting it or if they have, are unimpressed! The Inspector identified the evening meal as something requiring attention, fair comment. Secondly she suggested broadening appeal by making some areas of the hotel "clothes places" (or whatever the right phrase is). As neither were acceptable to the owner then I doubt the hotel has much of a future. Simple as that!

[SolarSail]

Originally Posted by nancy1975

By the way the food has been rethought and improved if anyone's bothered to look at the website.

I have looked and I did speak about it. It's branded a cafe/bar. My previous (unanswered) points stand - that's not enough to attract people/
it's not as good as I cook every night at home, so why would it attract me to go away and pay for it?

Originally Posted by don roberto

It isn't so much about nudity per se but about a hotel that isn't paying it's way.

That's what I've been posting about d r, but Nancy has chosen not to respond as the points don't fit the argument.

[nancy1975]

Strewth!

My interest on here has been to defend naturism against various prejudices and assertions. I've not been to Clover and can only go by reports I've read on Trip advisor and other forums which are uniformly good. Also, I've plugged in a few random dates for rooms on his site and the unavailability is high. So he must be doing something right.

Yes it's a niche, that's obvious. It's also one of a kind In the UK whereas in Austria and Germany naked spas are ubiquitous. It is brave to open anything in today's climate and he deserves credit as indeed Alex said at the programme's end.

[Radiomaniac]

I don't think that being naked or being a naturist is weird.


Just Tim.

[solare]

I think the problem with Tim's hotel is its unappealing location.

Whether you are a naturist or not, if you want the type of holiday where you just wind down and relax, there needs to be a sense of escaping from urban life, and Tim's place can't provide that. However attractive he makes the garden, the 'spa' and the menu, it's still a fairly ordinary suburban house on a busy road in Birmingham.

[MRSgotobed]

Originally Posted by Radiomaniac

I don't think that being naked or being a naturist is weird.


Just Tim.

Yes, me too. Naturism is hardly new or unheard of, for me Tim was the problem. I don't now if it was just for the cameras, but he gave me the feeling that he would use the facilities at the same time as his guests. I don't mind a chat with the owner of where I am staying, but usually they don't intrude on their guests.

[guernseysnail]

Alex is on The Wright Stuff tomorrow (Thurs) to talk about the show and the last episode!

[mrbernay]

Bump for tonight

[guernseysnail]

Originally Posted by mrbernay

Bump for tonight

Evening mrb...

[spookyLX]

Evening all Decor's a bit eeek

[lea_uk]

If anyone is there, hey!

[guernseysnail]

Some of those rooms are shockingly decorated..

[dome]

Is he colour blind?

[spookyLX]

Originally Posted by dome

Is he colour blind?

Quite possibly

[mrbernay]

What a dreadful hotel!!! Truly TOWIE

[mrbernay]

Originally Posted by guernseysnail

Evening mrb...

Hi gs Won't be here on Sat for Lottery and MPD, then hols from next Thurs - 29th, and from 2 Aug-15th....