Cut Off from Civilisation - NSC's Advice Sought

[Lord Bracknell]

We've just had a visit from a very nice man from Atkins Rail to inform us (that's the Bracknell household and our neighbours) that Network Rail will be closing our road for the whole of next week (starting at midnight on Sunday) to allow them to dig up and replace the level crossing that we have to use to get convenient access to the outside world.

Obviously it would have been better to have had a bit more notice - since this will be incredibly inconvenient. They have offered to maintain pedestrian access across the level crossing (ring a bell and someone will check that it is safe, and the gate through the fence that they will erect will be opened). And they will provide us with a parking space the other side of the railway (with a promise that the contractors' plant won't block it).

But they've also made another offer. Three options have been suggested.

1. We stay at home and live with the inconvenience;
2. They put us and our neighbours up in a hotel for the week; or
3. They pay us the cost of hotel accommodation and leave us to make our own arrangements.

What would NSC advise? We've been asked to make a decision by Friday (tomorrow).

 

[Stat Brother]

Take the money
Take the money
Take the money
Take the money
Take the money
Take the money...





... then stay at home.

 

[TSB]

Trois. A week at The Ritz (at their expense) sounds good to me.

 

[countryman]

Get the cost of the hotel and stay at home.

 

[Bob!]

Take a weeks holiday, and use that week in a Hotel somewhere nice

 

[surrey jim]

Can you take a week at home and also the money they would have paid for a hotel as compensation?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

If they're offering something reasonable I'd go for a week in a hotel. Personally, I like a change of scenery every so often even if it is just down the road. If its the local Travelodge then maybe take the money.

 

[Husty]

Mention the C word and then threaten to go to the papers.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Option 2 if the hotel is decent or Option 3 if it isn't (Will Lord and Lady Bracknell be content in a 3* hotel with no butler ?)

 

[Notters' Dad]

If you have no medical treatment coming up, take all-in hotel accomodation at the right place in Brighton!

 

[The Modfather]

Take the cash

 

[happypig]

Deans Place at Alfriston is nice (although the pubs in the village are snobbery personified)

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Mention the C word and then threaten to go to the papers.

The papers? I was thinking the European Court of Human Rights.

 

[Husty]

The papers? I was thinking the European Court of Human Rights.

Well I was thinking more as a bargaining chip to get a better hotel for the week but whatever floats your boat.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Take the hotel (assuming its a good one in a nice place, plus a MASSIVE amount of compensation for the pain and inconvenience

 

[Grombleton]

Take the mystery box!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

For what it's worth ... the nice man from Atkins Rail is staying at a hotel in Eastbourne that costs £107 a night for a double room with breakfast.

 

[beorhthelm]

definatly veer towards taking the money. dont how much it'll be though and booking first week of summer holidays likly to be a nightmare.

 

[Ernest]

And remember all those saying take the ££££ it is coming from your pockets as a tax payer so I vote LB stays in Dick Tights shed as he did a few years ago

 

[skipper734]

When they dug up the track near me to encourage the River Hamble not to flood the track. As they would be working 24 hours a day for three days they gave four of my neighbours the same deal. Well three really but one couple didn't want to be left out ( any thing for free).
Three took the Hotel option, and the not left out neighbours took the money option and stayed with their Son who lived not far away. I believe they all had a wonderful time, like being on Holiday.
I got the jungle that was my back garden put to rights and a nice new shed. Two point Eight Million well spent.