Battle for the sunbeds may be consigned to holiday history

A Different View with Dave O’Connell

Even on holidays – indeed especially on holidays – most of us Irish would never be mistaken for early risers; fair to say we’ve all been on a sun holiday when the closest we get to our Central European cousins is a passing nod as they’re embracing a new dawn and we’re shuffling off to bed.

The battle for the sun loungers was always lost to all but the most dedicated of Irish sun worshippers, because by the time we surfaced the only available space wasn’t within a binocular-view of the pool.

Which suited most of us just fine because we weren’t there for the sun anyway and, even if we were, we weren’t made to bask in its rays; without the help of Factor 50, we turn shades of red that could cause airline pilots to confuse us with beacons on the runway.

But even those who actually went on sun holidays for the sunshine still found it difficult to beat the Germans to the sunbeds. One minute it might look like you had the pick of the poolside loungers – but in the blink of an eye, every one of them was miraculously covered in a towel.

Then that spot became off-limits to everyone else for the rest of the day with ownership signified by nothing more intimidating than a cheap paperback left open on the lounger while the book’s owner swam to their heart’s content.

And if you didn’t want to leave your best towel or your latest chick-lit, there was always the option of a cheap pair of sunglasses or – to be sure to be sure – one of the children.

Now though, those days may be over, after the British tour operator Thomas Cook decided to put an end to the beach battles for maximum exposure, by offering holidaymakers the chance to reserve their sunbed for the entire stay for an extra €25.

In much the same way as you secure your seats for the flight, so too you can book a specific lounger in a certain space for the duration of your stay.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.