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Halfway through Friday afternoon I conceived surely the publishing sensation for the year ahead (or perhaps a modest stocking filler for Christmas 2025): a travel guide titled Delay Reaction.
The idea came to me at Gatwick airport’s North Terminal, about four hours into the evacuation of the nearby South Terminal due to a security scare. It was inspired by the emotional and economic impact of the decision to kick everyone out and close Gatwick’s rail station
By then I had done my best to help a fair number of the thousands of despondent airline passengers. Some of them wanted advice about onward travel to London; others, where best to find a hotel for the night after one airline refused point-blank to respect air passengers’ rights rules on providing accommodation after cancellation?
Delay Reaction will contain everything for the traveller delayed indefinitely at Gatwick (or Heathrow, Luton, Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester and all airports to Inverness):
- Those all-important consumer rights
- Details of how to reach alternative public transport when the main option – in this case Gatwick airport railway station – is closed. For Gatwick, it involves a leafy hike and crossing the busy A23; not recommended with heavy luggage
- The best area to search for hotels. In Gatwick’s case, this is Brighton, just half an hour away by fast train. Many rooms are available at rates significantly lower than in the city 30 minutes north, London. In addition, Brighton is an exotic destination with some great places to eat and drink
- Local tourist attractions, such as the Sussex Border Path fringing Gatwick airport
- The nearest league ground in case your delay coincides with a game of football. On Saturday afternoon, any stragglers at Gatwick could have enjoyed Crawley Town FC trouncing mighty Rotherham United 1-0 at the Broadfield Stadium
Just as retailers like to offer two for the price of one – your reward for reading this far is to be first to find out about another dead-cert winner on the creative front.
Older readers may dimly recall a book in the 1980s called Just Off The Motorway, which listed interesting places near junctions – notably those which were a cut above service-station offerings. I believe the 21st-century equivalent is a website and app that prescribes “Great Places Near Rail Stations”.
The idea is this: you have 30-60 minutes at a station, either because of a long-ish connection or simply due to having a fixed ticket and allowing bags of time to change trains. Where can you find:
- A good coffee venue with some ambience and non-station prices?
- An independent shop with an interesting speciality?
- Or a market/art gallery/odd bit of architecture/park that most people miss?
Today, for example, I have 45 minutes between trains at York. The National Rail Museum, I happen to know, is adjacent to the station and a gem of a free-to-enter temple to the train (and it is open 10am-5pm every day except 24-26 December).
But I would love to be able to find out in a few taps or keystrokes whether I can walk a stretch of the walls, find the most dramatic view of the minster or grab an artisan sandwich for lunch?
Transport is undoubtedly becoming more disruption-prone, and I believe these two ideas can make a positive of a problem. Do let me know what you can offer to Delay Reaction or Great Places Near Rail Stations – or heckle if you believe they are equally terrible ideas. s@hols.tv will find me. Unless I am on a rescheduled flight from Gatwick.
Simon Calder, also known as The Man Who Pays His Way, has been writing about travel for The Independent since 1994. In his weekly opinion column, he explores a key travel issue – and what it means for you.