With car hire shortages anticipated from 19th December for the Christmas and New Year holiday period 2009/2010, easyCar are warning their customers to book car hire NOW to avoid disappointment. 

The demand for rental cars has been historically high in the UK and Ireland during the Christmas season, but shortages are expected this winter in the popular cities and resorts of France, Portugal and Spain too.

easyCar reported in June 2009 that many areas of the UK, France and Spain had actually run out of hire cars during Easter, with the credit crunch leading car hire fleet operators to use their current stock of cars for longer periods, and not replace all of the older vehicles. A number of sources throughout the summer also stated that holidaymakers were more likely to book the small cars as they presumed they were cheaper, although this wasn’t always the case, which then led to the smaller cars being in very short supply.

Again the message regarding Christmas car hire availability with the shortage of cars and increasing prices being a problem, is that if you want to be sure that you will get the hire car of your choice, do not leave your rental booking until the last minute – BOOK NOW!

There is a huge selection of New Year breaks and New Year holidays in the UK to choose from.

Hire a car with easyCar and drive to a comfy country bed and breakfast for a quiet New Year break, or stay in one of the Warner Leisure Hotels for 3 or 4 nights including New Year’s Eve, and enjoy the party, evening meal, live entertainment, a piper and fireworks.

If you want to simply relax, or celebrate the festive season in full party style, there are plenty of hotels offering New Year Breaks in the UK to suit every requirement. Choose a secluded country house or a city centre hotel, a quaint rural Inn or a hotel spa resort which offers activities all through the year.

Celebrate the arrival of 2010 on a New Year Break in the Cotswold countryside, amongst the Welsh hills, on the edge of Lake Windermere in the Lake District or overlooking the south coast from Brighton.

Enjoy a two night New Year Break arriving on 28 December at Centre Parcs in Longleat Forest or five nights arriving on 30 December at Whinefell Forest where you should wrap up warm and experience a whole assortment of indoor and outdoor activities over the New Year period.

Greet the New Year with traditional Hogmanay celebrations in one of Scotland’s Hotels of Distinction such as at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Fillans, Perthshire or Ruttlets Country House Hotel in St. Andrews, Fife. 

The New Year celebrations in Edinburgh are renowned worldwide. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party is a programme of music, lights, dancing and midnight fireworks to see in the new decade. Stage events start at 9pm on Princes Street and it is worth pre booking tickets to the various events to avoid disappointment!

As Big Ben in London tolls midnight on December 31st 2009, hold hands with the person next to you and sing…

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”

Happy New Year!

Visiting family?  Visiting friends? Hosting a quiet dinner for two?  However you plan on spending Christmas Day and Boxing Day, you’ll find that most people will spend at least some time travelling up and down the UK highways and motorways.

Why not consider hiring a car with easyCar for the festive season? 

Not only would booking car rental in the UK give you the flexibility to be where you want to be, when you want to be there if you don’t already have a car, but it would mean that you would save the mileage of your own car, therefore helping to retain its value.

Have you bought so many presents that on your Christmas trip there won’t be room in your own car?  Then hire a car larger than your own.  Does mum and dad live in the country and you want to make sure you also see all your friends, but can’t because you don’t have a car?

With easyCar the low cost car hire specialists, rental prices start for 3 full days, from just £80.01 (2 days, £76, 6 days, £133.76) hiring a super mini 5 door air conditioned car such as a Chevrolet Matiz, from £232.27 for a full size automatic air conditioned estate such as a Volvo V70 – and many other styles and prices of cars in between.  How about requesting a Landrover Discovery 2.7 or similar from £604.08 or a luxury Mercedes CLS for another £53? All prices based on pick up/drop off from Gatwick airport on 24th December for 3 x 24 hours, as quoted 5th November (except where stated otherwise).

So Merry Christmas and have a very happy and healthy New Year!  Watch the roads, leave plenty of time for your Christmas journeys and drive carefully.

Enjoy holidays in Cheshire; an ancient county in the north west of England, home to many quaint villages, winding waterways, miles of stunning countryside and bustling market towns.

Cheshire’s county town is the medieval walled city of Chester close to the Welsh border.  Founded by the Romans, Chester is full of unusual landmarks set within the city walls including the Victorian black and white architecture on Northgate, and unique Rows. Chester is the ideal base to commence a Cheshire holiday, with its characteristic streets, river strolls and boat rides, choice of accommodation, extensive facilities and excellent road links.

Other key towns in Cheshire include Crewe, Widnes, Runcorn, Nantwich and Northwich, with Warrington the largest town.

There are so many opportunities in Cheshire for either an active or relaxing holiday, with riding either by horse or cycle particularly popular as there are over 200 miles of bridleways and byways to explore.  There are also the disused railways lines along the Wirral Way and Biddulph Valley Way, ideal for motor free riding.

Walkers have an extensive choice of routes through Cheshire, either taking short round walks through country villages or longer distances through the Gritstone uplands, winding river valleys or trails of Sandstone Ridge. Head to Nantwich Town Square and park your hire car in the Town Centre, then follow an easy five-mile round route of footpaths and towpaths to explore Elizabethan buildings, a water mill, a lake and Dorfold Hall Park.

There are two challenging walks from Tegg’s Nose Country Park near Macclesfield, with a pleasant moderate walk around Dane Valley near Holmes Chapel.

If the indoors is more to your liking whilst on holiday in Cheshire then there are plenty of museums, castles and stately homes to explore, with beautiful gardens and market towns for interesting walks.

Tatton Park is a fantastic historic estate near Knutsford with a beautiful landscaped deer park and gardens; the Georgian Dunham Massey house is a short drive away. 

Constructed in 1225 is the Beeston Castle standing high above the Cheshire Plain overlooking the Welsh mountains, now maintained by English Heritage. Cholmondeley Castle is only just over two hundred years old and whilst the house is a private home, the gardens are magnificent.

On an Essex holiday in eastern England where could you go?

Stretching for around 12 miles from London, is the scenic 6,000 acre Epping Forest, ideal for walking and trekking, exploring with the family or the dog; over half of the area is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.
There are many quaint, lovely towns and villages in Essex.

Medieval Saffron Walden in north west Essex is a busy rural market town dotted with independent shops, eateries and boutiques as well as the local market twice a week. Do pay a visit to the stunning Bridge End Garden and Audley End House and Gardens, and the nearby market towns of Thaxted and Great Dunmow.

In mid Essex, head to the county town of Chelmsford where you can visit the 18th century Moulsham Mill to purchase a variety of crafts, or Chelmsford Museum. A short drive away is the beautiful Hylands House and 500 acre Estate, and Ingatestone Hall. Flora and fauna can be enjoyed at Tropical Wings in South Woodham Ferrers, Marsh Farm Country Park and the RHS Garden Hyde Hall.

Essex by the sea will take you to the bustling resorts of Southend on Sea and Clacton on Sea, with Frinton on Sea and Walton on the Naze being quieter yet traditional seaside towns. Rugged coves, sandy beaches and cliff top walks; Essex offers a coastline, some 350 miles long, ideal for water sports, family days in the sand, walking and so much more!

Every Saturday until 7th November, the Festival of Fireworks will take place on the Southend Seafront at 8pm, and every Saturday until 31st October, is the Battle of the Bands, where local bands and musical performers will compete in a slot of 15 minutes each.