we stayed in hanioti at the end of august and called into nicks bar most days to see nick and taff
sadly it was was not the same atmosphere as previous years yes nick was his same friendly self but when you got talking to him things are not the same not the same amount of people at the bar not as many english people who like to have a drink and a good laugh and spend
but he is trying hard to get the custom he cannot be more helpful when you ask for anything
as for taff well what can you say typical english/welsh always look on the bright side
but when we were talking to him he was saying that hanioti is going more to the russians and eastern europeans with all inclusivie and not spending money in the village
we got the same responce from stones/billys bar and other places that we visited
even the vicky apartments where we stayed are no longer with tompsons shame as it was a nice place to stay for the last two years
so as at lot of the locals were saying i hope it does pick up and get back on its feet in the next couple years
we are looking at going back next year so hopefully all the places that we know and enjoy will still be open as you cannot ask for a better place

Richie, its a shame that the A.I. hotels are spoiling things for the small businesses. Its 2 years ago this month since we were there and there were lots of changes. Seems less choices of UK airports flying to Thessaloniki and the insulting nightly prices tour operators offer local hotels, have affected the volume of Brits going there. It will have a knock on effect to the likes of Nick and other bar/restaurant/shop owners. I do hope it picks up again.

We went at the beginning of September, have to say didnt really notice much difference in Hanioti, as busy as ever Love it

Glad you enjoyed it Sheila. Email and let me know how your hotel was.

We went to halkidiki in aug 2008 and spent everynight at nicks bar... taff is the funniest of guys and we are planning on booking a holiday next year (2011) just to go back to see nick, taff and their little family. All of them including the kids were friendly and talkative. lovely people. I hope they are open in the summer of 2011 as the place wont be the same without them!!

taffy not there this year.nick open again,ken helping nick.

taff went back monday hooray,willsee him in10 days. + nick

Jantol, can you please say a big hello to Nick and Albena form Rosemary & Robin from Scotland?
Thanks

will do that sat afternoon for you

hi bud coming out to hanioti on saturday and will call in with family for a few drinks as every one says your bar is the place to be.ps do you have sky sports

nick dose not have sky sports but he has a great heart to welcome you to hanioti and a great outdoor bar to have a cold beer if you want sky sports go to maxs love street in square enjoy halkdiki i think all who go do enjoy

from the square in hanioti..wereabouts is the horseshoe bar pse ????????

Walk past Billys Bar past Zorbers past two large suppermarkets about 50m on the right.Look out you can miss it.Its all outside in the middle of some shops. Hoooooo happy happy times.

Hi nick remember me i gave you the england football shirt many years ago well stock up on the MYTHOS cos i,m coming to see you soon see ya later nick ian and sharon west yorkshire

Stones,Hanioti hall,Billys & The Beer house,closed. Sad

hi every 1 is that right billys stones and the beer house have closed down their will be no life left in hanioti if this keeps up i think thomson and thomas cook ane the east europeans have a lot to do with this i think more bars will close hope not but i cant see away out without the brits their my greek freind has mailed me and said not to many brits their let me know whats happening any 1 thanks

Menia did not want to keep the Beer Garden going after her husband George passed away. The driving force behind the place was Marios who was George's brother-in-law had left a few years ago to set-up a restaurant in Neo-Modania and I don't think Menia's children wanted to take over.

This place was a gold mine a few years ago when Marios ran the place. All of the different beers and the antics of Marios made the place fun to be at, shame it's closed.

I also agree that the Eastern Europeans are spoiling Halkidiki. A couple of years ago I was sitting on the beach road in Pefkohori having a frappe when I noticed a woman leave the beach and head off down the road, she came back some twenty minutes later with a saucepan and some spoons and proceeded to feed her family from the saucepan. They don't seem to spend any money at the Taverna's or bars, they cook in their apartment and spend all day at the beach so not contributing to the local economy.

Thats a bit harsh on East Europeans. We all have our budget and if they can only afford the apartment and then cater for themselves then so be it, I don't see why that should offend anyone?

Surely by renting a place they are contributing to the local economy?

What do you spend on holiday Halkidiki Lover? Whatever it is why don't you spend more?

Do you stay at 5 star accomodation and look down on us peasants who can only afford 3 star?

Quote
iaitch
Thats a bit harsh on East Europeans. We all have our budget and if they can only afford the apartment and then cater for themselves then so be it, I don't see why that should offend anyone?

It does not offend me nor should it offend others

Surely by renting a place they are contributing to the local economy?

Many appartments now are rented by holiday companies who pay next to nothing to the greek owners (western & eastern european companies)

What do you spend on holiday Halkidiki Lover? Whatever it is why don't you spend more?

When I was in Halkidiki long term I rented my home from a Greek and allthough I did cook and eat at home I did eat and drink out on a regular basis.

Do you stay at 5 star accomodation and look down on us peasants who can only afford 3 star?

No, a three bed house actually. If you think of your self as a peasant that is your right, I cannot comment as I don't know you.

I base my observations on over 30 years of visiting and living in Halkidiki. The last ten years has seen an explosion of visitors from Eastern Europe and over the same period of time a drop in the numbers of Western Europeans (british, german etc) visiting the area. If the visitors are being replaced by others that do not spend as much then the local economy is bound to suffer. I suggest that the next time you are in the area you should ask some local businesses (taverna's, bars, gift shops etc). I have many Greek friends in these kind of area's who all tell me since the drop in English and German visitors their trade has dropped substantally.

Finaly let me state that I have NO objection to anyone visiting Greece from any part of Europe but the fact is that the Eastern European's don't seem to spend as much as the rest of us and this is bound to effect the local economy.

I've been to Polychrono the last ten years so I have seen the changes to the tourists.

You stated that its the East Europeans that are spoiling the area but you could equally blame the other nationalities for not coming.

Why are the brits/germans no longer coming? Maybe its the prices, maybe its the standard of accomodation?