“Goodwood revival by the sea”
Wish you were here
Why Dingle Dell doesn’t need hard marketing — just a little reminder.
When it came to telling people Dingle Dell is back, we could’ve done the usual.
A photo. A post. A hashtag. A push.
But Dingle Dell isn’t that sort of place.
It’s not pushing anything.
So instead, we made this:
A softly evocative watercolour of Dingle Dell — a 1948 seaside chalet in Croyde, North Devon — painted using modern AI,
“We commissioned a watercolour — not a photo.”
And not just any watercolour.
We used modern AI, trained on everything we know and love about Dingle Dell — its purpose-built 1948 bones, its soft seaside bunting, its pale-green Beryl Ware china, and the unmistakable stillness it brings. The result? A painting that somehow captures more than the lens ever could.
The original photo was beautiful — but the watercolour has soul.
It reflects what Dingle Dell has always been: simple, sincere, and quietly proud.
A cunning plan!
We’ve designed three versions of the postcard — each with a quiet purpose:
Blank cards live in Dingle Dell, ready for guests to write and send to someone who’d love it too.
Personalised versions are going out to our old friends — a little warmer than a generic “We’re back” email.
And a few pre-stamped copies are tucked in our pockets — analog guerrilla marketing, handed to people we meet, ready to be passed on.
Whether it’s a message to a friend, a gentle nudge, or just a keepsake — this isn’t marketing, it’s remembering.
“Here’s the story we wanted to tell.”
We didn’t want a flyer or a sales pitch.
Just a few words that tell the truth.
That after five years — part pandemic, part rebuild — Dingle Dell is back.
Still the same, just lightly modernised where it matters.
The same bunting. The same warmth. The same feeling.
And now, if it’s not let, you can book it by the day.
Like people used to.
It’s available for holidays first — that’s always the priority.
But we’re happy to share what we have for special get-togethers.
Birthdays, anniversaries, afternoon teas.
Dingle Dell has a habit of scooping up occasions and adding a bit of itself.
There’s Beryl Wood Ware china for a proper Devon cream tea (yes, even a tea strainer).
The rest is just as it should be — nothing added that doesn’t belong.
A Chat with Stephen (and the Goodwood Moment)
This wasn’t a marketing brainstorm.
It was just a conversation with my old friend Stephen — someone I’ve known for years. We worked in property tech together — him on the conveyancing side, me on the sales and lettings. Between us, we’ve seen the market evolve, morph, and in some ways… lose something.
Yesterday we were talking about how it’s changed.
How some booking platforms — not all, but enough — seem to attract a different kind of guest.
Entitlement. Demands. A transactional mindset.
And then he said, almost offhandedly:
“You know what Dingle Dell is?
It’s the Goodwood Revival of seaside holidays.”
That stopped me.
Because yes — that’s exactly it.
Not a pastiche. Not retro. Just… faithful.
Purpose-built in 1948 for days by the sea — and still doing the job now.
It’s not trying to impress.
But if you turned up in a vintage MG TF or a soft-top Morgan, it would suit you just fine.
The light. The bunting. The ring with “Dingle Dell” on it.
It’s not a set. It’s not ironic. It’s just real.
What a photo that would be.A Digital Postcard for Someone Who’ll Get It
This blog is a digital postcard.
A quiet invitation to someone who doesn’t need convincing — they’ll just get it.
So here’s the idea:
We’ll post the front and back of our postcard separately.
Share them. Message them. Send a proper digital postcard, old-school style, to someone who needs to know Dingle Dell is back.
Because most of our guests don’t come through search or SEO.
They come through people. Word of mouth. A quiet nudge from someone who understands.
If that’s you — thank you.
You’re exactly who Dingle Dell was built for.
dingledell.com
Call, text or WhatsApp: 07946 552494
Email: enquiries@dingledell.com
Claire will sort you out. x