Good Ski Guide / Good Holiday magazine, John Hill, Paula Hill

[the bitch from hell]

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THESE PEOPLE:-


Good Holiday Guide / Good Ski Guide
Posted By: [Anonymous]

Date: 12/9/2007


Has anyone had experience of these people? They recently commissioned
me for a trip, which cost me an arm and a leg, and they will now not
take my article. My contact is jon hill, the editor, but all i get is
refusals when i try to call and speak to him. are these people jokers
or what????



[ 18 Replies ] [ Post Reply ]



Posted By: Shannon Date Posted: 12/9/2007

Was the contract negotiated before or after the trip was planned?
Also, did you negotiate a kill fee and expenses in the contract?

If you don't have a contract, do you have email records to
substantiate the claim? Can you try and resell the story elsewhere?

Shannon Hurst Lane
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How do you LIVE?
Travel Writer Tips
I'm a Traveling Mama


Posted By: Richard Date Posted: 12/9/2007

Here's a link to their webpage. http://www.goodskiguide.com/highlights.html

Apparently they began in 1976 with Rupert Murdoch money. They say they
will be publishing German, Russian and Chinese guides in 2007.

Mr. Hill seems to be the guy that began it all.

Hope you had a written contract, or as Shannon asked, a running email
list requesting you do the work.

Good Luck

RyanJ


Edited: 12/9/2007
Posted By: [Anonymous] Date Posted: 12/10/2007

yes, i had a written contract, emails, the lot. they have now told me
they don't want my work, and i'm in hot water with the PR and the
flight organiser and everyone.


Posted By: [Anonymous] Date Posted: 12/10/2007

You know, these comments don't surprise me in the least. John Hill and
Paula Hill are the 'brains' behind Good Ski Guide and Good Holiday. I
first met them at a ski travel show some years ago. I can only say
they are the most loathsome characters I have met in the travel
industry. they promised me several commissions, which they confirmed
in writing, I did the trips, and when I got back and sent my article
and pics in, they flatly refused them.

I tried to chase this up, but in the end, Mr Hill sent me abusive
emails.

Quite how they have got so far in the publishing sector, I do not
know, but their ethics and morals are warped, and what I have seen of
the magazine itself is indeed poor quality. You'd be better off
writing for the other UK ski magazine, some of which are very good,
and the editors treat you fairly.

Avoid Good Ski Guide like the plague - unless you wanted to be treated
like muck by the editor.


Posted By: Richard Date Posted: 12/10/2007

If there are written contracts, why doesn't someone take them to
court?

RyanJ


Posted By: Cubanite Date Posted: 12/11/2007

yep, i met john hill and that's just his style to offer a commission,
you then do the trip, and he backs out.

KK, South Africa.


Posted By: Richard Date Posted: 12/11/2007

So whose content does he use, and does he pay for it???

RyanJ


Posted By: Douglas Date Posted: 12/12/2007

You're dealing with true scrum here...beyond compare!! Charlie Locke
who is the contact for their Calgary office was the original owner/
developer of Resorts of the Canadian Rockies who purchased both the
Fernie and Kimberley ski hills (then community ski hills)in southern
BC. He ran up his debt to the millions in these small communities and
then got bankruptcy protection and paid off all unsecured debt 25
cents on the dollar (no kidding, I was one of them). Put a lot of
people out of business in these small mountain British Coumbia
communities. He lost nothing of his personal assets (needless to say)
and is still rolling high. Isn't it amazing how assholes can get away
with this stuff LEGALLY.

Avoid these people like the plaque and send them abusive emails if
they request you to work for them. No kidding. Bad, bad, bad
characters...their prime purpose in business is to abuse anf use you
and not pay.

Please take time to send them a letter and let them know you know
their game...and that you're doing your best to let the rest of the
editorial world know all about them (crooks).

Doug Pyper
www.dougpyperphoto.com


Posted By: Cubanite Date Posted: 12/13/2007

I'm with Doug Pyper on this.

John Hill and his wife did the same thing in England - ripped off
loads of people, breach legal contracts, and this resulted in about 10
people losing money. When they tried to sue or request payment, all
they got was threats of verbal and physical abuse from John Hill.

John Hill and Good Ski Guide are low-life vermin. The worst bottom-
feeders of the publishing industry. Do as Doug Pyper says and do not
go near them.

Charlie Locke known for his despicable behaviour also!

BTW, John Hill now drives at Jaguar motor car, at the expense of all
the people he owes money too!


Posted By: Cubanite Date Posted: 1/3/2008

another tactic employed by Hill and the other loathsome people who
work at Good Ski Guide is to move office locations, so any court
proceedings are lodged at a redundant address. For your information,
John Hill's address for service of legal proceedings is:

John B Hill and Pauline S Hill
Director
Good Holiday Ideas Limited
1 Esher Place Avenue
Esher
Surrey KT10 8PU




Posted By: Bruce Date Posted: 1/17/2008

Actually the address for legal documents is:

GOOD HOLIDAY IDEAS LIMITED
DAWES COURT HOUSE
DAWES COURT HIGH STREET
ESHER
SURREY KT10 9QD
Company No. 02657075

or

MOUNTAIN LEISURE LIMITED
DAWES COURT HOUSE DAWES COURT
HIGH STREET
ESHER
SURREY KT10 9QD
Company No. 05027972

He just lost a case against a former employee for unpaid salary and
there is another pending.



Edited: 1/17/2008
Posted By: [Anonymous] Date Posted: 1/17/2008

Hill's new trading address is:

Mountain Leisure Ltd
Suite 14-15 Parman House
36 Fife Road
Kingston Upon Thames
Surrey KT1 1SY
UK

His Good Ski Guide website (www.goodskiguide.com) says he is trading
from:

Good Ski Guide,
27a Esher High Street,
Esher,
Surrey KT10 9RL
UK

This dude has a lot of addresses!

The website also says this:

BILLINGS - All authors/photographers/suppliers must invoice the
following company:-
Good Holiday Ideas Ltd, 7a High Street Esher KT10 9RL UK

But... the company that produces Good Ski Guide is Mountain Leisure
Ltd. Go figure.






Posted By: [Anonymous] Date Posted: 1/24/2008

The 27A Esher High Street location is no longer used by Hill or his
companies. They were EVICTED from there for non-payment of rent
stretching back a long way. The post has not been re-directed but the
telephone lines have - to the address in Kingston. Good Holiday Ideas
Ltd is well-overdue posting its accounts at companies House.


Posted By: Samantha Date Posted: 1/30/2008

Hi there,

I had the misfortune of working for John and Paula last year. I have
since taken them to an emplyment tribunal and won.
Luckily I had the unions backing so I did not have to pay any of my
court costs, but I'm sure there are plenty of former employees who
were not so lucky.
Unsurpisingly I am still waiting for the money they owe me.



Edited: 1/30/2008
Posted By: [Anonymous] Date Posted: 2/15/2008

I worked for Mr Hill. Prior to that time, I had been off work for a
substantial period suffering with schizophrenia brought on after
witnessing a horrifying murder in South Africa, and Mr Hill was made
aware of these facts prior to my employment and said that he and his
wife Paula would help me get over this horrible experience.

However that was not the case. During my employment, I witnessed him
being verbally abusive to staff and he was frequently being chased by
former employees and contractors who were owed money - sometimes
substantial amounts of money. Literally everyone, including HM Revenue
(for unpaid taxes) are chasing this company for monies owed.

Hill was horribly abusive, making the most hurtful and offensive
remarks you can imagine to myself and others.

I didn't work there for long and Mr Hill still owes me money.

Although a career in journalism (with the foreign trips promised at
the first interview) might seem tempting, I have to agree with all the
other posters here, including Doug Pyper. Hill and his company are
truly repellent, employing bright young people who want to get ahead
in publishing and treating them in the most despicable manner when he
gets bored with them.

The straw that broke the camel's back was when Hill starting makinge
threats to 'publicise' how the murder in SA had affected my health.

Now, does that sum up how low these people are?


Edited: 2/15/2008
Posted By: David Date Posted: 3/10/2008

Just saw this "job" advert on www.gorkanapr.com for unpaid work
experience on the Good Ski Guide. It doesn't appear to comply with UK
minimum wage legislation.

Good Ski Guide, Intern

We have a vacancy for an intern, who can learn from and assist
professional Fleet St Editors in the production of our market-leading
magazines/web sites. We particularly welcome those with a knowledge of
journalism and while we offer good training, we cannot accept complete
beginners. Very good opportunity to get some paid travel and some
excellent perks. Would suit skier/snowboarder best as they would get
most from the opportunity.

Vacancy starts now till early summer, when a permanent post would be
considered for the right candidate.



Job Type: Work Experience
Job Roles: Editorial
Job Location: South-East
Email CVs to: jo...@goodholidayideas.com




Posted By: David Date Posted: 3/10/2008

Although I have no personal experience of this company, I have just
complained online to HM Revenues and Customs about this apparent
breach of minimum wage regulations. I don't think that the perhaps
dubious promise of free travel and other perks makes up for the lack
of a salary in an open-ended job.

Anyone else can do the same at the following website:

https://online.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/smail/smail?action=displayForm&STRF_FORM_NAME=NMW_TPWorker&STRF_DEPT_NAME=NMW&STRF_SUB_DEPT_NAME=Complaints&STRF_LOCATION=25&STRF_ORIGIN=http://www.hmrc.gov.uk

In the lack of a world trades union for travel writers, I think there
are ways we can fight together for rights. This forum is a start.


Edited: 3/10/2008
Posted By: [Anonymous] Date Posted: 3/20/2008

John Hill posting messages seeking to attract people to work for him
unpaid is yet one more tactic by publishing's most Despicable Man.

Owing to his gross behaviour towards advertisers and former staff, no-
one will actually work for him for money. He is virtually bankrupt and
living off the State. His magazines are fakes and he is committing
circulation fraud, which has been known by the British publishing
fraternity fo rmany years. He does not print th e number he says.

He ripped off so many people that there are reams of comments about
him all over the internet and at the law courts. do not touch even if
you're desperate. This is lowlife scum of the worst order.