FOR some, it will be the end of a long cherished era; for others, it will be a long-overdue improvement. But whichever way you look at it, the refurbishment of the Glen Nevis youth hostel is another sign that there are some profound changes happening at the Scottish Youth Hostel Association.

The need for the association to change has long been beyond doubt. At its height, the SYHA owned more than 90 properties but the rise of the budget hotel and cheap flights meant travellers started to expect more from their accommodation. The SYHA had to acknowledge that, so it sold off some of its properties and started a programme of improvements.

The changes at Glen Nevis, which have just got underway, are the latest stage of the improvements and will mean visitors will be able to stay in private en-suite rooms as well as shared accommodation. Glen Nevis is still a youth hostel – just one that is moving with the times.

The trick for the SYHA will be to continue to modernise while also protecting what many of its residents value about it. Private rooms, wi-fi and other modern improvements are vital for many visitors, but the key to the hostel movement are the the kitchens and common rooms where people can meet each other. Hostels have to change to reflect what individuals want, but they must never lose what is best about them: the sense of a shared experience.