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Who is the Isle of Wight Guru?
Isle of Wight Guru was founded by a former BBC journalist (Robbie) who has an unwavering passion for the Isle of Wight, and for saving money.
It aims to give impartial and unofficial advice to holidaymakers who want to know how to save money on the ferry, which are the best beaches, where to find unusual or cheap accommodation, things to do with teenagers, toddlers and children and LADS.
Robbie isn't a caulkhead, but he grew up on the Isle of Wight in Newport and Carisbrooke and spent most of his teenage years at Compton Bay. More recently he has become a proper grown up with a real wife and children and everything, and has rediscovered many of the brilliant things on offer for younger visitors to the Isle of Wight.
The website is a joint effort with Mrs Guru, who does lots of social media stuff and all the boring bits which Robbie forgets to do. Various friends and random people also get in touch with suggestions.
It aims to give impartial and unofficial advice to holidaymakers who want to know how to save money on the ferry, which are the best beaches, where to find unusual or cheap accommodation, things to do with teenagers, toddlers and children and LADS.
Robbie isn't a caulkhead, but he grew up on the Isle of Wight in Newport and Carisbrooke and spent most of his teenage years at Compton Bay. More recently he has become a proper grown up with a real wife and children and everything, and has rediscovered many of the brilliant things on offer for younger visitors to the Isle of Wight.
The website is a joint effort with Mrs Guru, who does lots of social media stuff and all the boring bits which Robbie forgets to do. Various friends and random people also get in touch with suggestions.
Yes, I took this terrible photo myself
Meet Our Leadership Team
Of course, Robbie and Hannah aren't the only members of the Isle of Wight Guru team. In fact, Isle of Wight Guru now operates across 11 sites with offices as far flung as Bembridge, Billingham and Freshwater Bay*.
Here are some of our key players.
Here are some of our key players.
Robèrt G Lanè
Chief Visionary Officer Robby is responsible for seeing the curve when it is still a straight line. His 100% infinite mindset means he lives and breathes vision in the same way that ordinary humans breathe oxygen or eat Coco Pops. He loves wearing scarves and turning up late for meetings whilst holding a freshly-brewed coffee. |
Bob Lane
Chief Sustainability Officer Bob is responsible for ensuring that crisp packets don't go in the same bin as paper cups. He earns every penny of his six figure salary and has a particular skill for sending passive aggressive emails. He drives a Land Rover Discovery Sport and enjoys long haul flights. |
Roberto Lane
Chief Human Resources Wellness Officer Roberto successfully leads Isle of Wight Guru through its cyclical change programme, where staff resources are streamlined to within an inch of their life on an annual basis. Roberto is a relentless solution seeker, even if it means sacking single mothers a week before Christmas and then drowning their puppies. |
Bobby Lane
Chief Brand Officer Bobby took the lead when Isle of Wight Guru changed its font from Arial to Trebuchet eight years ago. He kept our rebranding costs down to £94m by shrewdly working with a team of external consultants, and another team of consultants to guide the consultants. |
Robbie Lane Jr
Chief Something Something Officer Robbie Junior (affectionately known as 'NepoGuru') sporadically attends board meetings and has a particular skill for phone-staring. He offers a breath of fresh air with his youthful attitude and earns his considerable salary by occasionally looking up to suggest that "you definitely need to get on that TikTok, mate". He is the oldest son of Robbie and Hannah. |
Bert Lane
Chief Fun Officer Robert's role is to ensure that Isle of Wight Guru doesn't become yet another mindless corporation. You can reach out to Robert at any time who will ensure he has the bandwidth for a fireside chat. He may want to circle back, put it on the back burner or put a pin it it, but in the end he will help you move the needle whilst also moving the goalposts and thinking outside of the box. |
Update, 2024: We would like to send our condolences to the family of Bobbie Lane, our former Chief Health and Safety Officer who was tragically catapulted out to sea whilst supervising filming of our most recent TV advertising campaign. We will be recruiting for his replacement shortly.
*Our accountant has asked us to clarify that these 11 locations are 'Digital Hotdesk Zones' rather than traditional physical offices. For the avoidance of doubt, these are locations where Robbie parks the car and works on his laptop.
Testimonials
"Load of drivvel [sic]...You want your head read m8 [sic]" (Facebook user's opinion of our guide to living on the Isle of Wight, 2015).
"What a load of old waffle" (My Mum's view of our guide to days out for children, 2016).
"Who is this clown?" (Feedback from a Facebook user to a jovial article about how to best market the Isle of Wight, 2017).
"My one and only criticism is your use of the word 'gawping'. I would hate to think I might be considered as a 'gawper'" (Feedback from a reader in 2017 about my inarticulate language relating to the admiration of large houses in Seaview).
"Stop wasting your time on that ruddy website, the bins need taking out" (Mrs Guru, 2020).
"Do you really think we are that stupid?" (Blog comment in 2020, in response to my eight-step plan to persuade the in-laws to pay for my family to go to Blackgang Chine)
"Would look a bit better if the horizon was level" (Reaction from a Facebook user to the best photo I took in 2022).
"A lot of trudging round muddy fields" (My Mum's feedback in 2023 to one of the walks featured in our guide to the Isle of Wight's best circular walks).
"Most of its [sic] taken off Wikipedia" (Feedback from a Facebook user to our new guide to Blackgang Chine's history in 2023, which credits Wikipedia in the opening section, among other sources).
"Had to turn the discordant music off" (Feedback on Facebook in 2023 to my selection of a White Lies song to accompany a video of Sandhard Beach).
"UK's most scenic road? You need to get out more" (Comment on my 2024 YouTube video about the Military Road, which forms part of the Wighty 90 Driving Route. The commenter had the same name as a Top Gear presenter, but I can't confirm if it's really him).
"Perhaps some of us are more naturally talented and don’t rely on gimmicky tech to be a success". (Another fan of our 2024 drone video of the Military Road. Who knew tarmac was so emotive?)
"Well, this is bo***cks isnt it" (sic) (Comment from 2024 on my video of Sandown in the sunshine).
"And there you go, skint in a week" (Response on Facebook to our May half term guide. They obviously hadn't found our guides to free days out, cheap places to eat, attraction discounts, discounts on the ferry, cheap accommodation and free parking).
"One of the most unrealistic reviews I've ever seen" (Comment on Youtube from a crossbow fan, who wasn't a fan of my video - Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In - there's also a more detailed blog here).
"Terrible advice (*facepalm emoji*)" (Another fan of my Youtube guide to Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In. We are still anxiously waiting to find out what Darren would consider to be better advice).
"Sandown is a dump, with Shanklin not far behind! Not a good review at all" (Yet another fan of my Youtube video about where to stay on the Island. I am starting to wonder if they didn't read the bit in the description where it says that the guide is a roundup of every town, rather than a ranking).
"What waste of license payers money (sic), the BBC is finished" (TikTok feedback to the fact that BBC South Today were doing a story about my guide to the Isle of Wight's 10 best benches. I would like to formally apologise to Lord Reith for single-handedly destroying the BBC).
"Big ageist, isn't it?" (Response to my confession that I associate Godshill with 'old dears arriving by coach, buying a new handbag and then tucking into a cream tea'. I would like to formally apologise to the UK's seven million female retirees for any offence caused.)
"What a load of old waffle" (My Mum's view of our guide to days out for children, 2016).
"Who is this clown?" (Feedback from a Facebook user to a jovial article about how to best market the Isle of Wight, 2017).
"My one and only criticism is your use of the word 'gawping'. I would hate to think I might be considered as a 'gawper'" (Feedback from a reader in 2017 about my inarticulate language relating to the admiration of large houses in Seaview).
"Stop wasting your time on that ruddy website, the bins need taking out" (Mrs Guru, 2020).
"Do you really think we are that stupid?" (Blog comment in 2020, in response to my eight-step plan to persuade the in-laws to pay for my family to go to Blackgang Chine)
"Would look a bit better if the horizon was level" (Reaction from a Facebook user to the best photo I took in 2022).
"A lot of trudging round muddy fields" (My Mum's feedback in 2023 to one of the walks featured in our guide to the Isle of Wight's best circular walks).
"Most of its [sic] taken off Wikipedia" (Feedback from a Facebook user to our new guide to Blackgang Chine's history in 2023, which credits Wikipedia in the opening section, among other sources).
"Had to turn the discordant music off" (Feedback on Facebook in 2023 to my selection of a White Lies song to accompany a video of Sandhard Beach).
"UK's most scenic road? You need to get out more" (Comment on my 2024 YouTube video about the Military Road, which forms part of the Wighty 90 Driving Route. The commenter had the same name as a Top Gear presenter, but I can't confirm if it's really him).
"Perhaps some of us are more naturally talented and don’t rely on gimmicky tech to be a success". (Another fan of our 2024 drone video of the Military Road. Who knew tarmac was so emotive?)
"Well, this is bo***cks isnt it" (sic) (Comment from 2024 on my video of Sandown in the sunshine).
"And there you go, skint in a week" (Response on Facebook to our May half term guide. They obviously hadn't found our guides to free days out, cheap places to eat, attraction discounts, discounts on the ferry, cheap accommodation and free parking).
"One of the most unrealistic reviews I've ever seen" (Comment on Youtube from a crossbow fan, who wasn't a fan of my video - Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In - there's also a more detailed blog here).
"Terrible advice (*facepalm emoji*)" (Another fan of my Youtube guide to Which Isle of Wight Town Should I Stay In. We are still anxiously waiting to find out what Darren would consider to be better advice).
"Sandown is a dump, with Shanklin not far behind! Not a good review at all" (Yet another fan of my Youtube video about where to stay on the Island. I am starting to wonder if they didn't read the bit in the description where it says that the guide is a roundup of every town, rather than a ranking).
"What waste of license payers money (sic), the BBC is finished" (TikTok feedback to the fact that BBC South Today were doing a story about my guide to the Isle of Wight's 10 best benches. I would like to formally apologise to Lord Reith for single-handedly destroying the BBC).
"Big ageist, isn't it?" (Response to my confession that I associate Godshill with 'old dears arriving by coach, buying a new handbag and then tucking into a cream tea'. I would like to formally apologise to the UK's seven million female retirees for any offence caused.)
Related guides from Isle of Wight Guru:
Want more waffle? Try this plain english guide to the UK's best mattresses and beds, or our sister site which includes advice on holiday parks in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and the Isle of Wight