Nick Thorn Surf School

MR - 03 Feb 2006
I am one of Nick's BSA surfing Instructors and couldn't get over the e-mail wrote months ago. I'm not going to tell you how good our surf school is, but have inserted an e-mail I received from a parent of two youngsters who came to learn with us to do the job for me!!"Dear Mike Please find attached the photo as promised, it all seems such a long time ago!!! We had a fabulous time and the Millie and Alice both hired surfboards later and remembered all that you had taught them. We hope you had a brilliant summer and have managed to get back to your studies! Many Thanks"
Submitted by: Mike Auton - report abuse

A happy customer - 03 Feb 2006
I am one of Nick's BSA surfing Instructors and couldn't get over the e-mail wrote months ago. I'm not going to tell you how good our surf school is, but have inserted an e-mail I received from a parent of two youngsters who came to learn with us to do the job for me!!"Dear Mike Please find attached the photo as promised, it all seems such a long time ago!!! We had a fabulous time and the Millie and Alice both hired surfboards later and remembered all that you had taught them. We hope you had a brilliant summer and have managed to get back to your studies! Many Thanks"
Submitted by: Mike Auton - report abuse

Nick Thorn's professional attitude - 30 Oct 2005
As a psychologist, teacher, trainer, observer of people and Mother of teenager surfer, I have had the opprotunity to spend many hours over a period of seasons, to watch Nick Thorn and his staff at work. The quality of rapport Nick and the guys have with a whole range of customers, the adult-adult respect they show to even the tiniest of learners, the carefully structured teaching sessions and the general professionalism with which the Nick Thorn Surf School is run, should be held up as a beacon of good practice. Many of the teachers I have trained over 25 years could do no better than to go and spend a day shadowing Nick and his staff to pick of the true essence of teaching and learning. I have watched Nick be flexible in how he deals with people's needs. I have watched him go over and above the call of duty in terms of caring for people who hire equipment from him. My son has always been offered a good financial deal from Nick. I have watched both Nick and his staff really demonstrate what true customer care amounyts to: helping little ones struggling with their wet suits, offering free tips to non-surf-school teenagers, offering TLC when weather and conditions were difficult. Having read the negative Nick Thorn Surf School review, I'd suggest that any discerning reader would be able to read the review, especially the title of it, for what it's writer truly is. NB I don't know Nick personally, have never surfed, but am a qualified and experienced analyser of people and their psychology.
Submitted by: j leith - report abuse

All seems ok to me - 27 Oct 2005
I have just read the reveiw regarding Nick Thorn surf school being disorganised and himself being a liar. I myself have known Nick for a long time as a friend and have competed professionallyagainst him for many years. As a coach myself I would recommend anyone I know to meet nick for themselves and learn at his surf school. He is one of the an elite few surf instructors that I have met who are actually a very experienced and accomplished water men themselves and yes I can see this is emphasised on his site. I would guess this is as a unique selling point. The professionalism and organisational skills presented in Nicks approach to everything he sets his mind to is obviously what has lead to his school being one of the most respected in North Devon and the south west. At the end of the day every one is human and people make mistakes, even me sometimes. :-)
Submitted by: andrew - report abuse

Disorganised thieving liar with out of date website - 25 Aug 2005
We booked surf lessons over the phone, we were advised to be their for 9-45 am as the lessons start at 10 am (this time is also clearly displayed on their website), we arrived at 9-45am as agreed only to be told we should have been there at 9am, despite his error he assured us he will be able to fit us in. After we had paid it turned out there were no free surf tutors available so in effect we had paid for a two hour surf lesson only to receive an hour and a half wetsuit and board hire with no tuition. Understandably we expected to receive a refund as the mix up was not our fault. Despite Nick Thorn admitting he told us the wrong time and then saying he would still be able to fit us in but couldn’t, he refused to give us any refund other than in the form of a credit note which would be of little use to us as we had travelled down from Manchester for the weekend. In summary Nick Thorn is a disorganised liar who will steal your money. Do not trust anything this man says. I strongly urge you to go elsewhere. In addition their website appears to consist of a Nick Thorn ego trip with out of date lesson times.
Submitted by: Steve - report abuse