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What is it?
When did you last stay in a Guest House? Perhaps you have fond memories of
childhood weekends spent travelling to picturesque villages across the UK or more
recent trips and excursions away from the city.
Staying in a B&B can be a rewarding experience offering homely surroundings
and a relaxed atmosphere. They can be a welcome respite for weary travellers or
for those taking short breaks. If you like the idea of really being at home with
your business then running a B&B could be perfect for you.
A B&B is different from a hotel in that it will be a place that basically gives
you a bed to sleep in and your breakfast. No gyms, no health spas and no concierge
service. It is also different in that your home is at the centre of it.
“It’s different from other small businesses in that it’s domestically based and
you’re living with the business,” explains Janet Beale, who runs The Bed &
Breakfast Business course in Kendal, Cumbria for people wanting to
start their own B&B. “The majority of our students live in their home. We address
the issue of having your domestic privacy invaded, as the business becomes interwoven
with daily life.”
Who is it suited to?
Given that you are effectively opening your home to strangers, you are blurring
the edges between your business and your home life so you need to be confident and
happy with the arrangement. It is a creative profession in that you have to enjoy
cooking and making your accommodation as pleasant and welcoming as possible. It’s
also something of a lifestyle business, a job that many people will undertake with
their partners.
Beale, who has also run her own B&B since 1991, says that what stage your family’s
life is at is important: “It’s difficult with small children, as their needs for
breakfast and so on occur at the same time as your guests. Even if you have a separate
flat that you live in, you still have to have a bell to be on call.”
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