It’s B&B for me! Print E-mail
Written by Amy Willcock, 2005   

I remember staying in a B&B in Dorset with the most fantastic view along with pretty outbuildings. But their beautiful effect was ruined by the lack of a friendly face, no heating (not that it didn't have any - just that it was not on) and a terrible 'old fat' smell in the dining room. 

I thought what a pity it was that, with all the plus points, the owners had managed to get it so wrong. Having spent a childhood growing up surrounded by B&Bs - my parents had four - and now running hotels myself, I decided it was time I wrote a book about how to start and run your own perfect B&B.

As many WI members have already discovered, B&B can be the perfect way to supplement your income. Whether you are escaping the city rat race for a relaxed lifestyle in the country; are retired and looking for a way to meet new people; or are a farmer feeling the need to diversify, B&B is a good way of adding profit to the bottom line. Websites are full of people with large country houses doing B&B to supplement pensions and pay school fees.

The countryside has been badly affected by such disasters as foot-and-mouth, and rural people know they need to diversify and look at new ways to make money. I know one gamekeeper's wife who does B&B: the guns love staying with her on the farm rather than going to the nearest pub. Homemade and home-grown foods, jams and chutneys are a good sideline for the good home cook 'B&B-er'. Not only can real money be made from letting out your empty bedrooms, it is a fun and enjoyable way of life.

Before you start

Before you even begin to think of opening a B&B, there are a few key questions that you need to ask yourself and members of your family who will be affected:

What type of B&B business are you looking for?

Your location will determine whether you will get holidaymakers - if you live in the country, near the sea or a tourist attraction, weekends will be very busy.

If you live in a town or city, business people looking for weekday accommodation will be your main clientele. It is just as easy to run a B&B in a town - and indeed it can work very well because you may find that having guests Monday to Friday is enough, leaving you the weekends to yourself. Of course, once you see the money coming in it is very hard to turn people away, so you will have to be very disciplined if you do decide to put up the No Vacancy sign!

How many rooms do you have to let?

A large house is great for B&B, but even if you only have a two-bedroom house - one for you and one for your guests - you can do B&B successfully. Simply choose as many rooms as you feel you can manage to maintain and a number of guests you can easily look after.

I was talking to a woman who had recently been widowed: she was comfortably off financially, but really missed cooking for someone, so she started doing B&B. She only lets one room and it provides her with what she calls her 'gardening money'. It fulfils her need to cook and of course she is so busy that her loneliness is lessened.

Will you offer only B&B?

You might like to maximise the wonderful scenery and walking in your area by arranging special guided walks, or trips to historic places. Or you may simply want to give a room and breakfast and leave it at that. I would always advise people new to B&B to leave dinner out and give your guests a list of good pubs and restaurants in the area. Cooking an evening meal is very restricting even for the most enthusiastic cook - remember there is a lot of time needed for preparation, serving and washing up.
Is everyone happy to have guests in the house?

The B&B will probably turn out to be a family affair, so I would involve everyone living at home in the decision-making and get them on board. It is a great way for teenagers to earn pocket money!

Will I make a good host?

If you are outgoing, a good conversationalist and like to have people around you, then the answer is yes, you will make a good 'B&B-er'. If, however, you are shy and retiring with strangers and don't appreciate too many disruptions, then don't go any further.

Next steps

If you do decide to go ahead, the next step is to ensure you do your homework and can comply with all the rules and regulations. Good legal counsel is imperative these days - regulations are frequently being updated and can vary greatly from one council to another. Planning permission may need to be sought for signage and health and safety is paramount when you accept payment for people in your house.

 I also strongly advise that your have a chat with a qualified chartered account to find out what will be expected of you regarding accounts, VAT and income tax.

Once you have decided to open your B&B, you need to find your customers and attract business. Good public relations means knowing the local market and the people who work within your area. For example, the vicar of the prettiest church will have lots of weddings and that means guests needing a bed; the nearby stately home or National Trust property will be putting on events that will bring you bed nights. Marketing your B&B is easy these days - there are a plethora of guidebooks and brochures to appear in - your hardest job will be choosing the right guide.

Running a B&B can be an immensely rewarding and enjoyable experience, but there can be a down side: being that 'friendly face' 24/7 and having strangers in your house is not for everyone. In the years that my parents ran their B&Bs they never had any trouble and met many new and interesting people without having to brave the rush hour or answer to anyone but themselves. But, I'll stress again that you do need to have an outward-going personality and really like people. This may seem obvious but a lot of people go into B&B not realising how much interaction there is between host and guest.

I have found that in most cases, one of the partners runs 'behind the scenes' and one is the 'front of house' which works very well. In a nutshell, you have to like people, be organised, a keen cook, friendly, affable and have mounds and mounds of patience and tact in the face of the most difficult members of the public! Every member of your household will inevitably become involved at some stage or another and it is imperative to get them all on your side and involved - even the dog!

For more tips on running your own B&B, including furnishing your rooms, dealing with all rules and regulations, cooking the perfect breakfast and becoming an expert at marketing your business, see Amy Willcock's B&B Know-How, published by Ebury Press.
 
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