Luxury B&B Magazine - December 2018

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HOT DRINK SPECIAL WHAT’S HOT THIS WINTER?

LUXURY B&B AWARDS IS YOUR B&B A CONTENDER FOR ONE OF OUR 2019 AWARDS?

PLUS!

AMERICAN BREAKFAST

SPRUCE UP YOUR ASSORTMENT WITH PANCAKES AND MUFFINS

UK’S FIRST

LUXURY

B&B MAGAZINE WWW.LUXURYBBMAG.CO.UK • ISSUE 33 • DECEMBER 2018

STAY FULLY CHARGED WITH NO STRINGS ATTACHED Introducing the HW4, a Qi wireless charging Bluetooth audio bedside stereo alarm clock with speakerphone. With two high-powered USB ports and a wireless charging pad, guests can charge up to three devices at once. Alarms are easy to set and the Single Day Alarm feature means they won’t be disturbed by the previous guests’ settings. For more information, contact Chris Brunt at hotelorders@hoteltech.com, 00 1 888 744 6835, ext. 370 www.hoteltechnologies.com

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© Hotel Technologies, LLC. iHome is a registered trademark of SDI Technologies, Inc. iPhone, and iPod are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

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Welcome This month I am proud to announce the judging panel for the 2019 Luxury Bed & Breakfast Awards. The inaugural awards programme has been created to help to raise the bar of excellence in this sector even higher than it already is, and the judges all have invaluable insight into what stands out in a high-end B&B. In this issue we provide you with details of the 2019 Awards for Excellence in Luxury, the complete range of the awards to be presented, the background of the judges making the decision as to who the winners will be, and, crucially, how you can go about applying to be nominated for the award you feel your B&B deserves to win. We also unveil the deadline for entries and provide you with details of the awards ceremony in May (page 4). Heading the panel of judges is Bed & Breakfast association chairman David Weston. In this issue he H[SODLQV WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI WKH DZDUGV VSHFLȴFDOO\ targeting the luxury end of the B&B market, and how they complement existing independent hospitality awards such as the eviivo Awards, which are presented each year during the week of the annual Independent Hotel Show. Having experienced the exceptionally high standard of luxury and attention to detail among the owners of luxury B&Bs around the country in the past 15 months as editor, I am looking forward to receiving applications DQG ZLWQHVVLQJ WKH SURIHVVLRQDOLVP WKDW GHȴQHV WKH luxury B&B market.

NEWS

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Industry news from around the UK

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COMMENT B&B Association chairman David Weston

YOUR BUSINESS AND YOU Industry consultant Tina Boden explains the importance of well-being

PROFILE A lifetime’s collection of antiques and curios illuminate the character of a Harrogate chapel converted into a B&B

BREAKFAST ASSORTMENT Guests visiting from the United States appreciate the homefrom-home touch

OUT OF EDEN Holly Alderson takes a look at fashionable hot drinks to serve this winter

COFFEE MACHINES Sharpen up guest bedroom appeal and the breakfast area

A MATTER OF TASTE Trends in tea and growing popularity in emerging variations

SAFEKEEPING Balance an informal home feel to your B&B with any demand for lock and key

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FULLY COVERED

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Bill Lumley

Editor

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DATE - 9 May 2019 VENUE - Crypt on the Green, London DRESS CODE - Black Tie Following much preparation, we are proud to announce the official launch of the inaugural Luxury Bed & Breakfast Excellence in Luxury Service Awards. The awards span categories both for B&B owners and suppliers ranging from Best Luxury Seaside B&B to Best Luxury Breakfast Product. The ultimate purpose of the awards is to recognise and promote excellence in luxury across the UK B&B market and thus help raise even higher the existing bar on standards in the high-end UK B&B market. We are also delighted to announce the judges of the awards. The panel comprises Bed & Breakfast Association chairman David Weston; B&B business adviser Tina Boden of the B&B Keeper and the Tiny Troubleshooter; owner of The Chapel luxury B&B in Harrogate Mark Hinchliffe; Be My Guest event director Diane Lloyd; B&B coach Yvonne Halling; and Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine editor Bill Lumley. The winners will be announced at a central London awards ceremony on 9 May at the Crypt on the Green, Clerkenwell, on the edge of the City of London. David Weston said: “I was delighted to be asked to be a judge in Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine’s first annual awards.

“I hope the new awards will complement established awards such as those run by the AA and eviivo, and add a new, luxury-focused element to the national awards scene, and new opportunities for the owners of high-end properties to showcase their businesses.” Diane Lloyd, event director for Be My Guest Events, said: “We are delighted to support JLD Media and Luxury Bed

& Breakfast magazine on their inaugural Award series in 2019. It will be the perfect showcase for B&B owners up and down the country who are committed to delivering customer service of the highest order and delightful guest experiences. We can’t wait to read the entries and to see the winners awarded their deserved accolades.” Fellow judge and winner of this year’s Vision Style Award for Picture Perfect B&B The Chapel owner Mark Hinchliffe added: “I am delighted to be invited to be appointed as a panel judge for the 2019 Luxury Bed & Breakfast awards. These awards will help keep the high-end B&B market on its toes when it comes to enhancing its luxury appeal.” HOW TO ENTER Submitting your entry is straightforward. Go to luxurybbmag.co.uk/awards and complete the online form. Deadline for entries is 31 March 2019. A shortlist of nominations for the awards will be announced in April, ahead of the awards ceremony in London 9 May.

WWW.LUXURYBBMAG.CO.UK

JUDGES

Tina Boden Founder The Tiny Troubleshooter

Yvonne Halling Consultant B&B Business Coach

Mark Hinchliffe Owner The Chapel, Harrogate

Diane Lloyd Event Director Be My Guest

Bill Lumley Editor Luxury Bed & Breakfast

David Weston Chairman Bed & Breakfast Association

CATEGORIES INCLUDE Best Overall Luxury experience Best Luxury Seaside B&B Best Luxury Rural B&B Best Luxury Urban B&B Best Luxury Romantic Getaway Most Inspired Design Best Culinary Experience Best Luxury Renovation Best Use of Locally Sourced Produce Best Events Facility Best Wow-Factor

Best E-Commerce Website Best Excellence in Customer Service Best Room Booking Software Best Luxury Cleaning Product Best Luxury Bathroom Product Best Luxury Bedroom Product Best Luxury Breakfast Product Best Rural High-Speed Internet Provider Grand Prix

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EDITOR

Bill Lumley bill.lumley@jld-media.co.uk 07710 271 099 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Caroline Sargent 07076 362082 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Matthew Attwood 07710 271 099 NORTHERN IRELAND EDITOR

Francis Higney 07710 271 099 SALES MANAGER

Frankie Butler frankie.butler@jld-media.co.uk 07590 297 877 DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Stuart West stuart.west@jld-media.co.uk PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Helen Richmond helen.richmond@jld-media.co.uk 07765 008 507 No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. We regret we cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all materials submitted. The opinions and views expressed in Luxury Bed & Breakfast are not necessarily those of JLD Media. Being subject to the Advertising Standards Authority guidelines in place at the time of going to press, all data submitted by advertisers and contained in their advertising copy is accepted by JLD Media in good faith. Luxury Bed & Breakfast is available on subscription. UK & Ireland ÂŁ65; Overseas ÂŁ98. Luxury Bed & Breakfast is published monthly. Printed by Stephens & George Ltd

Luxury Bed & Breakfast JLD Media, 29 - 31 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LS www.luxurybbmag.co.uk All rights reserved Š JLD Media 2018

UKHospitality highlights sector action on reducing plastic waste Hospitality representatives have responded to the Government’s consultation on banning plastic straws and stirrers, citing positive ongoing initiatives by the sector in the area of conservation. But the industry has issued a warning that a mandatory ban in the proposed timeframe could damage business and undermine existing measures to reduce waste being taken by businesses such as inns, cafes, B&Bs and hotels. The consultation, which was launched in October, closed early this month. It followed the provisional announcement of a ban on the distribution and sale of plastic straws, plastic drinks stirrers and plastic-stemmed cotton buds in England by the Prime Minister at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in April. According to the consultation document, sinJOH XVH SODVWLFV DUH DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK QHJDWLYH HÎ?HFWV on the environment if they are littered or discarded incorrectly after their use. They damage terrestrial and marine life, and there are costs associated with their clean-up and externality costs imposed on the WRXULVP DQG Č´VKLQJ LQGXVWULHV ZKHQ WKH\ DUH LQFRUrectly disposed of. A DEFRA spokesman said: “This consultation aims to address the impact of plastic straws, plastic stemmed cotton buds and plastic drink stirrers on the environment. Everyone is welcome to reply to this consultation including manufacturers, trade representatives, retailers, wholesalers, environmental groups, waste management organisations, scientists, Non-Governmental organisations and members of the public.â€? 7UDGH DVVRFLDWLRQ 8.+RVSLWDOLW\ ZHOFRPHG HÎ?RUWV

to reduce the use of single-use plastic and has highlighted voluntary measures already being undertaken by hospitality businesses. The trade body’s aim is to minimise single-use plastics as far as possible, in a timely manner that also HQVXUHV WKH LQWURGXFWLRQ RI DÎ?RUGDEOH DOWHUQDWLYHV WR avoid extra burdens and costs for businesses, according to chief executive Kate Nicholls who said she is fully supportive of measures to cut plastic waste, but warned that a mandatory ban on the use of plastic straws in the proposed timeframe would cause problems for the sector. “Imposing a ban in such a short space of time may undermine measures that are already in place and increase burdens and costs,â€? she said. “Hospitality businesses are leaders in reducing or eliminating the use of single-use plastics. This proactive work is to be encouraged and we support our PHPEHUV LQ WKHLU HÎ?RUWV WR UHGXFH ZDVWH “It should also be remembered that many of our FXVWRPHUV KDYH VSHFLČ´F QHHGV IRU UHTXLULQJ D VWUDZ and a blanket ban on plastic straws could discriminate against them if alternatives are not readily available.â€? UKHospitality is a signatory of WRAP’s Plastic Pact, ZKLFK DLPV WR VLJQLČ´FDQWO\ UHGXFH SODVWLF XVH ZLWKLQ hospitality by 2025. It has also worked very closely with other industry bodies such as the British Institute of Innkeeping to promote awareness and share best practice. Worldwide co-friendly practices are becoming the norm in the hospitality industry. People now expect it. Accommodation providers are now starting to consider the environmental impact on everything they use; IURP SODVWLF VWUDZV WR WKH QHHG IRU OLJKWV WR VZLWFK RÎ? automatically when a guest vacates a bedroom.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 6 - December 2018

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US visitor numbers show strong recovery Luxury B&B properties and hotels in the 8. EHQHČ´WHG IURP D ULVH LQ YLVLWRUV IURP the US during the second half of NovemEHU DV ČľLJKW ERRNLQJV VKRZHG D ULVH RI 20% compared with the same period in 2017. The rise in American visitors reverses a drop in US visitor numbers recorded LQ WKH Č´UVW KDOI RI WKH \HDU ZKHQ Č´JXUHV ZHUH GRZQ E\ XS WR LQ WKH Č´UVW VL[ months of the year. Data from traveller data specialist ForZDUG.H\V VKRZV ČľLJKW ERRNLQJV IURP WKH 86 to the UK were up 20% during Thanksgiving week from 18 to 24 November compared with the corresponding week last year. The increase echoes a longer-term trend with forward bookings from the US to the UK up 27% from November 2018 to April

2019 compared to the same period in 2018, according to the analysis. The US is the UK’s most valuable inbound visitor market for tourism spend. Visitors from the US spent a record ÂŁ3.6 billion across the UK last year, up 9% on the previous year. Visits from the US grew 13% to 3.9 million in 2017, the highest since 2000. VisitBritain director Patricia Yates said: “We want the UK to be the number one destination for US travellers, so it is great to see forward bookings looking strong in the coming weeks and months from our most valuable visitor market. With our hotels and shops, our visitor attractions and accommoGDWLRQ RÎ?HULQJ JUHDW YDOXH IRU 86 WUDYHOOHUV LW is a great time to book a trip.

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VisitBritain’s global campaign ‘I Travel For‌’ was launched this year in the US and is shining the spotlight on unexpected experiences and less explored destinations across the UK alongside its globally renowned and iconic landmarks and attractions, to drive tourism across the nations and regions. US perceptions of the UK as a visitor destination are strong. The US ranked the UK second overall out of 50 nations for its overall brand in the 2018 Anholt Nation Brands Index, up one place on 2017 and HTXDOOLQJ LWV KLJKHVW UDQNLQJ HYHU 7KH 86 also rated the UK highly for its vibrant cities and urban attractions, its historic buildings and monuments. See American breakfast, page 22

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Be My Guest announces 2019 regional events The organisers of Be My Guest, the conference and exhibition series dedicated to independent accommodation providers in the UK, have announced they will be staging WKHLU ȴUVW WZR HYHQWV RI LQ WKH 6SULQJ 7KH ȴUVW WKH 6RXWK FRDVW HGLWLRQ ZLOO EH held in Bournemouth in February, and the second will take place in Scarborough in North Yorkshire in March. ΖQ LWV ȴUVW \HDU RI RSHUDWLRQ WKH %H 0\ Guest events programme covered a range of regions across the UK including the South coast in Southampton, Southwest England LQ 7RUTXD\ +DUURJDWH LQ 1RUWK <RUNVKLUH Glasgow in Scotland, Carlisle in Northwest England and Skegness in the East Midlands. Following Bournemouth and Scarborough, the location of the remaining events in 2019 DUH WR EH FRQȴUPHG EXW RQH RI WKHVH ZLOO EH in Wales and another in either the Heart of England or East Anglia.

Referring to the coming year’s programme co-director Jim Curry told Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “Bournemouth has a rich history and tradition of hospitality, so we are really looking forward to going down to see the town and putting on a show for the accommodation providers of the south coast region.â€? 7KH HYHQW ZLOO DOVR Č´OO WKH YRLG OHIW E\ FORsure in 2017 of the Hotel Retail and Catering Exhibition, he said. “We think it is the perfect time to come back into that market with a fresh new event for B&B owners in the area. We’re really working hard in order to deliver a fantastic event for them.â€? He and event director Diane Lloyd plan to build on the success the various regional events achieved in 2018, he said. “One of the factors behind this format was that the central hubs for events tend to take place in major cities like London or Birmingham. The audience of independent accommodation

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 8 - December 2018

providers such as luxury B&Bs and inns are hard-working and tied to their property and businesses, and we wanted to ensure that we could create an event that would be of value to them, worthy of a day out but not involving too much travel for them. These were the principles on which we built Be My Guest.â€? He added: “In 2019 we are looking to introduce a small farmers’ market of local food and drink manufacturers and producers at each event. We had a great success with the local suppliers at the southwest HGLWLRQ RI WKH HYHQW LQ 7RUTXD\ DQG ZH ZDQW to see whether that is something we can build upon. As the past year’s events were rolled out it turned out to be just the format this particular industry needed, he claimed. “The IHHGEDFN IRU RXU Č´UVW \HDU KDV EHHQ H[FHOOHQW and the buzz around the events has led to DSSURDFKHV E\ ORFDO WRXULVP RÉ?FHV WR UXQ LQ GLÎ?HUHQW DUHDV

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7KH VKRZ SURJUDPPH LQ LWV Č´UVW \HDU ZDV QRW ZLWKRXW LWV FKDOOHQJHV KH VDLG ČŠ:H ČľHZ up to Glasgow and set up the exhibition hall, went to bed prepared for the event the following day. Then we opened our curtains to see a foot of snow had fallen overnight. “By this stage the venue was booked and open, so the show had to go on. In the events world there are certain unforeseen situations you can tailor to accommodate DQG LQČľXHQFH EXW ZHDWKHU LV RQH ZKHUH \RX are beholden to the gods.â€? Despite the appalling weather conditions, he said, a young couple who ran a portfolio of holiday rental cottages managed to make their way to the venue that morning, bringing with them their 16-mnonth-old EDE\ ČŠ<RX KDYH WR WDNH \RXU KDWV RÎ? WR VXFK SHRSOH IRU ZKRP QR HÎ?RUW LV WRR JUHDW WR ensure they are present at their region’s Be My Guest event,â€? he said. “Without visitors you don’t have an event, so you have to tailor the show for exactly what they want, whether that is business support, business learning, networking or in the case of independent accommodation providers a combination of all of these,â€? said Curry. “On the exhibitor front you have to deliver an ROI for them, and it’s a matter of getting the balance right between meeting the exhibitors’ needs and those of the visitor, and that is something we have managed to achieve this year. We don’t sell against scale EXW DJDLQVW TXDOLW\ VR ZH DUH QHYHU JRLQJ WR compete with the big shows that have 5,000 to 10,000 visitors,â€? he explained. “Many visitors of the big shows are not relevant to the exhibitors – they are tyre-kickers, students

and so forth. By contrast everybody who walks through the door of Be My Guest is an independent accommodation provider: a decision-maker and a budget holder who is LQWHUHVWHG LQ Č´QGLQJ QHZ WKLQJV Č‹ That rings true at the events, he said. “I had a conversation with an exhibitor who VDLG WKH\ ZHUH LQLWLDOO\ KHVLWDQW RYHU WKH Č´JXUHV WKH\ KDG WR VHOO LQWR KHDG RÉ?FH EXW DV D UHVXOW RI WKH Č´UVW HYHQW ZH DUH QRZ JRLQJ to lock into all the events in future. That is being true to the model and to the industry.â€? The Be My Guest team are always looking WR UHČ´QH WKH IRUPDW RI WKH FRQFHSW KH VDLG ČŠ:H DUH ORRNLQJ DW GLÎ?HUHQW H[KLELWRU SURČ´OHV encompassing big multi-national tech players, ORFDO GHVWLQDWLRQV DQG LQGXVWU\ VSHFLČ´F H[hibitors such as professional catering or linen suppliers. We are looking at a whole host of options on the 2019 Be My Guest programme. $V D UHVXOW RI WKH VXFFHVV RI WKH Č´UVW \HDU DUH EHLQJ DSSURDFKHG E\ GLÎ?HUHQW FRPSDQLHV LQ GLÎ?HUHQW VHFWRUV WR UXQ UHJLRQDO URDG VKRZV “At each event we are learning something new. Despite the well-attended nature of the conference programme in 2018, we always look to improve the speaker line up on each edition and we are always open to suggestions.â€? +DOI D GR]HQ GLÎ?HUHQW WRSLFV KDYH EHHQ suggested on the visitor feedback forms following this year’s events conveying topics what they covered at the next event. “That is what we are looking to build into the Bournemouth and Scarborough editions. We will then see how they work and either include them in editions later in the year,â€? he said. The 2018 conference programme included presentations by Vicky Parr from Visit Eng-

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 9 - December 2018

land, explaining the agency’s projects and initiatives to help independent guest house owners build their business; from Krishan Kadodwala form Expedia Group delving into the data on accommodation businesses; from Google Digital Garage; from Kate Morel at the Glamping Guru; Tina Boden The Tiny Troubleshooter; B&B business success coach <YRQQH +DOOLQJ RQ EHDWLQJ FDVKČľRZ EOXHV and from chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association David Weston on the challenges and opportunities of the UK’s break from the European Union. Be My Guest is also looking to step up its focus on the glamping experience, he said. “It is a market with great traction, one we are really keen on, and with great scope. It ranges from the canvas teepee or the shepherd’s KXW WR KLJK HQG JODPSLQJ SRGV WKDW UHTXLUH planning permission. Glamping is one of those areas like the farmers market that is of interest to us. It is not of interest to every visitor to the events, but interest is certainly JURZLQJ LQ WKLV Č´HOG H[FXVH WKH SXQ ΖWȇV VWLOO work in progress. “We are really keen to build upon the early success that we have had in 2018,â€? concluded Jim. The event organisers will also be partnering with Home Away for a short-stay event in London in March 2019 dedicated to the growing trend in hospitality, property and technology for serviced accommodation holiday rental property owners, for which he says there is a certain amount of overlap with Be My Guest.

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- Comment / Bed & Breakfast Association -

Everyone a Winner Hospitality awards programmes have a benefical impact across industry as success breeds success, says David Weston

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Chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association.

ften over the years when I have arranged conferences or events for B&B owners, the most popular stage sessions are not just the top specialist experts or industry bigwigs, but other B&B owners who have achieved huge success or been recognised by awards. Those who run B&Bs are always keen to hear the “secrets of successâ€? of their peers who have won accolades in the same trade. As I’ve said on these pages before, those ČŠWRSČ‹ % %V RIWHQ KDYH YHU\ GLÎ?HUHQW UHFLSLHV for success – especially in how they approach marketing and distribution. But in the basics of our trade, there are always some common factors: attention to detail, an empathy with and focus on people; and a generous spirit. In a word, hospitality. Good people in any walk of life are keen to emulate – or beat – the best, so awards have D EHQHČ´FLDO HÎ?HFW DFURVV WKH LQGXVWU\ KHOSLQJ to drive up the overall standard of quality of B&Bs, guest houses and boutique hotels, and giving the industry the chance to examine itself and recognise what it is doing well, celebrate the best and encourage participants to aim for higher standards. This gradually ratchets up standards overall, raising the bar. The best are rewarded, and the rest are trying to raise their game - making everyone a winner, so to speak. Not least our guests, of course – and hence the UK’s tourism industry. So I was delighted to be asked to be a judge in Luxury Bed & Breakfast 0DJD]LQHȇV Č´UVW annual “Luxury Bed & Breakfast Awardsâ€? for 2019. The Awards will recognise excellence in WKH Č´HOG RI SUHVHQWDWLRQ DQG IDFLOLWLHV LQ VHYeral categories – these are not only geographical (best seaside, rural and urban Luxury B&B), but also include “Most Inspired Luxury B&B Designâ€? and even “Greatest Wow-Factorâ€?. I hope the new Luxury Bed & Breakfast Awardsâ€? will compliment established awards such as those run by the AA and eviivo, and

add a new, luxury-focused element to the national awards scene, and new opportunities for the owners of high-end properties to showcase their businesses. Every reader of Luxury Bed & Breakfast Magazine should consider those opportunities – detailed elsewhere in this issue – and, if you are proud of your business, I would urge you to apply for consideration for one of the awards. Good luck! The Bed & Breakfast Association is the UK trade association for B&B, guest house and independent hotel owners, and exists to inform, support & represent owners. Membership costs £60 a year. The Association is a non-profit organization with no shareholders, dedicated solely to the interests of its members. www.bandbassociation.org

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 11 - December 2018

- Comment / Bed & Breakfast Association -

Your Business and You As 2018 draws to a close, many B&B owners will be looking forward to some downtime, while others will be wondering from where they are going to draw the strength to continue in their 52-weeks-a-year, seven-days-a-week business. In the first of a series of articles B&B business adviser Tina Boden examines the importance of well-being.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 12 - December 2018

- Comment / Bed & Breakfast Association -

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n this day and age of permanent connectivity, endless marketing channels, pressure of on-line travel agents and the need to achieve perfection to keep ratings high, running a hospitality business comes with more added stress than ever before. Whether you are running the business on your own or with a partner, it is important that you share the load, take time out, and try not to be all things to all people. It is vital that you not only maintain your well-being but that of your business, because both have an impact on each other.

MASTER OF YOUR OWN DESTINY As the business owner and operator, you are the master of your own destiny, so make sure you are in control of your business and not the other way round. Look at the things you are good at, and at WKH ZRUN \RX SXW RÎ? ΖI \RX DUH D SDUWQHUVKLS it is important that you know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You have to accept that you cannot be good at everything, and establish whether there are gaps that you need WR Č´OO WR HQVXUH DOO WKH DVSHFWV RI UXQQLQJ \RXU B&B business are covered, including sales and marketing, administration and accounting. If there are areas of running the business you struggle with then look to get support IURP D SURIHVVLRQDO LQ WKDW Č´HOG :H DUH QR longer just a nation of shopkeepers but also a country of freelancers. Thanks to technology, PDQ\ VHUYLFH SURYLGHUV RÎ?HU YLUWXDO DVVLVWDQFH IURP WKHLU RÉ?FH ZKHUHYHU WKH\ DUH LQ WKH world and will not charge you a fortune for their time. A professional can get the work you do not want to do in half the time, enabling you to focus on the roles you are good at and spend time working on the business as well as in it. Doing this is likely to generate more income to help pay for that additional support.

MAKE A PLAN Taking time to plan is important. You may feel as though you do not have the time to do it, but two or three hours now can free up hours in the year ahead. Buy a planner, preferably one where you can not only write what you are doing, but one you can make notes in as well (scribble space is essential), a notebook,

a pencil and an eraser. If you run your business in partnership then you must ensure you plan together, HYHQ LI \RX FUHDWH \RXU RZQ LGHDV Č´UVW /RRN at four key areas of achievement both in the business and your personal life and set your goals around them for the year ahead: • What you want to improve decorating bedrooms, increasing \RXU Č´WQHVV UHJLPH LQWURGXFLQJ QHZ things to the breakfast menu. • What you want to create – a new garden space, more free time, building an extension. • What you want to learn – how to create videos to promote your bed and breakfast, a new language, more about the local attractions in your area. • :KDW \RX ZDQW WR GR GLÎ?HUHQWO\ WR improve your quality of life – plan for UHWLUHPHQW JR RXW IRU GLQQHU PRUH Č´QG a relief manager so you can take a break. Once you have created the targets, put all the commitments you have already made for 2019, indicate high season, mid season and low season and anything else you want to include in the planner. Then you can schedule in time to achieve your goals. Remember small steps towards big goals is key.

UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU NEED TO EARN This may sound obvious, but everyone’s earning WDUJHWV DUH GLÎ?HUHQW 1R RQH EX\V D % % WR EHcome a millionaire, and if they do they are delusional, but it is important you know why you are running your business. Whether for lifestyle RU EXVLQHVV SXUSRVHV FDVKČľRZ SUHGLFWLRQV and knowledge of what you have to achieve in monthly income and expenditure are essential. As part of looking ahead to the new year, make sure you understand what bookings you need to take and how you can reduce overheads while maintaining standards. This could bring you additional income with little or no extra work.

TAKE TIME OUT A key area in your planning for 2019 is making sure you take time out. Get some downtime

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 13 - December 2018

scheduled in now and do not compromise on it. A two-hour walk twice a week can free up VSDFH LQ \RXU PLQG DOORZ LGHDV WR ČľRZ DQG will relieve stress. You spend so much time looking after others do not forget to take care of yourself, your partner and your family. 0DNH VXUH \RX IRFXV Č´QG WKH ZD\ DQG IUHH up time so that your brain is not on permanent overdrive and that fun is something you can be sure of in 2019. If your well-being is as JRRG DV LW FDQ EH WKLV ZLOO UHČľHFW WKURXJK DOO you do in your business.

The Tiny Troubleshooter The B & B Keeper Co-founder #MicroBizMatters Day m tina@tinaboden.com N +44 7515 288307 T @MicroBizGirl F Tina Boden The Tiny Troubleshooter A @thetinytroubleshooter w www.thetinytroubleshooter.com w www.thebandbkeeper.com w www.microbizmatters.co.uk

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 14 - December 2018

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- 3URČ´OH The Chapel -

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he original Weslyan chapel was built in 1896 with an ornate façade styled on the baroque Italianate Church designs and lavish architecture of the late 18th century. It had the capacity for a congregation of 1,000, but over the past couple of decades it had fallen out of use and was eventually left empty for several years. In 2009 the building was granted Grade II listed status by National Heritage, now +LVWRULF (QJODQG ZKLFK KDV KHDYLO\ LQČľXHQFHG WKH FDUH ZLWK ZKLFK RZQHU 0DUN +LQFKOLÎ?H has redesigned and transformed the property since he bought it in 2013. 7KH FRQYHUWHG &KDSHO QRZ KDV Č´YH JXHVW bedrooms each with an eccentric and eclectic GHVLJQ WR UHČľHFW D PL[ RI GLÎ?HUHQW HUDV 7KH rooms are the Balcony Suite, the Gordon Reece Indian Suite, the Chinese Opium Suite, the Napoleon Blue Suite and the Yellow Suite. The venue also features an open 50-foot high atrium, which makes it ideal for hosting corporate events and wedding receptions, DQG RÎ?HUV D VWXQQLQJ ORFDWLRQ IRU Č´OP 79 and photography shots. Outside is a private garden for drinks and receptions. Helpful and welcoming to all his guests, Mark is laid back when it comes to the format of weddings and wedding receptions. “It’s your wedding, I say, so stage it how you would wish.â€?

Every part of the 8,000sq ft property has been designed to a particular theme. Each of WKH Č´YH JXHVW EHGURRPV LV RI D WRWDOO\ HFOHFWLF design that has come about from his love of travelling and collecting items from the places he has visited. He runs the B&B with his partner Heidi Donohoe, who is also a collector, although he adds: “She’s not as bad as me. I’ve been a FROOHFWRU DOO P\ OLIH VLQFH SLFNLQJ XS P\ Č´UVW fossil as a child on the beach at Whitby.â€? 6HHLQJ Č´UVW KDQG WKH IXOO H[WHQW RI KLV lifelong collection of items from around the world on display in the Chapel I am drawn to ask the question as to where he has been keeping it all over the years. The answer is friends of his with a large house, in their barn, and he also had two 60-foot shipping containers. Then there were various bits and pieces of his collections stored in his parents’ garage, and much of the art he had collected over the years was also on the walls of other friends’ properties. “It’s been a case of mapping ZKHUH VWXÎ? LV Č‹ KH VD\V :KHQ KH ERXJKW WKH SURSHUW\ Č´YH \HDUV DJR the sale included an attached Sunday School, now converted into a four-bedroom property. He says, “It would have been nice to have kept it, but the cost of converting that and still keeping the money to do up the chapel would have

been completely impossible,� he says. As we stand in the beautiful, spacious surrounds of the B&B, he brings home the H[WHQW WR ZKLFK WKH EXLOGLQJ KDV EHHQ WUDQVIRUPHG Ȋ:KHQ ZH ZDONHG LQ IRU WKH ȴUVW WLPH after buying it, nothing had changed since the last service was held here. There was an open copy of the Bible near the altar, and the candle had gone out,� he says. He assures me it is not haunted.

SO WHY HOSPITALITY? Before taking on the Chapel B&B Mark had been working on all kinds of artistic and design jobs, which included renovating a variety of three- and four-bedroom town houses in Harrogate over the years. “I enjoy both the renovation and the hospitality. That’s how the B&B came about. Having undertaken and completed the work, it has become a sharing H[SHULHQFH LWȇV QRW MXVW DERXW OLYLQJ LQ KHUH DOO by myself, closing the doors on the rest of the world,â€? he stresses. “Underpinning the mindset that gave birth to the B&B, the thoughts were: I can restore this amazing building, I’ve been collecting a long time, and I’ve got a lot of things to share with people.â€? The Chapel is of course of Italian design, and Mark says: “The Italians are good at that sort of thing. It’s not just about ownership: I’m the caretaker of an amazing building that I am looking after, and when I go somebody else will take up the reigns of looking after it.â€?

ECCENTRIC DESIGN The renovated building is packed with an abundance of strikingly unusual items blended to create the awe-inspiring design of the B&B, a full description of which would take many more pages to convey. “I already had this idea of dividing the VSDFH RQ WKH JURXQG ČľRRU EHFDXVH RI WKH sheer scale of it. I decided to split the ground ČľRRU VSDFH XS LQWR D ODGLHVȇ ERXGRLU DQG D gentleman’s club room, with a nod to the old 9LFWRULDQ HWKLFV Č‹ KH VD\V We step into the ladies' boudoir. It is SDLQWHG LQ D VXQČľRZHU \HOORZ ZLWK RQH ZDOO GHFRUDWHG XVLQJ 9LFWRULDQ VHZLQJ PDFKLQHV Two Broadwood square pianos dating from the 1820s sit back-to-back, acting as an eleJDQW EDU DQG VWDFNHG ZLWK DQ HFOHFWLF PL[ RI ostrich and peacock feathers, together with three black, ebonised standing lamps, one of the lampshades being a 1920s ladies’ hat with Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 16 - December 2018

- 3URÈ´OH The Chapel -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 17 - December 2018

- 3URÈ´OH The Chapel -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 18 - December 2018

- 3URČ´OH The Chapel -

swan feather decoration. :H FURVV WKH ČľRRU WR WKH JHQWOHPDQȇV URRP It is decorated with an impressive range of military jackets and uniform. “I have a love of uniforms as an aesthetic, and a slight addiction to wearing them myself,â€? Mark VD\V ČŠ7KH\ DUH QRW WKDW H[SHQVLYH WR EX\ DQG WKH\ ORRN DPD]LQJ HYRNLQJ WKH ROG 9LFWRULDQ gentleman club conversation, with swirling tobacco plumes.â€? The rear hallway entrance at the Chapel LV Č´OOHG ZLWK D ZDOO FRYHULQJ SKRWRPRQWDJH displaying all manner of images relating to travel, design and artists.

COMMUNAL DINING Breakfast at the Chapel takes place around a large antique wooden farmhouse table that seats 10 people. “When you sit down to breakfast here it is rather like when you are sat at home. There are people from all over the country or even from all over the world, and all RI D VXGGHQ \RX MXVW VWDUW Č´QGLQJ WKDW FRPPRQ denominator with someone else sat around the table. It’s the art of conversation,â€? he says. “We’re often all on our iPads, we all live in a fast society nowadays, so it is nice to put the iPad down and get back to the art of conversation and community and chatting about things one-to-one. That communal table really does facilitate that.â€? +H UHČľHFWV ȊΖWȇV QLFH PHHWLQJ SHRSOH :HȇYH met some incredible and interesting characters, and they do start to become almost like \RXU H[WHQGHG IDPLO\ 7KH SHRSOH ZKR VWD\ here tend to be interested in architecture, design, art and travel.â€? 7RJHWKHU ZLWK +HLGL KH LV WU\LQJ WR NHHS 9LFtorian eccentricity alive. “It’s almost as if much of the world is yet to be discovered,â€? he says. “A quarter of a century ago you’d disappear on \RXU WUDYHOV LQWR 6RXWK $PHULFD IRU H[DPSOH DQG QRERG\ ZRXOG KHDU IURP \RX IRU WKH QH[W three months. Nowadays you can be Skyping somebody from anywhere in the world, whereas 25 years ago you just couldn’t do that. In a way it has killed the adventurous spirit of travel: you can be in the Galapagos islands DQG VWLOO VKDUH \RXU H[SHULHQFHV OLYH ZLWK \RXU family and friends back home,â€? he laments.

HARROGATE Harrogate is an incredible spa town built from WKH ZHDOWK RI 9LFWRULDQV EXW KXQGUHGV RI \HDUV earlier in the 16th century it was thriving as D VSD WRZQ 0DUN H[SODLQV ZK\ ȊΖW EHFDPH Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 19 - December 2018

- 3URČ´OH The Chapel -

wealthy because if you were coming 50 miles IURP <RUN RU IXUWKHU DČ´HOG LQ <RUNVKLUH \RX had to be wealthy, for you would always run the risk of being robbed on your way here. Wealthy people would come with someone on horseback as a body guard or protector, to use the mineral spa waters here known even 500 years ago known as healing waters. So it originally became a wealthy town for that reason

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 20 - December 2018

- 3URČ´OH The Chapel -

alone: you had to be quite wealthy to come here. Travelling the roads in the 15th and 16th century was an unsafe thing to do,� he says. 7KH UHVW RI WKH ZHDOWK FDPH IURP WKH 9LFWRrian mill owners and the philanthropic people who had made their money in such places as the clothing mills, he says. “That’s architecturally how it got built with these big villas, of which there are so many in Harrogate,� says Mark.

FOUR IN A BED

GUEST ENGAGEMENT

The Chapel has recently been on a winning VWUHDN ΖQ 2FWREHU LW ZRQ Č´UVW SUL]H IRU 3LFWXUH 3HUIHFW % % LQ WKH 9LVLRQ 6W\OH $ZDUGV and last month the property was the winner in a week-long competition in the Channel )RXU UHDOLW\ 79 VHULHV )RXU LQ D EHG “We’d never watched the show before,â€? says Mark. “When the production team rang up to invite us to take part, we watched two sessions to get an idea of the programme and then simply went on the show, with no agenda. “You do get highs and lows, as well as meetLQJ D PL[ RI LQWHUHVWLQJ SHRSOH :KHQ \RX DUH judging other people’s properties, you tend WR Č´QG WKDW ZKDW WZR SHRSOH FDOO JRRG FDQ EH WZR FRPSOHWHO\ GLÎ?HUHQW WKLQJV GHSHQGLQJ RQ \RXU VWDQGDUGV 7KH H[SHULHQFH ZDV DERXW going on the show and showcasing what the chapel is all about.â€? The Four in a Bed series unfolded during one week in November on Channel Four “like a Shakespeare playâ€?, he says, with “humour, tragedy and deceitâ€?. +H H[SODLQV ČŠ:KHQ \RX ZDWFK WKH VKRZ from the beginning of the week to the end, you see how the story is layered, and who is saying what. It’s easy to look back and claim we could see something coming, but when you are actuDOO\ LQ LW DQG Č´OPLQJ LW RYHU WZR ZHHNV WR PDNH D ZHHNȇV 79 \RX UHDOO\ KDYH QR LGHD “We were just being genuine, checking and looking at various aspects of each of the B&Bs we were judging. They were all nice people, apart from one couple with a strategy to win. Our property was the last to be judged by the other contestants. In such a situation you don’t hear the feedback, and you are also very cleverly chaperoned during the day, so you don’t get a chance to talk to everybody else as you would do in a normal scenario.â€? He adds: “When you stay at a B&B on this show you all stay in separate places the previous night, so you don’t get the FDPDUDGHULH \RX PLJKW H[SHFW JRLQJ RQ It is very controlled, but in a nice way, and you can see why they do it. If not, then you would get too friendly and ruin the freshness of the showâ€? The Four in a Bed production company, Studio Lambert, is currently looking for new contestants and Mark tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast he would recommend other B&Bs participating in Four in the show if they are given the chance. “I think it is a good opportunity to showcase what you have,â€? he says.

One of the hardest things Heidi and Mark encounter as relatively new guesthouse owners is guests thinking the B&B is a hotel. Mark has an approach to address that misconception that some guests have. On each morning of a GD\ WKDW WKH &KDSHO LV H[SHFWLQJ QHZ JXHVWV to arrive, at 8.30 or 9am, he says he sends WKHP D WH[W ȊΖ JUHHW WKHP JRRG PRUQLQJ DQG ask if they have any idea roughly what time they might be arriving so I can plan the day. At the same time I let them know that parking is free right outside the Chapel, and that it is only a 10-minute walk into town,â€? he says. ČŠ7KDW VLPSOH WH[W GHČ´QLWHO\ KHOSV \RX FRQnect with your customer straight away: they appreciate the message, and in the process you have made a connection with them before you have even met them, building a rapport on top of the booking they have already made. You have made them feel comfortable from the fact you have actually ERWKHUHG WR WH[W WKHP 7KDWȇV D GHČ´QLWH help, and people reply thanking us for the WH[W Č‹ KH VD\V The lowest rating The Chapel has received RQ 7ULS$GYLVRU LQ LWV Č´UVW \HDU RI RSHUDWLQJ DV D OX[XU\ % % LV IRXU VWDUV DQG WKH UHYLHZV bear out guests’ appreciation of this morningRI WKH YLVLW WH[W ČŠ7KH RZQHU LV UHDOO\ IULHQGO\ DQG KHOSIXO Č‹ VD\V RQH ČŠ9LVLW MXVW WR VHH WKH art and dĂŠcor alone,â€? says another. “This is an amazing place to stay. Mark and Heidi are fab hosts and Mark tells you about the history and the restoration project with such passion DQG IHHOLQJ :H ZLOO GHČ´QLWHO\ VWD\ DJDLQ priceless!â€? concludes a third. So how does Mark balance the maintenance of the Chapel with his tendency to go RÎ? WR VXFK SODFHV DV ΖWDO\ WR ZRUN RQ GHVLJQ SURMHFWV" +H UHČľHFWV ČŠ:HȇYH EHHQ RSHQ D year now and I’ve been fortunate so far, but I am increasingly doing other things.â€? Even as I visit, he is waiting to hear if he has been awarded an interior design contract at Harewood House. He enthuses: “It’s an amazing building designed by John Carr. This and other interior design jobs are materialising, DQG Ζ DP Č´QLVKLQJ RÎ? WKH UHOHDVH RI D FROOHFtion of wallpapers and fabrics, the design of which is based on some of the things I have been collecting. “I am not actively going out to search for work RI WKLV NLQG EXW LW LV Č´QGLQJ PH DQG Ζ WKLQN WKH chapel will become my calling card for what I can do and what we are about,â€? he concludes.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 21 - December 2018

- In Depth / Breakfast Assortment -

An American breakfast in London The Great British breakfast is arguably the best in the world. There are plenty of arguments why it should be a centrepiece of B&Bs in the UK, chief among them being that foreign visitors to Britain expect the British breakfast experience, and

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it is a proven winner that will satisfy most of your domestic guests.

owever, there is no reason why you shouldn’t extend what you RÎ?HU WR HQFRPSDVV EUHDNIDVW WKHPHV IURP RWKHU SDUWV RI WKH ZRUOG DQG LQGHHG FROG FXWV RI EUDWZXUVW VDODPL DQG VSLF\ VPRNHG DQGRXLOOH DGRUQ WKH EUHDNIDVW EXÎ?HWV RI PDQ\ % %V DFURVV WKH 8. 1RW VR FRPPRQ LQ WKHVH LVOHV LV WKH $PHULFDQ EUHDNIDVW PHQX $OWKRXJK 86 YLVLWRU QXPEHUV DUH VOLJKWO\ GRZQ RQ WKHUH DUH VWLOO H[SHFWHG WR EH D WRWDO RI PRUH WKDQ PLOOLRQ $PHULFDQ YLVLWRUV WR WKH 8. WKLV \HDU 2Î?HULQJ WKHP WKH FKRLFH RI D PHDO UHVHPEOLQJ ZKDW WKH\ DUH XVHG WR HDWLQJ DW KRPH FDQ KHOS WKHP VSUHDG WKH ZRUG ZKHQ WKH\ DUH

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*Despite the weak pound against the US dollar, the number of US visitors to the UK this year as levels dropped from those witnessed in the year following the EU referendum, with QXPEHUV LQ WKH Č´UVW KDOI RI WKH \HDU GRZQ E\ FRPSDUHG ZLWK WKH VDPH SHULRG ODVW \HDU DFFRUGLQJ WR 9LVLW%ULWDLQ

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 22 - December 2018

- In Depth / Breakfast Assortment -

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES 0DNHV SDQFDNHV

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 23 - December 2018

- In Depth / Hot Beverages -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 24 - December 2018

- In Depth / Hot Beverages -

What’s hot this winter? From plastics to palm oil, 2018 has certainly seen a huge demand for environmentally-friendly and sustainably sourced products and produce such as food, cosmetics, and packaging. From international businesses all the way to independent B&Bs, this has resulted in a huge pressure to deliver green alternatives‌ Holly Alderson, Content Marketing Assistant at Out Of Eden.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 25 - December 2018

- In Depth / Hot Beverages -

F

rom toiletries, to tea bags, to toilet UROO HYHU\WKLQJ \RX RÎ?HU \RXU guests in this day and age has the ability to be made greener. That’s why, at Out of Eden, we provide a wide range of environmentally friendly products and work closely with eco-conscious brands to ensure our customers receive only the very best for their business. With 2019 just around the corner, and new year’s resolutions at the ready, what better time to instil some more eco-friendly products into your luxury B&B? With the cool winter season in full swing, this month we’re taking a look at some of the hottest sustainable beverage options – pardon the pun – for you and your guests to enjoy.

A TEA THAT TICKS ALL THE BOXES At the end of October, Clipper announced the exciting launch of the world’s first plastic-free, non-GM (genetically modified) and unbleached tea bag. While, typically, most conventional tea bags contain a plastic sealant to hold the bag together and use a bleaching method to enhance the appearance of the paper, Clipper has paved the way for a new type of tea entirely with these brand-new tea bags. Due to being free from plastic and harsh chemicals, Clipper also shared that the new paper is fully biodegradable and even compostable, e, ticking all of those essential boxes for your ur eco-minded guests.

Since 1984, Clipper has continuously changed the way we see, buy and drink tea, ch IURP EHLQJ WKH 8.ȇV ȴUVW )DLUWUDGH WHD FRPIUR pany back in 1994, to ensuring all of their tea pa bags are plastic free in 2018. Whether your ba guests have a taste for everyday breakfast tea gu or string & tag peppermint, lemon & ginger, RU RU HDUO JUH\ WHDV \RX FDQ ȴQG DQ LPSUHVVLYH ran range of Clipper teas guaranteed to suit every gu guest over at Out of Eden.

COFFEE WITH CREDENTIALS C Al pioneers of sustainable refreshments Also DUH &DIÂŤ ([SUHVV ZKR RÎ?HU VXSHULRU WDVWLQJ D FRÎ?HH ZKLOH PDLQWDLQLQJ WKHLU )DLUWUDGH FR YDOXHV ΖGHDO IRU WKRVH ORRNLQJ IRU D FHUWLČ´HG Y FFRÎ?HH ZLWKRXW FRPSURPLVLQJ RQ TXDOLW\ WWKH )DLUWUDGH VWDPS RI DSSURYDO HQVXUHV WWKDW WKH TXDOLW\ FRÎ?HH KDV EHHQ SURGXFHG by small-scale farmer organisations or b SODQWDWLRQV WKDW DGKHUH WR )DLUWUDGH VRFLDO economic and environmental standards. CafĂŠ Express are also fully Rainforest $OOLDQFH FHUWLČ´HG D QRQ SURČ´W RUJDQLVDWLRQ that endeavours to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods, an initiative which we, and many of our cusLuxury Bed & Breakfast - 26 - December 2018

- In Depth p / Hot Beverages tom tomers, are passionate about supporting. $YDLODEOH LQ WKHLU RULJLQDO RU GHFDÎ?HLQDWHG $Y RSWLRQV WKH IUHVKO\ JURXQG FRÎ?HH LV SDFNDJHG RSWLR LQ D GLVSRVDEOH Č´OWHU EDJ JLYLQJ \RXU JXHVWV LQ D G JUHDW IUHVKO\ EUHZHG FRÎ?HH DZD\ IURP KRPH JUHDW Going green in your business is not someGo WKLQJ \RX FDQ GR RYHUQLJKW EXW E\ RÎ?HULQJ WKLQJ your guests sustainable alternatives, you’re doing your bit in reducing the plastic problem DQG SULRULWLVLQJ )DLUWUDGH SURGXFWV DQG S DQG S SULRULWLVLQJ )DLUWUDGH SURGXFWV

01768 372 939

sales@outofeden.co.uk www.outofeden.co.uk

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 27 - December 2018

- In Depth / &RÎ?HH 0DFKLQHV -

Practicality meets flavour How much of your time before and during the course of breakfast each morning do you spend preparing coffee and serving it to guests as well as replenishing their cups, or preparing mini cafetières? Perhaps it is time to invest in a coffee machine, suggests Bill Lumley

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 28 - December 2018

- In Depth / &RÎ?HH 0DFKLQHV -

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CHOOSING THE RIGHT MACHINE C ΖQ ΖQ WKH SURFHVV RI GHFLGLQJ ZKHWKHU WR LQYHVW LQ D QHZ FRÎ?HH PDFKLQH IRU \RXU EUHDNIDVW LQ URRP \RX PD\ ZRQGHU LI WKH\ LQ IDFW UHVXOW UR LQ D KDSSLHU JXHVW DEOH WR VHOHFW KLV RU KHU LQ RZQ FRÎ?HH UDWKHU WKDQ DFFHSWLQJ ZKDWHYHU RZ LV SRXUHG E\ WKH ZDLWHU RU SUHVHQWHG LQ D WDOO LV ČľDVN RQ WKH WDEOH ČľD -XUDȇV 6FRWW *UHHQ WHOOV Luxury Bed & Breakfast PDJD]LQH ȊΖI WKH ZDLWHU FDQ RÎ?HU WKH fa VDPH FRÎ?HHV DV D FRÎ?HH VKRS WKHQ \RX UDLVH VD WKH JDPH LQ VHUYLFH OHYHOV 7KH FRQVXPHU WK NQRZV ZKDW D KLJK VWUHHW FRÎ?HH FRVWV WR EX\ NQ ΖI \RX DUH RÎ?HULQJ WKH VDPH GULQN DV SDUW RI ΖI \RXU VHUYLFH WKHQ WKH FRQVXPHU FDQ RQO\ EH \R KDSSLHU 'R QRW IRUJHW ZLWK VRPH PRGHOV \RX K FDQ VWLOO PDNH D ODUJH SRW RI FRÎ?HH HTXLYDOHQW FD WR VHUYH WR WKH WDEOH LI WKH FXVWRPHU SUHIHUV WR Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 29 - December 2018 L

TROUBLESHOOTING If you have invested in a smart, elegant coffee machine for your guests to enjoy the next thing you are likely to want to do is make sure you operate in such a way that it won’t malfunction, keeping it maintained just as the manufacturer says. However, there is always the chance things will go wrong and you do not want your investment to backfire by giving cause for guests to write a bad review based on their experience with your machine. For example, you don’t want a malfunction to deny your guests coffee altogether. Most B&B owners who have had a coffee maker for a reasonable period will be familiar with the problem of a slow flow of water into the machine. The main cause of this is either water clogging or blockage. This can usually be remedied by checking and addressing the tube for any obstacles hindering the water flow. A less common cause may be the pump valve, thermostat or timer. If the pump valve fails, then you probably want to seek a professional repair. Some of your guests may encounter a problem with leaking warm water. This may be due to excessive build-up of steam creating moisture. The solution is usually to check none of the tubes are loose. As a general rule provided you and your guests look after your machine you will at worst encounter only very low radar issues. Depending on the type of machine you acquire for your guests’ bedrooms, a few words of basic best practice printed out and fixed near to the machine could save you from the consequences of inadvertent misuse. You also have the issue of dealing with guests who prefer skimmed milk. Some guests may be lactose intolerant but coffee fanatics. Their coffee must therefore be served with skimmed milk. A luxury B&B that fails to offer skimmed milk, or passes semi-skimmed milk off as skimmed, may have unwelcome consequences, not to mention a TripAdvisor review as bitter as a mouthful of undiluted coffee beans. INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS But what about an accident arising from a guest leaving a machine on and prone to gushing water and then returning to find the machine and room damaged? Will the insurer pay out? Insurance consultant Mike Williams tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “Provided that there is a notice about the safe use of the machine, the proprietor would be covered in the event that he or she were held to be legally liable for injury to guests or damage to their property.� He adds, “Damage to the property or its contents is likely only to be covered under an 'all-risks’ policy, which I suspect will be in place in most cases. If in any doubt, ask your insurance broker!�

- In Depth / &RÎ?HH 0DFKLQHV -

SUSTAINABILITY If sustainability is one of your pursuits, then it is worth considering the processes not just of the device itself in terms of waste of water and electricity but of the origin of its ingredients and its packaging. Some 15 years ago Nespresso launched its AAA Sustainable Quality Program. Its aim was to work with farmers in ways that are not only environmentally friendly but that also improve their livelihoods, through pension plans, improved working conditions, streamlining their procedures or providing technical assistance from the company’s team of agronomists at farm level. The result according to Nespresso is better working conditions, better wages and better housing. A great launch pad for conversation with some of your guests.

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 30 - December 2018

- In Depth / Hot Beverages -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 32 - December 2018

- In Depth / Hot Beverages -

A matter of taste Traditional teas are being sidelined by guests’ preference for emerging flavours including herbal teas. Bill Lumley examines some of the trends in the taste and presentation of hot drinks

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s 2018 draws to an end, the year can be looked back upon as pivotal for the speciality tea market in the UK. Consumers have been increasingly curious about the drink as its many health benHČ´WV HPHUJH OHG E\ WKH IDVKLRQ IRU JUHHQ WHD Actor Benedict Cumberbatch may have made public his dislike of camomile tea in an outburst while plugging his new animated Č´OP 7KH *ULQFK ODVW PRQWK H[FODLPLQJ ČŠ6KDOO I just really vent now? I’m sick of camomile tea being called tea. It’s not tea!â€? %XW DFFRUGLQJ WR &KHVWHUČ´HOG WHD DQG FRÎ?HH VSHFLDOLVW 1RUWKHUQ 7HD 0HUFKDQWV the top trends are being driven in part by the manifestation of speciality tea shops, which the supplier predicts will continue to rise in popularity and number. 7KH ELJ FRQJORPHUDWHV VHHP WR FRQFXU 1RW so long ago, Unilever bought organic herbal tea business Pukka Herbs, whose health-andZHOOQHVV SKLORVRSK\ FHQWUHV DURXQG EHQHČ´WWLQJ SHRSOH SODQWV DQG SODQHW ČŠ7KLV UHSUHsents a clear synergy with Unilever’s own sustainable living plan,â€? says the domestic goods company. 7KLV WUHQG WR QRQ WUDGLWLRQDO WHDV LV RÎ?VHWting the decline in popularity of traditional tea. Consumer insight specialist Kantar Worldpanel’s research earlier this year suggested some 870 million fewer cups were consumed year-on-year in the UK. $V FRÎ?HH VDOHV DSSHDU WR JURZ XQFKDOOHQJHG ZLWK WKH GULQNȇV SRSXODULW\ UHČľHFWHG LQ the ongoing growth in the proliferation of high VWUHHW FRÎ?HH VKRSV WKH WUDGLWLRQDO WHD PDUNHW KDV IDFHG PRUH FKDOOHQJLQJ WLPHV WKDQ FRÎ?HH Part of the problem with this somewhat old-fashioned sector is that is that it arguably KDVQȇW WDSSHG LQWR WKH VR FDOOHG ČŠH[SHULHQWLDOČ‹ RSSRUWXQLW\ DV PXFK DV FRÎ?HH SDJH 7HD FRPSDQLHV DUH WU\LQJ WR WHPSW EDFN consumers with alternatives to the tradition-

DO IRUPDW 7KH QXPEHU RI IUXLW DQG KHUEDO varieties continues to rise, whilst consumer demand for healthy drinking is driving the growth of such herbal teas as green tea-leaf product matcha, and spicy turmeric.

TOP FIVE PROSPECTS A report published this autumn by market UHVHDUFK VSHFLDOLVW 0LQWHO VXJJHVWV FRQVXPers are developing a growing interest in more LQQRYDWLYH WHD DQG DUH QR ORQJHU VDWLVȴHG with a bland cup of milky English Breakfast. Ȋ$OZD\V RQ WKH KXQW IRU XQLTXH DQG DXWKHQWLF H[SHULHQFHV WKH\ DUH ORRNLQJ IRU XQH[SHFWHG ȾDYRXUV DQG IXQFWLRQDO EHQHȴWV ȋ VD\V 0LQWHO senior innovation analyst Amran Waliji. 3UHVHQWLQJ KHU WRS ȴYH SURVSHFWV IRU WKH ȴUVW WHD SURGXFW VKH VHOHFWV *UHHQ +LOOV 5XP DQG +RQH\ )ODYRXUHG +HUEDO 7HD IURP 3RODQG HYRNHV EROG ȾDYRXU :DOLML VD\V ȊΖQGXOJHQW ȾDYRXUHG WHDV KDYH WKH SRWHQWLDO WR ȴOO D JDS for those consumers who are looking to move away from sugary beverages – or even alcohol! As consumers around the world increasingly adopt healthier lifestyles, they can still get the feeling of indulging in a drink with this rum and KRQH\ ȾDYRXUHG URRLERV WHD ΖWȇV IUHH IURP DOFRKRO EXW HQULFKHG ZLWK D ZDUP PL[ RI FLQQDPRQ DSSOH OLTXRULFH DQG VWDU DQLVH ȋ 7KH VHFRQG WHD WKH VKH SURSRVHV DV KDYLQJ a promising future in the coming year is 3RPSDGRXU 9HJJLH 0L[ ΖQIXVL¾Q GH 9HUGXUDV 5HOD[ IURP 6SDLQ Ȋ5LVLQJ GHPDQG IRU plant-based foods and interest in vegetarian and vegan diets has opened opportunities IRU YHJHWDEOHV WR DSSHDU LQ QHZ XQH[SHFWHG FDWHJRULHV ȋ VD\V :DOLML Ȋ:KLOH LWȇV QRW QHZ for infusions to feature vegetables in their ingredient lists, we’re now seeing more brands PDUNHWLQJ YHJJLHV SURPLQHQWO\ RQ SDFN 7KLV product combines tomato, rosehip, apple, RQLRQ EDVLO FLQQDPRQ DQG SDVVLRQȾRZHU ȋ 7KH QH[W FKRLFH LV )DELQGLD 2UJDQLFV Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 33 - December 2018

2UJDQLF ΖQGLD &HUWLČ´HG 2UJDQLF 7XOVL +RQH\ &KDPRPLOH 7HD IURP ΖQGLD ČŠ&KDPRPLOH LV WKH most common botanical ingredient in teas DQG LV NQRZQ IRU LWV UHOD[LQJ SURSHUWLHV EXW there’s scope for other calming ingredients to emerge,â€? she contends. ČŠ)RU LQVWDQFH KRO\ EDVLO DOVR NQRZQ DV tulsi, has been part of traditional Indian Ayurvedic medicine for decades and has a long history of being stress-relieving. For holy basil to compete with chamomile, however, brands need to start educating consumers RQ LWV EHQHČ´WV 2WKHU DGDSWRJHQV WR FRQVLGHU DV ȆUHOD[LQJȇ LQJUHGLHQWV LQFOXGH DVKZDJDQGD brahmi, and ginseng.â€? /LSWRQ 'DLO\ %RRVW *UHHQ 7HD ZLWK *LQJHU /HPRQ 9HUEHQD DQG 7XUPHULF IURP *HUPDQ\ LV KHU QH[W FKRLFH 6KH FODVVHV LW DV D ČŠVXSHUcharged teaâ€?, combining naturally functional ingredients with added nutrients, pushing IXQFWLRQDO WHD WR WKH QH[W OHYHO ČŠ7UDGLWLRQDO WHD EUDQGV LQFUHDVLQJO\ ORRN WR GLYHUVLI\ WKHLU IXQFWLRQDO RÎ?HULQJV SURPRWing a holistic lifestyle that supports general ZHOOEHLQJ DV ZHOO DV PRUH VSHFLČ´F KHDOWK EHQHČ´WV /DXQFKHG LQ *HUPDQ\ WKLV SURGXFW LV D ČľDYRXUHG JUHHQ WHD ZLWK DGGHG YLWDPLQ C and superfoods like yellow turmeric, aromatic lemon verbena, and a touch of spicy ginger,â€? she says. )RU WKH Č´QDO RI KHU WRS Č´YH WHD WUHQGV WR follow Waliji singles out Cofco Chinatea Pro 7HD IURP 0DOD\VLD 3URELRWLFV DQG SUHELRWLFV KDYH EHFRPH TXLWH WKH EX]]ZRUGV JOREDOO\ launches of probiotic food and drinks rose 11% over the 12 months to July 2018, compared with a 1% growth a year ago, according WR *13' 6KH VD\V ČŠ3UR 7HD LV GDUN IHUPHQWed, and undergoes microbial fermentation, while later being pressed into bricks or cakes for ageing. While some probiotics can be XQVWDEOH LQ H[WUHPH WHPSHUDWXUHV WKH VWUDLQ LQ 3UR 7HD FDQ ZLWKVWDQG KRW WHPSHUDWXUHV

- In Depth / Hot Beverages when brewed with boiling water. It’s said to promote regularity, reduce blood lipids, improve digestion and help with weight PDQDJHPHQW 7HD LV XVXDOO\ QRW DVVRFLDWHG with fermentation or probiotic content and less than 1% of tea launched in the past year to June 2018 contained probiotics.�

ALCOHOL RETENTION IN PREPARED FOODS NO HEAT APPLIED, STORED OVERNIGHT: 70% alcohol retained FLAMBÉE: 75% alcohol retained FOODS PREPARED WITH ALCOHOL STIRRED IN AND BAKED OR SIMMERED 15 minutes ................................. 40% alcohol retained 30 minutes ................................. 35% alcohol retained 1 hour........................................ 25% alcohol retained 1.5 hours ................................... 20% alcohol retained 2 hours ...................................... 10% alcohol retained 2.5 hours ..................................... 5% alcohol retained Source: US Department of Agriculture

MULLED WINE RECIPE INGREDIENTS 2 litres dry red wine 3 cinnamon sticks 2 teaspoons finely grated ginger 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, Cointreau or cherry brandy 2 oranges with a dozen whole cloves stuck into the skin 2 dessert spoons whole allspice 1 large piece lemon rind (avoid the pith) 4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste METHOD Combine the red wine, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, lemon rind, orange, ginger, brandy and ginger in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Heat the liquid gently, but do not allow it to boil. Stir in two tablespoons of sugar, adding more to taste. Continue to heat on low for 20 minutes, allowing the flavours infuse the wine. Serve to your guests hot in glasses or mugs.

PRESENTATION BOXES Rather than surrendering to the emerging FRPSHWLWLRQ WUDGLWLRQDO WHD VXSSOLHU 7ZLQLQJV has embraced these developments in tea WUHQGV 7KH VXSSOLHU UHFRJQLVHV WKH RSSRUWXQLWLHV OX[XU\ % % RZQHUV KDYH IRU UDLVLQJ WKH TXDOLW\ RI WKHLU UDQJH RI DPHQLWLHV LQ WKH EHGURRP E\ VXJJHVWLQJ WKH\ WU\ WKHLU ČŠVPDUW DQG VW\OLVKČ‹ ZRRGHQ GHOX[H FRPSDUWPHQW ER[HV $V ZHOO DV WUDGLWLRQDO EODFN WHDV WKH ER[ contains a range of fruit and herbal teas, thus accommodating the new age drinkers while simultaneously ously presenting the drink with a OX[XU\ ORRN DQG IHHO N DQG IHHO 3UHVHQWDWLRQ ER[HV WLRQ ER[HV from companies anies such as KitchenCraft, Craft, Vintage 6KDEE\ &KLF $UWHPLR F $UWHPLR 'UXU\ 7HD &RÎ?HH &RP &RÎ?HH &RPSDQ\ DQG 7ZLQLQJV ZLOO ZLQLQJV ZLOO generally add dd a touch of class to a guest’s uest’s bedroom, compared pared IRU H[DPSOH H WR D IHZ 3* * tips on a plastic tray.. 7KH GLVSOD\ FDVHVȇ \ FDVHVȇ elegant compartments, mpartments and their devices to keep the teabags fresh, will enhance the feelgood factor of any tea-drinking guests.

HOT CHOCOLATE Hot chocolate has never had the same level RI DWWHQWLRQ DV WHD DQG FRÎ?HH )RU GHFDGHV it has been perceived as a less sophisticated drink, often viewed as a treat for kids. 1RZ PDQXIDFWXUHUV DUH WDNLQJ WKH GULQN more seriously, with the emergence on the market of new hot chocolate machines. Last PRQWK IRU H[DPSOH D GRPHVWLF KRW FKRFRODWH system devised by Hot Cocolat and manufactured by Duality was released, producing what is claimed to be barrista-grade hot chocRODWH EHYHUDJHV 7KH 9HOYHWLVHU LV PDUNHWHG as an in-home hot chocolate system, and the counter-top product would work very well in D OX[XU\ % % EHGURRP It works much in the same way as milk frother. It heats and whisks milk and chocolate Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 34 - December 2018

ČľDNHV WR FUHDWH D KRW FKRFRODWH GULQN ZLWK ČľDNHV D IURWK\ WRS 7KH GULQN FRPHV ZLWK D YDULHW\ D IURWK RI ČľDYRXUHG VDFKHWV LQFOXGLQJ FODVVLF PLON\ RI ČľDY KD]HOQXW VDOWHG FDUDPHO DQG FRFRD KD]HO 7KH PDFKLQH DOVR DFFRPPRGDWHV WKH YHJDQ 7KH guest, working with plant-based milk substiguest tutes such as soya, oat and almond milk. 7KH GHYLFH LV QRW RYHUO\ FRPSOLFDWHG WR XVH 7KH DQG WR PDLQWDLQ LW KDV D QRQ VWLFN FRDWLQJ DQG WR wiping it with water, detergent and a soft so wip cloth is all that is needed to keep it clean.

MULLED WINE MULL :LWK ZLQWHU Č´QDOO\ XSRQ XV DQG &KULVWPDV around the corner, now is a good time to FRQVLGHU DGGLQJ PXOOHG ZLQH WR \RXU OX[XU\ RÎ?HULQJ DV D ZHOFRPH GULQN IRU \RXU JXHVWV Heating wine is inevitably going to cause it to evaporate, and part of what will begin to evaporate in this process LV WKH DOFRKRO 7KH OHYHO remaining will depend on a QXPEHU RI YDULDEOHV 7KHVH include the amount of alcohol you start with, the length of time which you cook it, at what temperature, and the kind of vessel in which it was cooked. In an open, shallow pan it will evaporate faster than a smaller container with a lid. When it comes to

SOARING DEMAND FOR LUXURY TEA BAGS If you are a B&B looking at changing or raising the quality and appeal of your guest room tea offering, you may consider Drury Tea & Coffee Company’s pyramid tea bags.

Most pyramid tea bags are made now with soilon, which is made from cornstarch and a fully biodegradable, sustainable alternative, he explains.

Drury Tea & Coffee Company tea bags are presented in window-style cartons of 15, with art deco-style illustrations pertinent to the respective tea type and evoking the 1930s when the company was founded.

UNIVERSAL APPEAL “With quality comes diversification,� he stresses. “The offer in most UK B&Bs at the moment is likely to be traditional English, Irish or Scottish breakfast tea. We are seeing diversification breakfast tea and we are now offering of the more high-quality breakfast blends than we ever have before. There is also great interest in good quality Earl Grey teas, flavoured teas and herbal teas.�

Commercial director Marco Olmi says growth in tea in the out-of-home market is focused on pyramid and loose leaf. Traditional tea bags are stalling or decreasing in popularity for a variety of reasons, quality being the main one, he says. “If you wish to provide your guests with the means to make a luxury hot beverage then it is worth spending a little more for a high-end tea,â€? he contends. If the hospitality market is charging guests ÂŁ1.80 or ÂŁ2.50 or more for a hot drink, then they deserve more than to have a 3p tea bag tipped into hot water, he reasons. “At that rate you can afford to buy a more expensive tea bag to make your guests a really fantastic cup of tea,â€? he says. The same principle applies in luxury B&Bs, he suggests. mulled wine, the common thinking is to barely heat the wine, and to heat it slowly. ΖI \RX JHW LW XS WR D VLPPHU WKH ČľDYRXUV ZLOO start to deteriorate. Ideally the wine should be warm, but still easy to drink, so you are still able to recognise and appreciate its variety of aromatics. 6RPH PXOOHG ZLQH UHFLSHV UHFRPPHQG adding a splash of a second type of alcohol like brandy, which would boost the alcohol percentage. But no matter what you start with, if you are going to keep mulled wine warm for 10 hours, it’s very likely some although not all the alcohol will evaporate. But WKH ČľDYRXUV RI WKH PXOOHG ZLQH ZLOO DOVR EHJLQ to fade and proceed to get muddier after VHYHUDO KRXUV RI KHDW H[SRVXUH

He says that without question he is seeing a growth in demand for higher quality teas. The company produced its first pyramid tea bag seven years ago, and it is seeing an explosion in growth. Leaf tea is increasing as well, he says, but it is a little more problematic to serve. “Pyramid bags seem to be where it is at in terms of quality,â€? he says. He suggests many B&Bs have yet to realise this. “I think it is certainly an area they need to look at. I recently stayed in a B&B for ÂŁ140 a night, and in the room were two traditional tea bags and some coffee sticks. That is unacceptable for that sort of price.â€? The other reason for a decline in demand for traditional tea bags relates to environmental sustainability. “Traditional tea bags are made with paper and plastic, so they are not biodegradable and micro-plastics end up disappearing into the soil,â€? he says.

Within its pyramids range Drury Tea & Coffee Company produces 33 different teas ranging from traditional to herbal varieties of tea, and 130 different types of leaf tea. It is fair to say that the company no longer has a specific demographic, says Olmi. “When we launched pyramid tea bags, we expected to hit barriers with price because they are seven or eight times more expensive than traditional tea bags. We therefore assumed it would only be the top end hotels and fine dining restaurants that would go for it - and we couldn’t have been more wrong.� Some hotels and guest houses, he says, argue that they don’t wish to pay more for the product than for standard tea bags because, in their words, they have to give it away. But Olmi tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “They aren’t giving it away, because it is part of the service you are offering as part of the room. That’s like saying you are giving away the bed for the night. You’re not – you’re charging for it. I understand the need to control costs, but with this system there is no capital outlay – you don’t have to invest in coffee machines and worry about cleaning them or the health and safety risks. It’s just a traditional kettle but with a good quality ingredient. It’s a nice, simple step up.� He concludes: “We are seeing a demand for quality right the way across the board because it is a really tasty cup of tea and demographics are no longer even an issue. Yet some people still haven’t woken up to this universal demand.�

- In Depth / Safekeeping -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 36 - December 2018

- In Depth / Safekeeping -

Safety First Fire regulations are expected to be tightened up when the Grenfell Tower inquiry report is published. New rules on locks could influence your approach if you are thinking of installing or replacing guest room locks. Bill Lumley reports.

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ssues relating to front door keys and guest bedroom keys can cause apparently needless distress among certain guests who may otherwise enjoy a thoroughly pleasant stay at a B&B. Many B&B owners understandably choose QRW WR Č´W ORFNV WR WKH EHGURRP GRRUV LW LV their house, they know all the guests staying in their property, or maybe they simply do not think it is in the spirit of their business to suggest a guest’s bedroom should need locking. Meanwhile many B&Bs are listed buildings whose features simply cannot be altered or holes drilled in their walls and therefore cannot accommodate door locks. Whatever the reason may be for no lock on B&B bedrooms’ doors, some guests will always balk at it, expressing concern or horror that they and their belongings should be exposed to such a vulnerability. They may be seasoned travellers who spend much of their time staying at international hotels where a room key is de rigeur. Or they may simply be conscious that they have brought valuables such as a passport or jewellery to wear out in the evening and anxious that these should not be left at the mercy of any passing chancer. If you are adamant that your property does not attract theft, and therefore should QRW UHTXLUH EHGURRP ORFNV \RX PD\ VWLOO Č´QG yourself accommodating both types of guest upset at the lack of a key by installing a safe in each bedroom. This ticks most of the boxes. InSafe for example designs, manufactures and installs all grades and sizes of safe. And IRU WKRVH % % RZQHUV SXW RÎ? E\ WKH FROG chiselled and incongruous appearance of a safe in their luxury guest bedrooms, as well as bespoke safes and conventional safes the company even produces designer safes. It purports to be able to convert any of its safes into a designer item, with the addition of such

IHDWXUHV DV KLJK VKLQH Č´QLVK GLÎ?HUHQW FRORXU options, bespoke jewellery trays, drawers and cupboards, tinted mirror walks, interior LED lighting, glass shelving and leather trim.

FIRE SAFETY You may however decide to install bedroom locks in your B&B. According to Key Step Solutions CEO Andrew Evans, which produces mechanical reporgammable locks, locks themselves of whatever variety are not just about keeping your guests’ belongs safe. If you are going to bite the bullet and install locks in some or all of your bedrooms, you are advised to make sure the result is compliDQW ZLWK Č´UH UHJXODWLRQV KH ZDUQV “Legislation may seem harsh, but non-compliance can result in loss of life, loss of reveQXH Č´QHV DQG LPSULVRQPHQW Č‹ KH VD\V Like an air steward whose top priority is passenger safety, as a B&B owner your primary concern is that your guests enjoy their VDIH VWD\ $V \RX ZLOO NQRZ Č´UH VDIHW\ LQ D KRVSLWDOLW\ HQYLURQPHQW LV GHOLFDWH \RX PXVW SURWHFW YDULRXV DUHDV ZLWK GLÎ?HUHQW HQYLURQmental conditions such as guest areas and the kitchen, and you need devices that quickly GHWHFW WKH Č´UVW VLJQ RI Č´UH DQG OHDG \RXU guests safely out of the danger zone. &UXFLDOO\ WKH Č´UH SURWHFWLRQ V\VWHP PXVW be highly reliable. There is little more annoying than a false alarm. “People are particularly vulnerable to the HÎ?HFWV RI VPRNH DQG WR[LF Č´UH JDVHV ZKHQ WKH\ DUH DVOHHS Č‹ VD\V (YDQV ČŠ*XHVWV VOHHSLQJ in B&B bedrooms are especially at risk, as they are probably not particularly familiar with the premises and associated escape routes. They may be tired after travelling for many hours, or they may be deeply asleep having gone to bed late or having consumed alcohol, all of which might leave them in a disorientated state when Č´UVW DZDNHQHG E\ WKH VRXQG RI D Č´UH DODUP Č‹ Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 37 - December 2018

7KH GDQJHUV RI Č´UHV LQ JXHVW KRXVHV LQQV and hotels was formally recognised in the UK DIWHU WKH 5RVH DQG &URZQ KRWHO Č´UH LQ 6DÎ?URQ Walden in 1969, which resulted in 11 deaths. 7KLV OHG WR VXFK SURSHUWLHV EHLQJ WKH Č´UVW SUHPLVHV WR EH GHVLJQDWHG DV UHTXLULQJ D Č´UH FHUWLČ´FDWH XQGHU WKH )LUH 3UHFDXWLRQV $FW The main legal responsibilities are the same for even the smallest guest house. B&B owners QHHG WR EH DZDUH RI WKH )LUH 6DIHW\ 2UGHU )62 WKH FXUUHQW ODZ LQ (QJODQG DQG :DOHV 7KH )62 nominates one individual as the ‘Responsible Person’ for a building – generally deemed to be the owner, occupier or employer.

THE FUTURE OF FIRE REGULATIONS )LUH VDIHW\ LV XQGHU PDVVLYH VFUXWLQ\ DIWHU D QXPEHU RI KLJK SURČ´OH Č´UHV LQ ODUJH EXLOGLQJV LQFOXGLQJ *UHQIHOO 7RZHU DQG WKH *ODVJRZ $UWV 6FKRRO ȊΖW LV RQO\ D TXHVWLRQ RI ZKHQ WKH Č´UH UHJXODWLRQV ZLOO EH RYHUKDXOHG QRW LI Č‹ ZDUQV Evans. “At present, only new builds or refurbishments need to comply with all the current regulations. It is likely older guest houses and hotels will in future have to comply with any FXUUHQW UHJXODWLRQV DQG WKDW Č´UH LQVSHFWLRQV ZLOO EH PRUH IUHTXHQW DQG VWULQJHQW Č‹ He suggests current regulations and standDUGV LQ SODFH WR HQVXUH WKH HÎ?HFWLYHQHVV RI Č´UH GRRUV DUH LQDGHTXDWH DQG VXEVHTXHQWO\ put lives at risk. He predicts legislation will be introduced to enforce a minimum six- or PRQWKO\ LQVSHFWLRQV RI DOO Č´UH GRRUV LQ multi-occupancy properties. $OO .H\ 6WHSȇV HOHFWURQLF 5)Ζ' /RFNV SDVV D VWULQJHQW Č´UH VDIHW\ WHVW LQ D ODERUDWRU\ ZKHUH D GRRU ZLWK RQH RI ORFNV Č´WWHG LV EXUQW to destruction, he says. “No matter what you use for your door locking system in your guest house, make sure you have locks that KDYH SDVVHG (1 )LUH UHVLVWDQFH VPRNH FRQWURO IRU D PLQLPXP RI PLQXWHV Č‹ KH VD\V

- In Depth / Safekeeping -

KEYSTEP’S KEY ADVICE ENTRANCE AND EXITS Minimise the number of entrances: one is preferable, although not always possible. Reducing the entrances allows owners, management and staff to monitor who is entering and leaving the hotel. Emergency exits should be alarmed so that staff oadd Z] aee]\aYl]dq fglaÚ]\ a^ l`] \ggj ak gh]f]\ gj tampered with. Signs to this effect should be placed on emergency doors WHAT TIME IS IT? Ensure the time is correct on all the locks in the property. If you are in the UK you may have to set the time in your locks twice and year to cope with BST and GMT. If the time is incorrect any log information on who has used the lock will be useless in the event of an incident. EMERGENCY ACCESS CARDS Every door entry system has emergency cards, which are pre-made cards will allow you to let guests into rooms if there is a system fault or a power cut that prevents you cutting room keys. You should always keep your emergency keycards available and have a manual process for issuing the cards in the event of an incident. It is worth practicing the drill with klY^^ af l`] kYe] oYq qgm `Yn] Y Új] \jadd& Gf kge] systems the emergency cards expire after a period g^ lae] kg al k [jala[Yd lg [`][c ]n]jq kap egfl`k& WELL MAINTAINED Basic maintenance is essential. Many of the electronic locks have batteries that should be [`Yf_]\ Z]^gj] l`]q _g ÛYl gl`]joak] l`] dg[c oadd lose its programme. Cleaning of the magnetic card reader will ensure guests are not fumbling to get into their rooms. Housekeeping should report any lock issues and clean the reader every month. MASTER KEYS The traditional mechanical master key should be kept locked away in the safe at all times. Al k`gmd\f l Z] gf Y Zmf[` g^ c]qk ]n]f l`] maintenance managers. If you loose the master key your only option is to recode all the key barrels in the locks, which no one wants to do. CARDS Modern luxury B&Bs may want to enhance their attraction by using guest key cards or access tags, but make sure your own cards and those of any staff are plain, so if they are lost they cannot be linked to your property. If a guest brings a card back and says al \g]kf l ogjc$ \]kljgq l`] [Yj\ Yf\ mk] Y f]o gf]& Like everything the magnetic cards wear out over time and lose their magnetism. Any staff cards that are lost should be cancelled and details recorded in a log in case you have any incidents in the hotel.

7KH FRPSDQ\ DOVR Č´WV D Č´UH ΖQWXPHVFHQW Č´UH protection kit around its locks. “This is something you should also check with your lock supSOLHU HVSHFLDOO\ IRU QHZ LQVWDOODWLRQV Č‹ KH VD\V )LUHV DUH WKH KRVSLWDOLW\ VHFWRUȇV ZRUVW QLJKWmare. They damage property, injure employees, put people out of business and take lives. If the worst should happen right now, you PXVW EH FRQČ´GHQW WKDW \RXU HYDFXDWLRQ SODQ DQG Č´UH VDIHW\ HTXLSPHQW ZRXOG SHUIRUP There is of course a sizeable cost involved LQ Č´WWLQJ DQ\ ORFNV DQG Č´WWLQJ .H\ 6WHSȇV 5)Ζ' V\VWHP LV QRW FKHDS %XW (YDQV VD\V “The problem is the opportunity cost. It’s like buying a car. It’s got to have four wheels and a steering wheel. It doesn’t matter if you are EX\LQJ D )RUG )LHVWD RU D 5ROOV 5R\FH 6LOYHU Shadow. Small cars cost more than big ones in ratio terms. “The problem that B&B owners and small hoteliers have is that they have to buy the software, and the bigger the property, the ORZHU WKH SULFH GURSV Č‹ It is worth investigating the opportunity to VSUHDG WKH FRVW (YDQV VD\V ČŠ:H KDYH MXVW done a deal for someone and let him spread his payment over 12 months because he FRXOGQȇW DÎ?RUG WR GR LW DQ\ RWKHU ZD\ ΖWȇV D FKDOOHQJH PXFK OLNH WKDW RI PHHWLQJ Č´UH UHJXODWLRQV ΖȇP VXUH QHZ Č´UH UHJXODWLRQV ZLOO NLFN LQ DIWHU WKH *UHQIHOO HQTXLU\ Č‹ KH VD\V

MECHANICAL REPROGRAMMABLE LOCKS 7KH Č´UVW PHFKDQLFDO UHSURJUDPPDEOH FDUG ORFN ZDV LQYHQWHG LQ E\ 7RU 6ÂşUQHV ZKR KDG ZRUNHG IRU 9LQJ&DUG VLQFH WKH V 7KH Č´UVW FDUG ORFN ZDV LQVWDOOHG LQ LQ WKH Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel, Atlanta, USA. “This product triggered the evolution of electronic locks for the hospitality industry that we all take for granted every time we open a bedroom door when staying away from KRPH Č‹ VD\V (YDQV The way in which you receive your guests expresses a great deal about how you value WKHP DQG JLYHV D Č´UVW LPSUHVVLRQ RI WKH quality of service they can expect during their VWD\ KH LQVLVWV ČŠ*RQH LV WKH EXON\ URRP NH\ and the risk that yesterday’s guest may return to attempt to gain access into the same room, along with the inconvenience and costs incurred to change the lock. “Most establishments have overcome these issues by installing electronic locking systems that guarantee guest security and convenLuxury Bed & Breakfast - 38 - December 2018

Building Regulations under scrutiny following Grenfell Lgo]j Ăšj]

LHQFH $ PDJQHWLF FDUG RU 5)Ζ' WDJ FDQ EH SURJUDPPHG IRU DQ LQGLYLGXDO IRU D VSHFLČ´F period of time, making the card or tag invalid for use after the guest has checked out. An electronic locking system supports access to VSHFLČ´F DUHDV DQG SODFHV UHVWULFWLRQV EDVHG on each person’s need, whether they are paying guests, visitors, workmen or employees." It is an urban myth that guest information or data is stored on the magnetic key cards in the UK, just a coded algorithm which is encrypted so it cannot be read by just anyone. A card that works in one guest house or hotel will not open a door in another as each has a unique master system code, he says. Hotel guests want to feel safe and secure in their temporary home, and you as the owner KDYH D GXW\ WR SURWHFW WKHP *RRG VHFXULW\ EHQHČ´WV HYHU\ERG\ ZKHWKHU KRWHO JXHVWV WHPSRUDU\ VWDÎ? RU % % RZQHUV :KHQ VHFXrity is taken seriously as a service, the result LV D ZHOO UXQ HÉ?FLHQW HVWDEOLVKPHQW ZLWK DQ excellent reputation and booming business. “Security should be another guest service, just like the bar, breakfast, sauna or turn-down VHUYLFH Č‹ VD\V (YDQV ȊΖW VKRXOG QRW EH VHHQ DV an overhead, but as a value-adding service, which can be used to promote your business DV D VDIH KDYHQ DQG VHFXUH HQYLURQPHQW Č‹ “We have to look beyond 'it’s just a system for letting guests in rooms' - It is probably one of the most critical systems you have in \RXU KRWHO DIWHU SRZHU DQG ZDWHU Č‹ FRQcludes Evans.

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- In Depth / Risk Management -

Staying safe at Christmas The Christmas period can be a risky time both for your property and contents and for the property of your guests. Bill Lumley assesses the seasonal risks.

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any of the guests staying with you this month will have brought with them gifts they intend to give to friends or relatives whom they may be seeing over the Christmas season, and of course they will want these to remain safe throughout the period of their stay before being presented to their intended recipients. Whilst you do not wish to imply that your B&B is not safe, it is advisable to make your guests aware of the importance of taking care of their belongings wherever they are. Meanwhile if the value of the stock in your bar or wine cellar or a collection rises at this time of year with vintage festive premium spirits that sell well over Christmas, you are advised to make sure the sum insured on your stock under particular type of combined insurance cover you have is adequate. From a risk management point of view, prevention is better than cure. At the end of the day anyone would rather prevent a loss IURP D Č´UH RU WKHIW IURP RFFXUULQJ WR KDYLQJ WR VXÎ?HU WKH ORVV DQG PDNH D FODLP As discussed in the feature on safe keeping (page 36), it is important you make sure that the security of your property has been checked out and is adequate. Many B&Bs - perhaps even your own – do not have locks on some or all the guest room doors. Especially at this time of year you might wish to remind your guests to take care of their property if there is something valuable in their room, because as the proprietor you cannot be held liable if something valuable that has not been safely stored disappears into the hands of an opportunistic thief. If your guestroom doors cannot indeed be locked for whatever reason, and if you do not Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 41 - December 2018

have safes in the rooms for guests to use, then you may make it known there is a safe place in which they may store their valuables, but on the understanding of course that if anything goes wrong it is not your fault fo example if someone manages to break into that safe space and steal those valuables. It is also wise during the festive season to ensure your guests don’t leave lit candles in the bedroom or high energy devices left switched on such as phone chargers left on QH[W WR ČľDPPDEOH LWHPV If you are unsure about your insurance arrangements, check your cover is up-to-date and that the premium has been paid. You really GR QRW ZDQW WR VXÎ?HU D QDVW\ ORVV DQG VXEPLW D FODLP RQO\ WR Č´QG WKH LQVXUDQFH FRPSDQ\ coming back to you and saying your policy is QRW RÉ?FLDOO\ YDOLG DQG WKDW GRHV KDSSHQ Former head of the British Insurance Brokers Association Mike Williams tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast he once fought a case in which a luxury rural country B&B owner had a couple of guests visiting from overseas who turned up and proceeded to load up their car with the full contents of the bar, which cost thousands of pounds, before disappearing without even staying one night. He adds that it is important to make sure WKH Č´QDQFLDO DUUDQJHPHQWV \RX KDYH ZLWK your guests are secure and safe. “Risks GR QRW KDYH WR LQYROYH DQ DFFLGHQW D Č´UH ČľRRG RU SK\VLFDO WKHIW Č‹ KH VD\V ȊΖI \RX are providing accommodation and a guest abuses your bank account it can result in a huge expense for you because their credit card turns out not to be valid or they do a runner. A good risk management measure to take is to tighten up on your payment SURFHGXUH Č‹ KH FRQFOXGHV

ON THE MARKET Welcome to "ON THE MARKET", the new section of Luxury Bed & Breakfast PDJD]LQH VSHFLȴFDOO\ GHVLJQHG WR VKRZFDVH WKH EHVW % %V IRU VDOH DFURVV WKH FRXQWU\ (DFK LVVXH ZH DLP WR KLJKOLJKW VRPH RI WKH ODWHVW DQG JUHDWHVW % %V FXUUHQWO\ DYDLODEOH ΖQ DGGLWLRQ WR WKLV RXU QHZ % % IRU VDOH VHFWLRQ LV DOVR XS DQG UXQQLQJ DW www.luxurybbmag.co.uk, which ZLOO KDYH IXUWKHU UHJXODUO\ XSGDWHG SURSHUWLHV IRU \RX WR YLHZ ΖI \RX ZRXOG OLNH WR UHFHLYH WKH ODWHVW SURSHUWLHV IRU VDOH VWUDLJKW WR \RXU LQER[ VLPSO\ KHDG RYHU WR www.luxurybbmag.co.uk DQG VLJQ XS WR RXU QHZ ZHHNO\ H QHZVOHWWHU IRU WKH ODWHVW QHZV IHDWXUHV DQG SURSHUWLHV IRU VDOH $OWHUQDWLYHO\ FRQWDFW RQH RI RXU VXEVFULSWLRQV WHDP RQ subscriptions@jld-media.co.uk W ΖI \RX DUH ORRNLQJ IRU D % % IRU VDOH LQ \RXU ORFDO DUHD EXW FDQ W ȴQG ZKDW \RX UH ORRNLQJ IRU KHUH RU RQ RXU ZHEVLWH GURS WKH Luxury Bed & Breakfast WHDP DQ HPDLO ZLWK \RXU UHTXLUHPHQWV R DQG ZH FDQ JHW LQ FRQWDFW ZLWK RXU QHWZRUN RI HVWDWH DJHQWV WR VHH LI ZH FDQ ȴQG \RX \RXU QH[W GUHDP % %

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Km[[]kk^md :=< :J=9C>9KL ^Yeadq `ge] af C]fl ooo&k`]h`]j\`gmk]%^Yn]jk`Ye&[ge Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 42 - December 2018

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@ :12,14/8@ @ 549-498@ @ :814-88@ 49-77:69154@ 5;-7@ @ :*21+@ @ 3625>-78@ 1)*1219>@ @ :814-88@ -/)2@ =6-48-8@ 5;-7@ ? 5<@ =+-88@ 57@ 2)138 ? & @$0-.9@ @ ++1,-49)2 )3)/-@ >@ :-898 ? @"-+:719>@ 54,191548 Running a B&B or guest house is hard work and ringing around for days on end getting insurance quotes can be hassle and stress you don’t really need. Hodgson Insurance Services are an independent family run insurance broker based in Bude, Cornwall. We have been insuring guest houses all over the UK for over 40 years and understand the needs and insurance requirements of the modern-day B&B owner. You won’t ever be dealing with a call centre, you will always be speaking ZLWK WKH VDPH RU WUDLQHG VWDÎ? PHPEHUV (YHU\ EXVLQHVV LV GLÎ?HUHQW VRPH RÎ?HU D IXOO EUHDNIDVW RWKHUV allow guests access to cooking facilities. Some provide an element RI KROLGD\ OHWWLQJ PD\EH XVH RI D KRW WXE VRPH HPSOR\ VWDÎ? :H take time to understand how you run your business, as independent brokers we don’t just use one insurer, we have access to a number of specialist guest house insurance schemes and will search the market

WR Č´QG WKH EHVW PDWFK for your business, so you don’t have to. We don’t just sell on price, we make sure the covers are adequate for your needs. All guest house schemes have GLÎ?HUHQW WHUPV VRPH require security on doors & windows, some don’t, some include full Theft By Guests and some RQO\ RÎ?HU WKHIW FRYHU by forcible or violent entry. What excess do you have to pay in the event of a claim? All policies vary!! A burst pipe causes water damages to rooms which you can’t now rent for 6 months, will the policy compensate you for lost business?? An insurance broker should always fully explain the main conditions of a policy to ensure it meets your requirements. As general insurance brokers we don’t just do guest house insurance, although hospitality is a large part of our operation and we can look at quotes for holiday homes, restaurants, public houses etc, we also insure many landlords, shopkeepers and private motor vehicles. For more information or advice on your insurance needs please contact our brokerage.

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