B and B spells big business (From Western Telegraph)

B and B spells big business

Extra bed and breakfast businesses are needed to meet an increasing demand for rural holiday accommodation in Pembrokeshire.

The main areas highlighted are Castlemartin, the Angle Peninsular, Dale, Marloes, Solva, Trefin, Moylegrove, St Dogmaels, Crymych, Maenclochog, Mynachlogddu, Llysyfran, Efailwen and Llanboidy.

To encourage local people to set up or improve their bed and breakfast/guesthouse business, PLANED is holding a training day on Friday, at the Plas Hyfryd Hotel, Narberth.

PLANED tourism officer Catrin Evans said: "Here's a chance for local people to turn spare beds into extra cash. We have a growing tourism industry in Pembrokeshire and the potential to further develop our unique and quality holiday experience for visitors."

Speakers will include experienced operators like Ann Morris who is in her fifth year as a successful B and B landlady at her farm in Hundleton. Ann said: "I was quite green when I started and SPARC (now PLANED) was a great help. Farm incomes were falling so my daughter, who's in marketing, suggested we turn our eight-bedroom house at Bowett Farm into a B and B. Now I let three bedrooms and I haven't looked back.

"Running the business has given me more personal confidence, I'm making the house work for itself and it gives me an income separate from the farming business.

"My tip for anyone thinking of going into B and B is to imagine they were going away for a couple of days and think of the kind of place they'd like to stay."

There'll also be advice from guesthouse keeper David Blackmore. David and his wife Ann have been running the five-bedroom Cliff House at Saundersfoot for five years.

Ann said: "We love doing it and it's great because you meet a lot of interesting people."

Anyone interested in joining the course can contact Catrin Evans at PLANED, the Old School, Station Road, Narberth SA67 7DU, phone 01834 862115 or visit the website tourism@planed.org.uk.