Guests, travellers, visitors, bookings, tourism, DIY repairs, bookkeeping, suppliers, and other headaches encounterd in my B & B business.

Insights, thoughts and commentary from an owner and operator of a Bed and Breakfast business, based in Helmsley in the North of England.

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Quality in Tourism

I attended my local tourism association meeting yesterday when we were addressed by the Area Manager for Quality in Tourism.

I did not go brilliantly I am afraid as the speaker was sidetracked by a couple of domineering members of the audience.

Its not always easy to speak at these types of meeting especially when you have said you will allow questions during your presentation.

I think a better route is to say 'we'll have question at the end as my remit is to deliver this presentation to as many as possible'.

You then get the whole presentation out to satisfy everybody's interest and take business specific questions at the end when people may wander off if the information is not for them.

Anyway we had a debate about the Fire Regs and we chose to differ at the end. We both agreed that every business needed to do a Fire Risk Assessment but I was and still am of the opinion that businesses not registered for Quality Assurance do not need to write down the Risk Assessment.

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An extra £20K p.a. for your B&B?

Could you do with an extra £20K a year?
Let's face it an extra amount of that size would be welcome in most B&B's. Well if you fancy going for it you already know the telephone number to call its probably the most famous in the UK!
You'll have to put up with a few extra cars in your car park but rest assured you will never be bothered by the criminal fraternity, honestly!

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The Political Scene

The Political Party Conference Season is in full swing with the Liberal Democrats having just finished theirs.

Whilst it is nice to see Tourism get a mention in their policies I'm not really sure whether what they are suggesting is the right move.

Judge for yourself here.

But perhaps more importantly read the comments at the bottom of the news item some of them are quite thoughtful.

Have a good weekend.

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The Hotel Inspector

The Hotel Inspector

Are you watching the current Channel 5 series The Hotel Inspector?

Its broadcast on Thursday nights and last week' (13 Sept) programme raised the bar a little from being just another 'makeover' show to some thing quite interesting.

Ruth Watson was obviously on the horns of a dilemma! So much so that we actually saw her without her makeup!

More here and here.

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Drawing the Line!

Now I'm all for a bit of diversification in fact I do several different jobs myself but I think even I would draw the line here.

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Another Hotel Fire

Over the last few weeks there have been 2 disastrous fires in sleeping accommodation, in Newquay and now in Blackpool. Of course investigation will ultimately reveal the causes and hopefully suggest remedies for other establishments.

What this does bring more into focus is the Fire Risk Assessment businesses have to undergo now that Fire Certificates have been withdrawn. It makes me think that the Fire Services up and down the Country will soon place more importance in visiting all types of businesses to check that they have a Fire Risk Assessment in place.

Now would be very good time to do yours if you have not already done so.

Read more here. 

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Unsual B&B's

If you have the odd, and I mean odd, bedroom in your business see how it stacks up here with the professional oddeties here.

Everything from Alaska Railroad Pullman cars to an old jail in Oxford. Fancy staying in an ice bedroom where the temperature is guarenteed at -5° or a floating barge only reached by seaplane? Its all here.

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Web in a Box

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