What it takes to run an organic, vegan, dog-friendly Bed & Breakfast

Running a B&B is not for the faint-hearted, or for the disorganised. In fact, however organised you are, your guests can still surprise you! They sometimes turn up with unannounced dogs and/or children, or arrive two hours before the check in time and are annoyed that you are not there! Also, things break, heating systems fail, the gas board decides to dig up the road outside your house... There are things you can never plan for.

I had no illusions that this would be an easy job. It is physically and mentally draining, which often leads to it becoming emotionally draining as well. The house and garden need maintaining, and the dog needs walking, on top of all the cooking, cleaning and laundry required for the business. My time is meticulously planned to accommodate all these things... well, most of them. The garden gets neglected, and often I have to ask someone to walk the dog, just so that I can keep on top of everything else. Menus must be planned and food ordered online (in order to get the range of organic products I need.) Bed linen gets ironed so that it looks smart and crisp (and drying it outside whenever possible gives it a lovely freshness that artificial scents can never replicate.) Every day the guest beverage trays need clearing and re-stocking, and I have to keep an eye on the dispensers of soap, shampoo and shower gel to see when they need topping up. Admin takes up a considerable amount of time too, dealing with bookings and enquiries about bookings, checking what time people want dinner and if they have any food intolerances or allergies, accommodating special requests for birthdays and other celebrations. It is a juggling act to fit my appointments and the dog's appointments (ha ha - we're having training sessions!) around the bookings, whilst also carving out a bit of space for me to relax!

On the plus side, I enjoy providing a welcoming and cosy environment for guests, and cooking them lovely, organic, vegan meals. Reading the reviews they write brings me joy too. I have met many interesting people, and so many guests have stayed here multiple times. It is great to have the flexibility to take days off sometimes to do things I enjoy, like walking in different places with Charlie the dog, doing some writing, or just flopping into a chair in the garden and reading a book, popping to the cinema or visiting a jazz club.

If anyone wants advice on running a B&B I'll always try to help! A lot of my success here is due to the B&B being vegan, as I attract guests from all around the world, many of whom had never previously heard of Bexhill! So find your niche, your USP, and give it a go!