August / September 2020 Issue

THE MAGAZINE FOR OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF BnBs, INNS, BOUTIQUE HOTELS & HOLIDAY LETS

Bill Lumley

If you have any experiences you'd like to share, please email me bill@miramedia.co.uk or connect with us on social media: facebook.com/luxurybbmag/. Business is back up and running but still very fragile. While some spacious properties have returned to near-full capacity and are booked through to the end of season, they seem to be the exceptions.

Lakes Edge in Herefordshire is one such business, and we speak to general manager of the luxury holiday cottages Janet Taylor Martin (page 6). Within days of reopening, their rooms were filled to the end of August and beyond.

By contrast, many B&Bs have encountered a dramatic drop in occupancy. For example, The Reading Rooms in Margate is down by 17 rooms a week to just four (page 13). And while some 89% of inns had reopened by the end of July, 60% are barely breaking even, and industry bodies are calling out for more government financial assistance (page 4).

But the fact is that business is open again after those seemingly endless three months of lockdown when the only business B&Bs were making essential workers requiring overnight accommodation.

To fits and starts, we are gradually emerging to make the best of the rest of summer, just as new lockdown orders reappear in some areas. Luxury hospitality is driven by some of the finest, most creative and imaginative minds in the country. We’ll get through it somehow.

Entries now being invited for the second Luxury BnB Awards.

The news follows the announcement of the results of the first award winners in February. Categories: Best Breakfast Best Luxury Interior Best Use of Social Media Luxury Romantic Getaway

Once again entrants will be judged by a panel of industry experts.

Judges include B&B Association chairman David Weston, Tiny Troubleshooter founder Tina Boden, B&B Business Coach Yvonne Halling and Luxury BnB editor Bill Lumley.

The winner of last year’s overall award for Excellence in Luxury Service was The Laindons in Hastings.

The online application form can be found at luxurybbmag.co.uk/awards/

Nine in 10 Inns Open

The British institute of Innkeepers (BII) has released the results of its third survey of members since the closure of pubs in March of this year, revealing that 89% of members are now open in some form or another.

The BII has consistently called for the support that will be vital for pubs to survive and play their part in the recovery of our economy, and will continue to take the collective voice of their members to Government to provide an authentic licensee perspective.

However the results also illustrate that their businesses are incredibly fragile, with 60% making no profit currently, even with staff on furlough and other financial support packages in place.

The institute’s CEO Steven Alton said: “The results of this, our most recent survey, clearly demonstrate the ongoing requirement for additional support for our Great British pubs, to ensure that they can remain at the heart of their communities, providing not only local employment and tax revenue, but also friendship, support and immeasurable social value to their customers.”

BUSINESS INTERRUPTION DECISION DELAYED

Clarification as to whether hospitality businesses across the UK can expect to receive payouts from business interruption insurance over lockdown has been delayed until at least September before a court ruling on the issue.

The High Court last month reviewed the policy wording of eight major insurers to decide whether or not the Covid-19 pandemic should trigger a business interruption insurance pay out. The two-week case concluded at the end of July, but a final judgement is not expected before September at the earliest.

For more detailed analysis of the business interruption see luxurybbmg.co.uk/catching-covid-concerns-your-insurance-policy/.

SEEKING BIZARRE GUEST STORIES

Author and Luxury BnB magazine editor Bill Lumley is co-writing a book of tales of unusual and memorable customer experiences in bars in the UK. He would like to invite you to send in your stories of outrageous, embarrassing and/or hilarious stories of outstanding customer encounters.

Co-author Ron Dougal has collected many bizarre tales from decades of drinking in inns and pubs in Edinburgh and London, but for added flavour the authors feel the book could benefit from input, however strange, from the people who run bars themselves.

The stories can be anonymous if you wish, and they may be brief. For instance, a man walked into a pub in Aberystwyth and ordered a large vodka and tonic. He asked for some ice, and the barmaid replied: “We’re not that kind of pub.”

The book, working title Hospitality Hell – Stories from the front line - is set to be published early next year. A prize of a free signed copy will be sent to one of the Luxury BnB story contributors.

Send your bizarre customer stories to bill@miramedia.co.uk.