Guest houses told to get on the net

For many of us, travel writer Bill Bryson summed up the classic English bed and breakfast experience in his book Notes From A Small Island. The resident old codger, unwelcoming house rules and gargantuan fried breakfast all featured in his account of life in a seaside guest house. Now Tourism South-East (TSE), the region's tourist board, has devised an action plan to drag the popular but often maligned B&B into the 21st Century. According to TSE, guest house owners have bigger things to worry about than the affectionately disparaging notes of a self-confessed Anglophile. The biggest threat comes from budget hotels, often in the middle of towns and cities, offering price discounts to fill their rooms. Leanne Marr, TSE development officer, said: "B&Bs are competing with well-known hotel brands which are perceived to offer a convenient and well-recognised level of quality, service and value." TSE wants far more B&B owners to promote their businesses on the internet and offer special off-season rates to counter the impact of cheaper hotels. In return, TSE, in partnership with councils, will run networking events for guest house owners and organise workshops to help them improve their service. Ms Marr said there was an overwhelming need to improve communications within the B&B sector and for businesses to share experience and knowledge with their peers. The action plan follows the largest survey of B&B owners conducted in the region to date, which showed the sector was worth £28 million to its economy. More than half of the 300 B&B operators questioned by TSE said they started their business as a means of generating extra or additional income. Many said they felt isolated from the tourism industry as a whole and cited barriers they felt restricted their development. Lack of demand for rooms during winter, shortage of space to expand and problems gaining planning permission topped the list of complaints. Stringent fire safety regulations and rules governing the admission of disabled guests also restricted growth for many guest house operators. Ms Marr said: "B&Bs' strength is their ability to offer great value and a warm, welcoming and homely product with a great deal of character and individuality. "But many face increasing competition from budget hotels employing aggressive price discounting to boost occupancy levels, especially among business travellers."