A Morecambe couple who have finished a £350,000 top-to-bottom revamp of their guesthouse have spoken about life as hoteliers ahead of the town's predicted tourism boom.
Dave and Meru Rees took over the Sanderling around two-and-a-half years ago and have completely transformed the premises with a full refurb both inside and out.
Dave, an airport taxi driver, and hairdresser Meru took over the B&B on West End Road previously known as the Silverwell.
And they have no regrets about moving into the hotel business as the town awaits a predicted massive rise in tourism numbers from the planned Eden Project Morecambe.
LISTEN to our interview with Dave and Meru Rees
"It was a bit of a dated place when we first moved in," said Dave.
"We knew it was going to be a hell of a project but we didn't realise it was going to be this long. We've chopped it down from inside (see photo below) and rebuilt it from top to bottom."
"We've reduced it down from 15 rooms to 11," said Dave.
"There are no shared bathrooms on the corridors now like it used to be.
"Everything's a bit brighter now. It's a total transformation."
"The amount of money we've spent, we need to recoup a bit now. We've spent more than we paid for it.
"We bought it for just over £170,000. We've spent double that and we've got it how we want it."
Dave said that business at the Sanderling has been "steady" this year.
"We can't complain really.
"There's room for a little bit more but we'd have to be full every night, which we are in summer. There are some nights we could fill 20 rooms quite easily.
"Last year was a really good year for us, mainly because I think people were apprehensive about going abroad. The trouble with Manchester Airport and flight delays. Staycations, we did really well out of that.
"Recently we had a few students staying here with their parents because it was graduation. There are an amazing amount of cyclists doing the Way of the Roses. There are all these events going on at the Alhambra, the Winter Gardens and the Platform, and every time there's an event on, we're full. And when the mods and punks have been here (for events), they book for the following year as well."
Dave also gave his thoughts on the proposed £100m Eden Project Morecambe visitor attraction, which is due to open in 2026 on the Promenade and could pull 740,000 annual visitors to the town.
"I think there's a lot of scepticism going on in Morecambe at the moment," he said.
"People are going on Facebook all the time saying, 'it's not going to happen' because people don't see something physically going on. But I think it will do."
"There's also Frontierland that's been lying dead for 20-odd years now. Again, there's nothing happening. Nothing's materialising, it's dragging its feet again. We've had people staying here saying 'we're bored, there's nothing to do'."
Read more: Fourteen proposals in the mix to develop Frontierland site in Morecambe - Beyond Radio
"We get people coming for the beautiful scenery, and they want to know where The Bay (TV show) was filmed and all the landmarks."
West End Road has long been an area full of B&Bs, hotels and guesthouses.
Dave said there have been recent changes with "one or two Air B&Bs" arriving and many property owners, like himself, investing in improvements.
"They're all getting done up round here," he said.
"I think the local people have moved on, not all but some, and now we're getting property developers in. The Trevelyan across the road, that's now an Air B&B. They've spent an absolute fortune. Beautiful apartments.
"That's where people are going now because it's easier money and not as much work to do."
But Dave and Meru are happy with their own investment and say their guests are too.
"From the comments we get, people like it," said Dave.
"We get a lot of repeat business now, so that's good."
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