July 15, 2022 2.30 pm This story is over 28 months old

Lincolnshire B&B owner says “market has totally changed” with rising costs

Rising costs are impacting the business

The owner of a Bed & Breakfast in Skegness says the “market has totally changed” as the business tries to deal with the impact in the rise of the cost of living.

Alan Earley and Jackie Burling run The Rufford Hotel on Saxby Avenue and have noticed a big change in people’s booking habits.

Alan told BBC Look North: “The market has totally changed. It used to be weekly Saturday to Saturday, now a lot of them are just two, three nights.

“The main change we’ve had is the cost of electricity and gas, which has doubled, and being a commercial business we don’t get the cap.”

Colin Davie, Executive Councillor for Economy and Place at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “I think the truth is that people who used to come for two weeks are coming for one week, the people who came for a long weekend are coming for a short weekend, and it’s quite clear from businesses I speak to that they’re getting a lot less money through the tills.”