Most bed and breakfast owners worry about everyday things like burnt toast, late arrivals, or the eternal mystery of disappearing cutlery.
But Sue Grundy, who runs Brooklands Guest House in Penrith, went a step further — putting her entire property under the microscope for Channel 4’s Four in a Bed.
Sue filmed with the programme last May, going up against three other B&B owners, all based in Scotland.
It started yesterday, Monday March 9, on Channel 4 at 5.30pm and continues for the rest of this week.
Having only taken over the eight-bedroom guesthouse in Portland Place at the end of 2023, Sue reckoned the experience might yield some useful tips.
In the popular series, participants spend a week at each other’s properties, rating them on everything from cleanliness and friendliness to breakfasts, comfort, and room layout.
As host, each owner also takes their guests to dinner and lays on local entertainment. On the final day, everyone reveals their verdicts — and pays for each stay according to what they felt it was actually worth.
Penrith-born Sue said: “Several people had suggested I apply, and after a while I thought I’d just give it a go.
“I did a phone interview and a short video audition and was then told I’d been selected. I was the only Cumbrian in the competition so I had to arrange cover at Brooklands while I was away.
“I was surprised by how much filming was involved. There was a lot of repetition to get the right shots, and plenty of interviews throughout the week, but I really enjoyed it. I had no idea where I’d be going until the day itself. I’m looking forward to watching the programmes when they air.”
As a relative newcomer to tourism, Sue was candid about her reasons for signing up.
She made a bold career change when she left her role as deputy manager at Aldi in Penrith to take on Brooklands, and saw the show as a valuable learning opportunity.
She said: “Friends and family were pretty supportive — they thought it was a marvellous thing to do, though others told me I was mad! It was a bit daunting putting yourself up for criticism. I had only been running Brooklands for a year at the time, so I just thought I’d have a bit of fun and hopefully learn something along the way.
“The previous owners had done a lot of refurbishments, and I’ve continued that work — keeping all the original features and adding furniture that suits the lovely high ceilings and wood panelling. I think Brooklands is quite a grand house, and I had high hopes it would impress.”
Sue said she went into the show with a clear approach — to be honest, but never unkind.
She added: “I tried to be fair to everyone involved. I wanted to give genuine feedback without being nasty or over-picky. It was important to just be myself.”
Brooklands appears on Thursday, March 12, with the final results revealed the following day.
