Couple dream up new business to Bexhill

But the work paid off, because now Chris and Linda Wain have opened Coast B&B on Sea Road and believe they have achieved something completely new for Bexhill.

The couple spent many months working on their neglected end of terrace Edwardian house in Sea Road and aimed to retain the original elegance and classical beauty of the past while introducing the clean and fresh simplicity of the modern era.

They think the result is a bed and breakfast unlike any other and are ready now to welcome a new type of business to the town.

Linda said: "We are trying to bring a modern feel to Bexhill. We feel as though we need to attract younger people, more professional people to the town. Bexhill has nowhere for young professionals to go, and that's who we are really aiming for, those who appreciate nice things, maybe coming down from London and wanting to stay for a weekend."

Linda describes the three guest bedrooms as having the "wow factor" - the biggest is the crimson room which has its own roll-top bath, and then there are the teal and sage rooms, each one with their own flatscreen television and ensuite facilities.

The breakfast side is provided in the large airy room which looks out onto the street and where guest can enjoy pretty much whatever they like for breakfast - the menu includes scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, but Linda is happy to rustle together steak and chips if that is what's required.

The business is for her a dream come true - she had the idea years back that this was what she wanted to do, then the couple were able to put their time and finance into the project when Chris was made redundant from his job as sales director for a lighting company towards the end of last year.

"We decided to plough the redundancy money into this b&b," said Linda.

"We hadn't done anything like this before, and neither one of us had been in the service industry, so it was a new venture. We have sunk a lot of time and effort into this to make it a success. We were hoping to have it open at the beginning of the season, but we have come in at the end of it unfortunately.

"I always wanted to do this - I just always had a yearning to do it, and felt that I could do it well, and this was something I always thought of in years gone by. You can't get to the end of your life and think I wish I had tried that...so I was looking around and then found this, and it started from there really. It was good because of the location - you can see a bit of the sea, and it is just down the road from the station, and on the main road into Bexhill. The location is really good, so I brought Chris round, and he said - No way.

"But after further discussion he began to see it. He said at the time it was my project because he was working away from home, so we bought the property last August, and then he was made redundant last December."

Chris threw himself into the project himself at that point and was able to clock on with the builders every morning at 8am and oversee all the work done, which included a great deal of stripping back and rebuilding of walls, and restoration of Edwardian features such as the ceiling rose in the breakfast room, the balustrade and spindles running the height of the three floor staircase, and the decorative arches around the spectacular classical doors.

They have already welcomed guests to say, and have bookings, and were so excited before the arrival of the first customer that they couldn't get to sleep all night.

Linda commented: "We had so many people saying they couldn't wait to see it and they had watched our progress over the year, and were dying to have a look. The reaction has been that they haven't seen anything like this in Bexhill before.

"We love it - this is why we invested our time and money. We believe in Bexhill - I'd just like to see more going on here."

Coast B&B is at 58 Sea Road, 01424 225260