Start a small bed and breakfast

Leisure travellers, walkers and cyclists, wedding guests, and business visitors staying a night or two.

A per-room, per-night price including breakfast. Revenue grows with the number of rooms and how many nights they are booked.

• Cooking breakfasts to a good standard
• Hospitality and customer service
• Managing bookings and cleaning routines

• Register as a food business with your council before serving breakfast
• Fire risk assessment and fire safety rules for paying guests, check requirements for your nation
• Planning permission or change of use if you are not already a guest house
• Public liability and suitable buildings and contents insurance for business use
• Long hours and seasonal quiet spells

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £5,000 to £25,000, depending on the number of rooms, how much furnishing and decoration they need, and your insurance and safety requirements.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £8,000, depending on room rates, number of rooms and how full you are. The estimates assume at least about 30 hours a week.

Check you register as a food business with your council before serving breakfast, and check fire risk assessment rules for your nation. Also check planning permission or change of use, and suitable business insurance, including public liability.