Dartmoor guesthouse targets new visitors with spa upgrade thanks to Start Up Loan from British Business Bank

Ramblers Nikki and Terry Hirst have used a loan from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme to bring a touch of luxury to their Dartmoor guesthouse.

The couple, who run the Ramblers’ Rest in Princetown and are in their 50s, have been able to splash out on a 14-ft hot spa pool to help revive and rejuvenate weary travellers.

Lucky guests can now immerse themselves in the warm, bubbly water and soak their cares away under the starlit Dartmoor sky.

The new facility, provided by Start Up Loans business support partner SWIG Finance, has already proven to be a huge hit and Nikki and Terry say receiving the loans totalling £35,000 for the spa pool has allowed them to take the nine-bedroom Ramblers’ Rest to the next level.

They can now offer value for money breaks all year round for locals, as well as those travelling from farther afield.

“People love the spa pool, it’s a real draw,” said Nikki. “We’d been looking at adding hot tubs for a while, but we didn’t want to have just one for each room. We wanted all of our guests to be able to enjoy it.

“We came across the ‘swim spa’ but the lease system that came with it seemed really expensive.”

The couple started looking around for other ways to fund the purchase and came across British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme.

Nikki says the idea of getting a loan out – especially at her stage in life – was a daunting prospect at first.

“The thought of it did seem quite scary but this loan has not been scary at all!” she said.

“SWIG Finance has been so helpful, going through it all with us at every stage and helping us to prepare all the paperwork. It’s been good to have someone get that overview of the business. It’s made that side of things seem a lot less stressful for me.”

Nikki and Terry had been occasionally renting out their Plymouth home on Airbnb but had always dreamed of running their own hotel or guesthouse one day.

When the lease for The Railway Inn (as it was then known) in Princetown came up for sale three years ago, they decided to up sticks and go for it.

Since then, carpenter Terry and former IT teacher Nikki have worked hard to create a truly restful retreat in a village perched high on the hills in the middle of the moor.

Both Nikki, who has a degree in hospitality, and Terry are loving their new direction in life and are hoping for a busy 2024.

“I feel like everything we’ve done in our lives has led to this point,” said Nikki. “It’s all fallen into place for us. I feel very lucky.”

Nikki and Terry are one of the nearly 1,500 businesses set up by over 50s located in the South West that have received finance from the Start Up Loans programme.

Visit the Ramblers Rest website (ramblersrest.uk)

Start Up Loans is a government-backed scheme from the British Business Bank, available to people looking to start or grow a business in the UK. It offers unsecured loans of up to £25,000 with a fixed interest rate of 6 per cent, repayable over one to five years. Successful applicants also receive 12 months of free mentoring to help them succeed. Find out more at startuploans.co.uk