So we’re not exactly at Tom and Barbara levels of self-sufficiency just yet but the parallels of a mid-life crisis and a quest to avoid the rat-race are pretty clear.
We’ve just polished off my kayak-caught sea bass (pan-fried fillets with a delicious oriental sauce) rounded off with a homemade pie of local apples and blackberries picked on Beachy Head a few hours ago. Hmm, maybe I now need a vineyard to provide a decent glass of red?

Having a bed and breakfast in Eastbourne is pretty relentless (despite what my friends reckon – ‘No, really, what do you do to fill your day?’) but there are certainly perks to be had. Many of them end up in my tum.

The council vetoed my plan for solar-generated electricity – Grade II-listing can be very appealing but not when it comes to negotiating the minefield of council planning committees – and (thankfully) my wife provides the pragmatic balance that Barbara Good would have been proud of when it comes to weeding out the various ‘business ideas’ I hatch.

Still, we’re a long way from our previous life in Teddington and the corporate world so occasionally the odd plan comes to fruition.

We have a regular stream of guests who recognise the quality of life that Eastbourne can provide and are searching for a holiday home or indeed are eyeing up a similar leap towards a simpler life away from London.

We’re always very open to a chat about the realities of life on the Sunshine Coast and can also give some honest feedback on local areas to consider so feel free to call us up or book yourself in for a break to sample the delights on offer. Those blackberries really are very juicy…

Carl

The sun is shining on another delightful morning here on Hartington Place, Eastbourne.

Our guests from the Netherlands have just headed out for a trek towards Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters (true pragmatic Dutch stylee, with sandals, packed lunch and ever-so-slightly wary children) whilst others prepare for the opera at Glyndebourne.

Our London journalists have just left with one last rueful look at the sea before heading back to the station. At least it’s an easy journey for their family – just an hour an half back to Clapham Junction and Victoria.

Whilst the children are at nursery and the wife is out at Zumba (is EVERY woman at it these days?!) it’s a rare opportunity to indulge in a pain au chocolat, mug of builders tea and a little rumination in front of the pc and appreciation of all that is good in life.

Maybe, just maybe, there will be an opportunity for a kayak fishing session this afternoon and the possibility of a bass or a few mackeral for supper, post five-a-side football.

Before I lose myself completely in a fog of smugness I’d best crack on with tidying up the dining room and carry up innumerable bags of laundry just delivered. This bed and breakfast malarkey is non-stop.

There has been a frenzy of sporting activity here at the guesthouse recently. For once, not all lycra has been worn by yours truly and baby buggies have been outnumbered by bikes in the dining room.

With the London to Brighton cycle ride almost amongst us, guests have been hitting the tarmac and hills of the South Downs in preparation for Ditchling Beacon and the other meanderings between the capital and the South coast.

At a slightly different pace, our lovely Norwegian couple have also been testing themselves at nearby golf courses which share the same scenery and also the same (currently wind-blown) challenges, whilst others have enjoyed pre-breakfast jogs along the prom.

Watching everyone else indulge in the activities has left me feeling slightly frumpy, largely sat behind the laptop, with only Wednesday night running club (and a recent but thankfully short spell on a wedding dance floor) to keep my legs moving.

It’s a far cry from the marathon training and morning spent running around Richmond Park. If you fancy reading more about the sights and suffering I suggest you pick up the latest edition of Running Free magazine or perhaps take a look online here – see pages 38-39.

If you have the time for a visit to this rather unique Eastbourne bed and breakfast and fancy a run out why don’t you give me a call on 01323 722774 – and don’t forget your welcome to join us at The Running Inn’s Wednesday night session or indeed circuits on a Friday night at 6pm (for just a fiver). There is always the prospect on my (apparently legendary) porridge to sort you out in the morning.

I appreciate that it wasn’t exactly comparable to the £61k goody bags picked up by recent Oscar nominees, but the scone I received courtesy of the cafe at Tennis in the Park in Eastbourne tasted all the more divine given it was a freebie – all in recognition of our recent placement as Number 1 in the Independent’s Top 50 bed and breakfasts.

I was even offered congratulations by a complete stranger on the street. Blimey.

Our local paper, the Eastbourne Herald, has picked up on it to help spread the word and I also had to give an interview to Sovereign Radio. So if you need cheering up I suggest you have a laugh at my expense by putting on the headphones and click here tomorrow morning when it’s due on air during the regular bulletins.

The sun’s feeling particularly warm this morning, the air the sweetest of the year and we’re skipping around the kitchen preparing breakfasts with beaming smiles – we’ve just been voted Number 1 in this morning’s Independent‘s Top 50 B&Bs!

Better dash – the sausages need turning….

Great guest-list here over the last few days, surely confirming our position as Eastbourne’s most accommodating bed and breakfast -  including a farmer, his dog and several sheep. All in the same room.

My toddler son is often very fond of our guests, particularly when they love dancing as much as him. Thankfully, the cast of Shaun’s Big Show, running recently at the nearby Devonshire Park Theatre were both generous and enthusiastic, offering us tickets for a performance and impromptu dance lessons in our kitchen.

The childless amongst you might not have stumbled upon Shaun the Sheep, but few parents will be unaware of the slapstick animation, straight from the Nick Parke/Ardman flock and, more importantly, his ability to capture kids’ attention whilst offering an irreverent angle to keep the oldies entertained.

Happily the TV show and its characters have translated well to the stage – sufficiently well to engage my little man for an hour and a half with a plot based around dancing sheep, which is frankly astonishing. Thank you very much indeed.

The theatrical roll-call has been gathering momentum – several of the Hairspray crowd were here over recent weeks and whilst Mickey Dolenz, returning as one of the leads, wasn’t staying here he was out on the town with the cast. Davy Jones, fellow Monkee, was also around apparently for one particularly heavy session in Eastbourne which ended with karaokee in a local pub. How much would you have paid to have seen it – Davy Jones, up with a mic, singing Daydream Believer. Nice touch!

VAT’s gone up. Inflation is following suit. Job cuts are in the air and it would appear that Britain is battening down the hatches. Thank goodness no one seems to be telling our guests.

A busy Christmas and New Year here at The Guesthouse East with a typically eclectic guestlist; escapees chrerishing life away from London, a writer seeking inspiration, stranded transatlantic travellers and a number enjoying festive visits to family locally in Eastbourne, but equally finding delight in the space (and tranquility….) of their suites.

I felt a pang of guilt yesterday suggesting to a lovely couple that the clear blue skies they could witness from the breakfast table made for perfect viewing at Beachy Head so off they walked. Straight into a downpour. Sorry guys. At least you got to enjoy the warmth and creativity of the latest exhibition at the Towner Gallery – Tamoaki Suzuki’s only solo event in the UK this year, featuring his figurative sculptures.  Well worth a visit, especially if you’re slightly damp.

And if you need some plain old economic encouragement to visit this month how about the offer of a free night? Stay for two nights and get the third night free. Crazy, indeed. It’s the least we can do when times are tough.

Call me on 01323 722774 to book your slot now.

You really never know who might be sitting alongside you for breakfast here.

We’re both sociable types and I guess our personalities have been reflected in the Wagamama-style communal dining table.  So although we offer self-catering facilities in every suite and, indeed, breakfast in your own room (well, you’re on holiday after all…) many people choose the social option.

In recent times we’ve been taken over by cheerleaders (with 2000 in Eastbourne overall including family) so ringlets and pom poms were the order of the day (many congratulations to the Gold medal winners who stayed with us for the weekend!). Matt, a sky-dive instructor, was here for the best part of a week and this weekend a lovely crowd had the run of the place for a Christian conference. The Congress, Winter Garden and Devonshire Park theatres are just a few minutes walk away so we’re perfectly located for the events which alway draw an interesting, international and eclectic crowd.

Unfortunately I’m hidden away as the kitchen hand so miss most of the breakfast banter and my menial tasks continued today, as general lackey to a variety of tradesmen who are currently refurbing the place. At least you can get to experience the benefits either through the near-legendary porridge or sparkly bathrooms.

The kayak has looked rather forlorn in the lobby recently following the latest family addition and the inevitable lack of opportunity to hit the water in Eastbourne. Two guests here took pity on it and gave it a run-out thankfully, facing the wrath of the lifeguards and launching in the no-go swimming-only zone, the little devils.

Not traditional Eastbourne B&B owners, perhaps

Having limited time for fun has meant new fitness tactics – snorkelling. Sadly my inept swimming has already led to a near miss by the groynes and an embarrassing beaching episode but at least it entertains the sunbathers.

We can be grateful the constant sunshine of the last few weeks has warmed up the sea a little. Not that the stream of family and friends have been tempted.  The beach-side cafe has some sort of magnetic hold.

If you fancy a stay at our boutique B&B in Eastbourne give us a call on 01323 722774 or check out the suites here

Refreshing is one word for it. Let’s just say I needed the wetsuit for the inaugural swim of the year. And a bowl of steaming soup on my return. But the blood is certainly flowing again and we’re back in fine fettle after a hectic few weeks here at The Guesthouse East B&B in Eastbourne.

Swiss, French, Thai. Management consultants, teachers, designers. Young families, romancing couples and businessmen.  You can’t say it’s a bland crowd here. We’re completely taken over this Saturday night by an ecletic mix of walkers after the rigours of the South Downs Way. Better put some porridge on.

We still have some suites available for this Friday – self catering or bed and breakfast – and the chance to take advantage of my ‘Name your price!’ promotion. I’ve just had a lovely lady book on the phone who was obviously a bit embarrssed to  make an offer but delighted with the result. I suggest you give it a go too – on 01323 722774