- 3 months ago
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00:01From the glistening waters of the Med to the mountainous Alps,
00:05all across Europe, brave Brits are chasing new beginnings.
00:09Let's get this show on the road, huh?
00:11I mean, just look at this backdrop here.
00:13Essex was nothing like this.
00:15The stakes are high.
00:17This is definitely a gamble. I put everything in. All my life savings.
00:21We've got a lot riding on this.
00:22Our futures, our children's futures.
00:24We need to make some money.
00:25As they launch B&Bs and pubs in France.
00:30We're very new at this.
00:31Wow. Good job the wines, Chi.
00:34To wellness retreats and holiday parks in Bulgaria.
00:38It's not big enough.
00:39We measured it. I don't understand.
00:41It's a journey into the unknown.
00:44That's cool.
00:46Boo!
00:48But we're joining them for the ride.
00:51As they tee off...
00:53Ooh!
00:54..their new lives in the sun.
00:55I just walk around with a smile on my face all the time.
00:58Best life ever!
01:00Today...
01:01Really nervous.
01:03..it's opening day at a couple's new pub in France.
01:06I don't know if I'm coming, if I'm going, what I'm serving.
01:09..but will their gamble on a fresh start for their family pay off?
01:13We've put everything in. Everything that we've got.
01:16Blood, sweat and tears.
01:18In Spain...
01:19Well, I hope that's everything,
01:21because there ain't no coming back.
01:24..emotions run high.
01:27Whoa!
01:28..as a B&B owner makes big changes to her business.
01:32There's only one income coming into this household,
01:34so it's all on me.
01:36..and has the renovation of a Spanish guest house...
01:39Nice to meet you!
01:40..hit a sticking point.
01:43Fingers crossed it's right,
01:45otherwise we'd be taking it back down.
01:48HE LAUGHS
01:49The Dordogne is where France slows down,
02:04a place of vineyards, castles and long summer evenings.
02:08Each year, thousands of Brits flock here for holidays,
02:12but there are also a brave batch so won over by the region
02:16that they gamble everything to make it their new home.
02:21Are the market still on?
02:23We're just a little bit later than we would normally be.
02:26Like Dave and Emily from Huddersfield
02:28and their two children, Willow and Hugo.
02:31It's the tradition, isn't it, that we'll do our bit of shopping,
02:35get our baguettes and then we stop and have a little drink
02:38in the local bar.
02:39Yeah.
02:40Yeah.
02:41And then you can just sit and watch the world goodbye,
02:43do a bit of people watching.
02:44Yeah.
02:48We've really put ourselves on the line, haven't we?
02:50We've left all of our family, all of our friends,
02:52and we've got our kids.
02:55Emotionally, we've put everything in,
02:58everything that we've got.
02:59Blood, sweat and tears.
03:02Thus far, it's good, yeah?
03:05Yeah, it's good.
03:08But to pay for their new lives here,
03:10for the past month, former car sales manager Dave
03:13and travel agent Emily...
03:15We've got to do them from the inside.
03:17..have been working around the clock
03:19to get their new pub and restaurant
03:20in the village of Sant Estef ready to open.
03:25They're not perfect, but you can see out of them now.
03:27Much better.
03:29We've taken over a pub and we want it to be a hub for people
03:32to come, meet the friends, meet us,
03:36just generally enjoy being in our place.
03:40You've done them all?
03:41Uh-huh.
03:42I'm the boss.
03:43OM's the boss.
03:44I'm the boss, absolutely.
03:45And I enjoy that because the responsibility
03:49is less than I've had in the past.
03:51So I'm very happy for him to be the boss.
03:54Regardless of who's in charge though,
03:56it's a brand new career path for both of them.
04:01It's very stressful, very tiring.
04:04Yeah.
04:05Mentally draining.
04:06Yeah.
04:07Physically draining.
04:08Physically draining.
04:09Everything's just so new and we're unsure about everything.
04:12We haven't got the leisure of being able to say it didn't work.
04:18That can't happen.
04:19It has to work.
04:21It's now early June and the heat's ramping up in the kitchen
04:26for Dave and Emily's new pub.
04:28Make sure you get it right.
04:31Hey, you can't put that much chilli in.
04:33Will that be good though, do you think?
04:35I...
04:36Yeah, I don't know.
04:38It's finally their official launch day,
04:41but before they open their doors for the first time later this afternoon,
04:45they need to cook up the curries that'll be served as part of a free taster menu.
04:50I just feel like I'm missing something and I can't think what?
04:56Methy.
04:57Methy.
04:58Hey, do you know what?
05:00It's a good job I'm here really, isn't it?
05:02This is supposed to be a competition between who's the best and I'm helping you.
05:07But we are married.
05:08You would have definitely lost, wouldn't you?
05:11The plan is to have two different curries to serve,
05:14one prepped by Emily and the other by Dave.
05:17The pan's not looking big enough.
05:20I've got five kilos of chicken to go in it,
05:23so I'm a little bit worried now that I haven't quite got enough space.
05:26Never used a commercial kitchen to cook anything.
05:32Here goes.
05:33It's scary because I've never made a curry for so many people.
05:36What if we just do it all wrong?
05:38Once you've put these spices in, you can't take them back out.
05:41One, two...
05:44Doing these curries tonight is definitely a risk for us because, you know,
05:49it all goes well, brilliant.
05:51But if it doesn't, we might lose customers forever.
05:55I've no idea how much I've just put in there.
05:58Oh, dear.
05:59And as the morning goes on...
06:03Did you turn this down?
06:04Yeah.
06:05..with only experience of cooking for their own family
06:08and not large groups,
06:12it's not just the spice levels that they're worried about.
06:15It's really hard to get this just right.
06:18The water levels, especially in Emily's pan, seem off.
06:22It's watery now.
06:25Why is it so watery?
06:27The chicken will have water in, won't it?
06:31Yeah, it needs to reduce loads and loads and loads.
06:35Ah, this doesn't look like my curry.
06:37All this steam, is it cooking down?
06:40But then my chicken's gonna go tough, innit?
06:43We've never made a bad curry in our lives.
06:46Till today.
07:02Over 800 miles away in southern Spain,
07:05it's also a day of celebration
07:07in the mountaintop village of Polopos,
07:10where its annual wine festival is in full swing.
07:13Joining the party this year are its newest residents,
07:18Nigel, originally from Wiltshire...
07:21Hola.
07:22..and his Spanish husband, Fede, who has family roots here.
07:28A day where the community comes together
07:30and enjoy and relax themselves.
07:32Seeing as there's a fountain of red wine,
07:34I think we could have a few.
07:37There is an alcohol-free fountain as well.
07:39The couple who previously ran a pub in Bath
07:41have bought a three-storey former guest house
07:43at the top of the village.
07:46Having been closed for ten years,
07:48Nigel and Fede spotted an opportunity
07:50to revive the business.
07:53The property we want to bring back to its former glory,
07:56back up to standard for the bed and breakfast.
07:58We are both going to be taking the DIY tasks.
08:01And hopefully each room will have its own stamp on it.
08:02Cheers!
08:03And news of the couple's plans...
08:04Bienvenido!
08:05..have become the talk of the town.
08:07If they have a house, they will bring us more tourism.
08:08If we can help them, we will help them.
08:09Both mayors have welcomed us to the village
08:10and have offered any help possible,
08:12as long as we don't ask for cash.
08:13With the whole community watching on,
08:14the pressure's now on to deliver.
08:16Hopefully, we'll make it a nicer place.
08:17Hopefully, we'll make it a nicer place.
08:18We'll be able to help them.
08:19We'll be able to help them.
08:20We'll be able to help them.
08:21We'll be able to help them.
08:26Both mayors have welcomed us to the village
08:28and have offered any help possible,
08:31as long as we don't ask for cash.
08:36With the whole community watching on,
08:38the pressure's now on to deliver.
08:43Hopefully, we'll make it a nicer place.
08:45And between us, you know, the work's got to be done.
08:49And we're looking forward to the challenge.
08:52It's now late April,
08:54and as interest grows in Nigel and Fede's new business venture...
08:58This is a rough guide.
09:01..the couple are trying to keep momentum up
09:03on their B&B renovations.
09:05But with Fede under the weather,
09:07they've had to call in some extra help.
09:10We've got Steve here from the UK.
09:13He's going to put in a load of stud walls for us
09:16to divide up and make some new rooms.
09:18We've got Brian downstairs putting a sink in the bar
09:21and helping me in the kitchen do some plumbing work.
09:23So, yeah, lots going on today.
09:25While Nigel and Fede are DIY novices,
09:29their friend Steve, who is visiting for a week,
09:32has a background in construction.
09:36So it's vital they make the most of his skills while he's here.
09:42This used to be a former lounge for guests
09:44that stayed at the former B&B,
09:46but we're going to turn it into an en suite, open-plan shower
09:49and toilet and bedroom
09:51because of the views outside the doors.
09:53This is going to be the nicest room, hopefully.
09:57They're all going to be nice,
09:58but this is a bit more grandeur to it.
10:00Once the renovations are complete,
10:03Nigel and Fede plan to have a total of five double en suite guest rooms.
10:08But to achieve that, not only did they need to build new bathrooms,
10:14the property's existing wash facilities...
10:17It's like tales of the unexpected!
10:20..also need an upgrade to modern standards.
10:24The level where all the bathrooms are in the middle of the house,
10:27Steve's going to come into each bathroom and put new doors in
10:31because they've just used curtains in the past.
10:34So, to make it a bit more private,
10:36we're going to put new doors in and box them in
10:38so they become a natural room.
10:40So, when somebody's using the bathroom,
10:42it's not fuming the bedroom.
10:48While Steve's been able to steam ahead
10:50with the stud walls for the new en suite upstairs...
10:54This is going to be where the shower head and taps are.
10:58..when they come to plotting out the toilet area...
11:02..it's proving more of a puzzle.
11:04So, it's 60 from the front of the toilet, 24 inches.
11:10So, we were going to put the toilet in here,
11:13but we've looked on the plans of the dimensions of the toilet,
11:18and it needs to be slightly bigger, which then encroaches on the doors.
11:24If they don't get their measurements right...
11:2685 to 90 is literally in line with that wall.
11:32..it might not be much of a comfort break for their guests.
11:36Fingers crossed it's right, otherwise we'd be taking it back down.
11:40LAUGHTER
11:43Three and a half hours later, with the new walls up,
11:47it's time to find out.
11:49That's brilliant.
11:50Really good job.
11:52And the toilet can go in there.
11:55I'm just testing it out.
11:56Plenty of space either side.
11:59Enough for the cistern and enough leg room.
12:02And once the door's on as well, which is what I was worried about.
12:06But with so much left to do at the B&B,
12:10there's no time for sitting around.
12:12I'm sure I'll put somebody to be pleased on her throne.
12:15She's done a good job.
12:16Coming up is a new B&B host in Spain having second thoughts about her new business.
12:26Obviously opening my house to bed and breakfast guests,
12:29there's the level of vulnerability, having strangers in my home.
12:32And in France, the weather threatens to put a dampener on Emily and Dave's pub launch.
12:37At this rate, we'll be inside tonight, which is not what we want
12:41because there's definitely not enough room for everybody in there.
12:43The rain is going to ruin the night.
12:57Far removed from the crowded costas and tourist bustle,
13:01rural AlmerÃa in the south offers something a little different.
13:06An authentic taste of Spain's wilder and more rugged side.
13:10Come on then.
13:11Good girl.
13:15Which was a huge part of the attraction for Emma from Leicestershire,
13:20who moved to the region last year.
13:24Being able to take advantage of the wild areas and the rambler roads
13:29and getting out and exploring has been a real bonus to the house being where it is.
13:34Having worked as a dog groomer in the UK, over here Emma's embarked on a brand new career as a bed and breakfast host.
13:43OK, thank you. You're welcome.
13:45A business she's launched from her five bed traditional Spanish cortillo located in the hills above the village of Oria.
13:55Obviously opening my house to bed and breakfast guests, there's a level of vulnerability.
13:58There's certain things that I've had to adjust to and obviously get my head around is just having strangers in my home.
14:06Thank you. Any more tea and coffee?
14:07But they quickly turn into guests that have potentially become friends as well.
14:13The whole experience has been above and beyond what I ever expected.
14:17While Emma's enjoying her new role, her remote location means she can't rely solely on passing trade.
14:23So has also been trialling events to bring in more guest bookings.
14:28Challenges obviously financially. There's only one income coming into this household, so it's all on me.
14:35I've literally put everything into this, all my savings.
14:38But at the end of the day, unless you push yourself and challenge yourself and follow your heart,
14:43then I think that you'll always have that question of what if.
14:46It's now August, a time when temperatures in Almeria can reach upwards of 40 degrees,
14:54and Emma's preparing her B&B for her next guests.
14:58It's a lovely breeze in this room.
15:01It makes all the difference.
15:03I'm just going to put this on, and the room is ready.
15:08However, as interest in her new events has been lower during the recent hotter months,
15:13forcing her to cancel some of them, she's decided to try something new to guarantee income over the coming weeks.
15:21I'm just making sure I've got everything I need to hit the road.
15:25But it's an idea that means she has to temporarily move out.
15:29Today, major task ahead.
15:32I've got my first family that's renting the property in its entirety for the next two weeks,
15:37which means I have to pack up everything that's mine that I'm going to need.
15:40Renting the house out is something that I'm looking to do more of,
15:44and have a balance between the day-to-day bed and breakfast,
15:47and being able to leave the house in good hands with people renting it out,
15:51which will enable me to have that freedom to travel more,
15:55to visit family back in the UK more, and also to benefit from the revenue that that brings.
16:00But as Emma spends the morning prepping the house and packing up her things before leaving for the UK...
16:06Well, I hope that's everything, because there ain't no coming back.
16:13..she spotted a plumbing problem that must be fixed before her guests arrive.
16:19I've just realised that the water heater for the downstairs kitchen has got a major leak on it.
16:23This is horrendous timing for something like this to happen.
16:27So, I've called Andy in. He's the local plumber, so hopefully he'll get that sorted soon,
16:32because I don't want to leave them without hot water in the kitchen.
16:35To her relief, half an hour after arriving,
16:38fellow British expat Andy has quickly got a handle on the plumbing problem.
16:41How's it going, Hand?
16:45It's not leaking.
16:47Hooray!
16:49What was the issue again?
16:50Just the pressure valve.
16:51Oh, right. Wicked.
16:53As long as it's all sorted, that's the main thing. Thank you.
16:55No worries.
16:56Much appreciated.
16:58And it's been fixed just in time.
17:01Welcome, welcome.
17:03As guests Wilfred and Emmanuel from France have just arrived.
17:07This is the reception room, OK?
17:10And through here, we have the lounge area.
17:14The couple have booked Emma's home for a holiday with their family
17:17for the next two weeks.
17:19The pool, obviously, you have sun lounges.
17:22I have a pool cleaner booked to come once, twice a week, OK?
17:26To come to clean, all right?
17:28And with the keys to her home soon handed over...
17:32That is the front door, OK?
17:34The moment has come for Emma to say her goodbyes to the property
17:38that she's poured her heart and soul into.
17:41Be good.
17:48They seem a lovely family, but obviously very mixed emotions
17:52because this will be the longest that I've sort of walked away from it, really.
17:55So I've got no qualms about the family being there.
17:57I'm genuinely quite emotional about the fact that they're going to enjoy it
18:01as much as what I have.
18:03While it's a wrench to bid farewell,
18:06the income from the booking will allow Emma to continue growing her business
18:10on her return from the UK.
18:11Back in the Dordogne, the pressure continues to mount for Emily and Dave
18:26in the run-up to their pub relaunch.
18:29Really nervous.
18:31Don't know if we've done everything.
18:33Don't know if we've got everything.
18:35I feel like we're clean and tidy.
18:37We've got the gazebo ready for when the ban comes later.
18:40They're turning up around 5.30.
18:42Doors open at 5, kids finish school at 4.30.
18:47I don't even know what time it is now, but it feels like we've got a lot to do.
18:51We need to iron our uniform.
18:56I need to have a shower, I need to have a shave,
18:59I need to look somewhere near a spectrum.
19:00We haven't got enough time in the day for all this.
19:04Adding to their worries is that Emily's chicken curry is still on the watery side.
19:10I don't know what I'm doing.
19:13Leaving it to simmer for even longer,
19:15she heads outside to try and tick another job off their to-do list.
19:18But the weather's also taken a turn.
19:23I'm trying to clean the tables, but it's raining and pointless.
19:30It's just wet through.
19:33At this rate, we'll be inside tonight.
19:37Which is not what we want,
19:39because there's definitely not enough room for everybody in there.
19:42Especially not if we get, like, 100 people,
19:44which people keep saying we're going to.
19:45I think it only seats 30.
19:49This is just a waste of time.
19:51The rain is going to ruin the night.
19:54Unfortunately, 30 minutes later,
19:56there isn't good news from the kitchen either.
20:01It's just taking forever to reduce down.
20:05You're not happy with the flavour of yours, are you?
20:07No.
20:09I mean, it has got flavour.
20:11It's just...
20:13It's got a watery flavour as well.
20:15Problem is, we've never used French chicken breast from that supply before,
20:20so we want to know how much water's going to come out of it.
20:22With time ticking and focus needed elsewhere...
20:25..a decision is made to take Emily's curry off the opening night taster menu.
20:38It's a sloppy mess.
20:40I'm not giving them, on our first night, something that's not what we expected.
20:46We don't look at the flavour's there because we've put it in.
20:49Oh, my...
20:51It's just the amount of water that was in the chicken.
20:54Terrible.
20:56We don't know what we're doing because we've never run a bar before.
21:00Don't know why we ever thought it was a good idea.
21:05With a large crowd of locals and fellow British expats expected...
21:10Fortunately, they've been able to rope in friends Lisa and Valerie from the village
21:15to lend a hand.
21:19If they can let them in.
21:20Come on, my little kitty, we're going to get the vaccine.
21:26How are you?
21:29How are you?
21:31Ready?
21:33Maybe.
21:35As Valerie has experience running her own bar in the past...
21:39How are you?
21:41How are you?
21:43Emily and Dave are hoping to lean into her experience.
21:47She's great. She'll help us do whatever.
21:50She'll be behind the bar.
21:52She can clean the table.
21:53She can glass collect for us.
21:56She's going to be a real help for us, I think, tonight.
21:59We work hard because I know the place before.
22:03I can't recognise it.
22:05It's just now fresh and welcoming.
22:08They're ready, but it's a big thing to do.
22:13A party the first day.
22:16I think they are crazy to do that.
22:19Because they are not prepared to work with so many people.
22:24Now, 30 years, I run pubs and restaurants.
22:28I never, never did something like that because people expect the best the first day.
22:39It's what we've been working for, so fingers crossed it's going to be good and not too stressful.
22:44Oh, it's going to be stressful, all right.
22:46No, it's scary.
22:48I think I'm just going to hide upstairs.
22:49You can't do that.
22:50Valerie will do it for me tonight and I'll just, I'll run away.
22:53Yeah.
22:57Coming up...
22:58They've cemented over the pipeline.
23:00There are plumbing problems for Nigel and Fede.
23:03We were thinking of having to get permission to dig all this road up here.
23:07And changes are also in the pipeline.
23:09It's a concrete block building.
23:12It's an empty shell, basically.
23:14At Emma's B&B.
23:16Being in the UK, it's given me a few weeks of reflection and deciding what's best to do for the season.
23:23In Pelopos in southern Spain, it's now early May.
23:35And with Fede feeling better, he's been able to rejoin Nigel in their effort to breathe new life into a former guest house in the village.
23:44Now I do feel like a professional painter.
23:48His job this morning is to continue painting the window frames.
23:52I lost count of how many windows we go to paint work.
23:59Loads, loads.
24:03While the property's exterior walls also need a fresh lick of paint.
24:08Before they tackle that, Nigel's been retiling one of their entrance porches.
24:12As making a good first impression when future guests arrive will be crucial.
24:21It's definitely better than what was up there before and a lot safer and less weight up there.
24:25I think it looks alright.
24:26Meanwhile inside, after working on the guest en-suites, their friend Steve, who has a background in construction, has now been tasked...
24:36..with rejigging the internal layout of Nigel and Fede's own living quarters on the top floor.
24:45Steve's gonna do the hallway for the bathroom partitions, one of the bigger bedrooms off, and then he's gonna hopefully do the hallway door that leads from the staircase upstairs.
25:00And then I'll probably be left to hang the doors. But we'll see.
25:06Even though the guest accommodation is their priority to be able to start earning, as DIY is all new to Nigel and Fede, they need to make the most of Steve's expertise.
25:17It's been a long week for Steve, he's got his last full day here with us today.
25:22It's important that Steve is here to do as much as possible of the technical stuff that we are not professionals.
25:31As Steve works for Mates Rates, it also helps Nigel and Fede's renovation budget, freeing up funds to be able to rehire local builder Brian.
25:40Who's back on site today, fitting a splash back in the B&B's new kitchen, with help from his apprentice, Nigel.
25:51I'm just waiting for my helper here.
25:53OK, Bodger, Scarper's coming.
25:59Yesterday, Brian became Bodge and I became Scarper.
26:04Now, Bodge, you Scarper.
26:06It's just getting round the electrics and the plugs.
26:09Hopefully this will be done today, maybe, hopefully, this morning.
26:16With interest growing locally in their new business, keeping the renovations on track is important, especially as they've now got a potential guest booking on the horizon.
26:27Somebody popped by recently and organises the freestyle downhill skating on rollerblades and skateboards that happens every year here in Peloppa.
26:40And so he's approached us and asked us if we would be a property for their boot camp and their training camp.
26:46So, hopefully, that's a positive for us.
26:49The group's next meet-up is in October.
26:52But Nigel and Fede have a lot to do before they can accept the reservation.
26:58Is it real for mine?
26:59Yeah.
27:00It's level.
27:02Yep.
27:04You all right?
27:06Yeah.
27:07Nice to meet you.
27:09Brian.
27:10The village will be talking.
27:11While the kitchen's seeing swift progress...
27:24It's good because it covers a wide space of wall in one fell swoop.
27:29Outside, they've discovered an issue which could throw a spanner in the works for the rest of the renovation.
27:36All the other bathrooms are that side.
27:38That's it, yeah.
27:39And make it easier if we could just come out and down into there.
27:41It'd be nice, wouldn't it, that?
27:42They've fermented over the pipe by a look on it.
27:45As the property currently has one main sewage pipe, plumbing in their new en-suite isn't going to be as easy as they'd hoped.
27:54Because all the other bathrooms are on the other side of the house, they all run into the same waste system,
27:59and we were thinking of having to get permission to dig all this road up here.
28:03But there might be a solution of knocking into another pipe instead.
28:08So that could save us money and time.
28:13Four weeks later, though, and after further investigation, it's not good news.
28:18They've no choice but to dig up the road.
28:22We will have to open somewhere around here to connect the switch pipes,
28:26and it will go all the way down till that exit over there.
28:33In order to have the new bathroom, this has to be done.
28:36The extra works required are a major blow, as they're likely to run into hundreds of euros and push their schedule back,
28:45which could put their potential October booking on the line.
28:57120 miles northeast in the hills above the village of Aurea, it's now September.
29:04Back to reality.
29:05And Emma's reopened her B&B after an extended trip to the UK.
29:10Because I had the three weeks off, and it really was restful,
29:14I was pleased to get back on it, to be honest.
29:16I can't sit down for too long.
29:18So, yeah, I'm really happy to be back where I need to be, back hostessing.
29:22It's great, I love it.
29:24While it was emotional renting out her entire property for the first time last month...
29:30It gets so dusty, and I've had quite a lot of dust lately.
29:33The two-week booking proved to be a good earner, and has now got Emma rethinking parts of her business plan.
29:40The French family rented the whole house for their vacation whilst I was gone, and I came back and everything was fine,
29:49which, yeah, turned out to be a really positive experience.
29:51They were really respectful, and they said that they had a fantastic time and left a great review.
29:57Because it was so successful renting with the family this time, I think it's worth doing that again.
30:02To make that possible without having to also vacate her own home each time, Emma's come up with a new idea to expand.
30:13This is the top covered terrace, and access currently to the annex is here, up here.
30:19Attached to her B&B is an 80 square metre annex, currently unrenovated and used for storage, but there's plenty of potential for it to be turned into extra guest accommodation.
30:32It's a concrete block building. It's an empty shell, basically. I'm going to start with this end, that's the idea.
30:42So, obviously, doors and windows are in place here already, so it'd be great to work with those and take full advantage of the beautiful mountain view.
30:56The peace and serenity on this side, and this just lends itself to being a terraced area.
31:03Along with building a new outside space to soak up the afternoon sun, inside Emma hopes to split the annex in two
31:11to create a pair of one-bedroom self-catered apartments, each with their own bathroom and small kitchen.
31:19The bare bones of the work has been done by the previous owner, which is great.
31:24Obviously, I think they had different ideas than what I've got in terms of usability,
31:29but I may as well just take full advantage of that, really, and work with what I have rather than, you know, start all over again.
31:35It will also help her budget, as the renovations to complete both units are going to run into thousands of euros,
31:43which is why she's planning to work in two stages, hoping to have the first apartment open for next season.
31:49There's obviously a lot of unnecessary stuff in here.
31:56I need to sort of basically sort through what's worth keeping and what isn't.
32:00The great thing is about only doing half of the annex at the moment,
32:04what I do want to keep can be stored at the back of the annex.
32:07That's going to be the first task, really, is clearing all of this.
32:11The clearance will be a big job, but may help her save even more money.
32:17So, we have random tiles.
32:21Hanging on to those.
32:23What else do we have? Wood.
32:25Loads of different paints and wood stains and whatnot.
32:29Breeze blocks. How many breeze blocks do you want?
32:31Obviously, if you want to build a wall, you're going to need a breeze block.
32:34So, yeah, I've saved a few of those. I mean, they're only about 90 cents each, but, you know, I like to save where I can.
32:46A lot of it was already here, actually, but you learn quickly over here not to throw anything away,
32:51because you just never know when you're going to need it.
32:54Every euro will be crucial, because Emma has decided she won't be offering her events during the renovations.
33:01The B&B will have to provide all her income from now on.
33:06Being in the UK, obviously, it's given me a few weeks of reflection and deciding what's best to do for the season as well.
33:14And I think events-wise, it's best to do those in spring and heading into early summer.
33:20The height of summer is just too hot, so that's been a learning curve as well.
33:24So, decided to park the events for now and also shift focus and try and juggle the bed and breakfast element with the renovation.
33:32And that's how it needs to be for now.
33:37Coming up...
33:38Emily. Emily.
33:39Yeah. Nice to meet you.
33:41Dave and Emily are given the run around as they open the doors to their new pub.
33:46It's busy and it's hard work.
33:48And in Spain, Emma's business plans also ramp up a gear.
33:53Me being me, putting a bit of pressure on myself. I've already advertised it and I've actually taken a booking on it already.
33:58It's early June in the Dordogne and the rural village of San Testef is about to have its local watering hole reopen its doors.
34:18J'adore.
34:19Ready, you are perfect, beautiful together.
34:23Voila.
34:24Now with first-time landlords Emily and Dave at its helm, along with some help from local friends.
34:32While the pub is customer ready, the weather has taken a turn.
34:38Hi.
34:39It's just a shower.
34:40Oui.
34:42It's clear behind.
34:43Yeah.
34:44Doc, it's okay.
34:45The son's going to put his hat on for us.
34:46Right.
34:47Not good.
34:52An hour later, after a dash to collect their kids from school.
34:56Oh, that weather is horrible.
34:59To their relief, the skies brighten.
35:02Just in time for the milestone moment of their first customers arriving.
35:07Meaning that after a month of prep and nerves, it's finally time to put their new bar skills to the test.
35:20And with Willow and Hugo on welcoming duties, the pub begins to fill up.
35:34Emily.
35:35Emily.
35:36Yeah.
35:37Nice to meet you.
35:38Nice to meet you.
35:39While Emily and Dave start getting to know the locals, as brand new pub landlords, it's a steep learning curve.
35:46We've chosen where everything's going to go, but yet we don't know where anything is.
35:47Yeah, that's a problem.
35:48Do you have any tonics?
35:49Yes, please.
35:50Do you have any tonics?
35:51Yes, please.
35:52Do you have any tonics?
35:53Yes, please.
35:54Do you have any tonics?
35:55Are you trying to seize me?
35:56Oh, dear.
35:57Just get your glass.
35:58Er, where are they?
35:59After sinking a huge chunk of their savings into their new business.
36:12$2.50 for the wine.
36:15While it's a relief to get some cash in the till, the rush is keeping them on their toes.
36:21Thank you very much.
36:22Have a nice evening.
36:23See you later.
36:24Oh, good.
36:25A little bit for all.
36:26Bonkers at the minute, bonkers.
36:28So much so that with the pub's former landlady, Amanda, also in attendance, she's hopped behind
36:35the bar to lend a hand.
36:37I don't know if I'm coming, if I'm going, what I'm serving, I don't know anything.
36:42It's busy and it's hard work.
36:44I don't know how we're going to make the curries.
36:46I don't know how we're going to get them warmed up because there's not enough people.
36:51I don't know.
36:53How many glasses for you, Rosa?
36:56How many glasses?
36:57One.
36:58Good one.
36:59Two more.
37:00Do you want to go ahead and put it in your tail then?
37:02She's going to go ahead.
37:03OK.
37:04Cheers!
37:05Cheers!
37:06Pretty busy.
37:08As the evening goes on, their car park begins to overflow.
37:14And the terrace is packed out, ready for the band they've booked.
37:22Meaning there's little let up on the bar and they've still no plans as to how they'll
37:26serve Dave's curry.
37:27This is just crazy.
37:28Come on.
37:29Two eyes.
37:30Anything else?
37:31Five.
37:32Five.
37:33Sunk.
37:34The party atmosphere though is what they'd hoped for.
37:39It's how appropriate you'd be.
37:44Never seen so many people yet.
37:45Fantastic.
37:46Absolutely brilliant.
37:47Best night ever.
37:48But having worked hard in the kitchen and with just a few hours of their launch night
38:00left, they're determined to come good on their promise of free curry for their first
38:05customers.
38:06It's literally just been drink after drink.
38:09We've used every single glass in the bar over and over and over again.
38:14It's bonkers.
38:15Absolutely bonkers.
38:16But it's what we came for, yeah?
38:19As the sun sets, Dave's spinach and chicken curry is ready to serve.
38:25During their interval.
38:27Big round of applause for the food.
38:32The band are the first to tuck in.
38:34Curry?
38:35Right.
38:36Could be hotter.
38:37If it's a curry, they could all be hotter.
38:40Very nice.
38:41Yeah, honestly, very, very tasty.
38:43Good.
38:44While it's not been an easy evening, with support from their friends, Dave and Emily
38:49have survived their first shift as publicans.
38:52It's been a whirlwind.
38:56It's definitely been successful.
38:58We've pretty much sold all of our beer.
39:01A box and a half of wine.
39:03A box and a half of each wine.
39:04Everything's going.
39:05We've had 155 people here.
39:07We've got a terrace full of happy people.
39:09And we're brand new to this, you know?
39:11Imagine what we could achieve.
39:24Back in southern Spain, after deciding to press pause on hosting more of her own events until next season,
39:30B&B owner Emma has kick-started her renovation plans.
39:38Wow.
39:39It's looking good already.
39:40Yeah.
39:41I'm really pleased with that.
39:42Amazing.
39:43As she's relying solely on the income from her B&B over the coming months, before starting the annex conversion,
39:51she's tasked her building team to carry out some essential maintenance to the communal guest facilities.
39:57Today, we are concentrating on the pool area, so smartening up that area with some gravel,
40:03trimming back these overgrown brushland down the bottom there.
40:06And if everything goes well, and they're happy with me, and I'm happy with them,
40:10then I shall get them on board to start working on the annex.
40:13Guys, did you want a tea or coffee?
40:15I'll have a coffee, please.
40:16Yeah.
40:17Two coffees.
40:18Three coffees.
40:19Yeah?
40:20Okay.
40:21Todo con leche.
40:22Starting with some of the smaller jobs around her property also gives Emma the opportunity...
40:31This is on the list of things to do.
40:33..to fine-tune her plans for the annex with builder Steve.
40:37Start at this end, because I think it lends itself to be a more rentable property than at the other end of the annex.
40:43Yeah, rentable.
40:44Some decking as well.
40:45Exactly, yeah.
40:46Yeah, pack out the terrace area and do some decking, if you think that's best.
40:50Yeah.
40:51I've done a little floor plan, actually, as well.
40:53Okay.
40:54So that might help.
40:56With the annex conversion added to Steve's build list, which he hopes to start soon...
41:01Sheets, blankets...
41:04Emma's taking every B&B booking she can to help pay for the works.
41:10Guests checked out early this morning, so we're going to turn the room around.
41:13Don't actually have a technique, other than to not get tangled up in it myself.
41:19While she may be relatively new to hosting, in the 11 months she's now been open, she's come a long way.
41:27People do remind me that I've done quite a lot in a short space of time and sometimes I need to remind myself of that and perhaps enjoy that and enjoy the process a bit more than it being, right, okay, what phase can we get to next?
41:40I'm determined to do that more with this phase of the renovation.
41:44I'm not putting any pressure on myself.
41:46I'm just going to see what can be done for X amount of money and then go with it, work with it.
41:52All the rooms are ready to go.
41:54Three o'clock check-in, basically.
41:56I get a lot of last-minute bookings, so effectively anybody could turn up on the doorstep at three o'clock onwards.
42:01So, yep, always ready to go.
42:03Next lot of washing. Hey, Phyllis.
42:06Come on, baby.
42:08The following month, in and around a steady flow of guest stays, Emma's been working to sort through the annex with help from friend Adam who's over from the UK.
42:21Yeah, you need to skip.
42:23I know I do.
42:24That's an air filter from something.
42:25It'll be a swimming pool.
42:27The clearance is now a top priority as her builders have confirmed they can start the conversion work next week.
42:34That thing helped build the house 20 years ago.
42:39Despite her intention to take the renovations in her stride, Emma's innate business ambition has other ideas.
42:48Me being me, putting a bit of pressure on myself.
42:51I've already advertised it for next year.
42:53So, and I've actually taken a booking on it already as well.
42:56So, yeah, just applied a little bit of pressure there, but I'm sure it'll be fine.
42:59It's really exciting, yeah.
43:01I can't wait to see it change shape and turn it around really quickly, which I know they will.
43:05And they'll do a great job as well.
43:08Emma's drive to push her new business forward has been evident all summer long in the varying ideas that she's trialed to bring in guest bookings.
43:17Eleven months into business, I'm really pleased with how this season's gone.
43:22I have more of a clarity in my head now as to the events I want to do going forward and in terms of what I want to see the business doing for me in the future.
43:31It's been really enjoyable.
43:34I love doing it.
43:36Also, being able to share this corner of Spain that she now calls home with visiting friends and family.
43:43Oh, yes.
43:44Going to get some nice food.
43:46Is a dream made possible through all her hard work.
43:50I have no regrets at all.
43:52There's not a day where I even have a wobble, to be fair, and wonder, what are you doing, Emma?
43:57You know, I mean, I feel so, so grateful to be here.
44:02I have many pinch myself moments where it's like, how did I get here?
44:06It's an amazing experience.
44:07It's given me way, way more than I ever, ever anticipated.
44:11And I can only ever see that getting better and improving.
44:14So, it's great.
44:16I'm just happy to be here.
44:22Next time.
44:23Ready for another day in the sunny Dardyne.
44:25After their launch, can Dave and Emily keep the tills ringing?
44:29I'm just making a little sign with our opening times.
44:32Then we're going to go into the lake and put it up.
44:35Nigel and Fede's renovations hit a hurdle.
44:38Slightly bigger hole than we expected.
44:40Looks like we've just had an earthquake.
44:43And after winning the keys to a French B&B on a TV game show...
44:47What?
44:49What?
44:50..a couple from Belfast claim their life-changing prize.
44:54Do you think it's real?
44:55Oh, God, yeah.
44:56I don't.
44:57I just still feel like it's ruined someone else's house.
45:10How and why are you?
45:11There it is now.
45:16I just feel like we're alive to some dope deformation.
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