Cheers to the holiday let with sack loads of Christmas spirit.

This converted barn is now a successful holiday let thanks to location, attention to detail and plenty of Christmas spirit. Sharon Dale reports. Photos by Mark Davis.
Carr Well  Barn decorated for ChristmasCarr Well  Barn decorated for Christmas
Carr Well Barn decorated for Christmas

Carr Well Barn is Jan Sowden’s first foray into the holiday let business but thanks to a thoughtful approach it has proved a great success. It is now let 90 per cent of the time.

“It’s very popular. It was actually booked for this Christmas back in March 2016 and we could’ve filled it many times over,” says Julie Smith, of Gorgeous Cottages, which specialises in marketing luxury holiday properties in Yorkshire.

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Location plays a vital part. The barn is in the hamlet of High Birstwith in Lower Nidderdale, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It’s also five miles from Harrogate and close to the Yorkshire Dales.

Carr Well  Barn is for let with Gorgeous CottagesCarr Well  Barn is for let with Gorgeous Cottages
Carr Well Barn is for let with Gorgeous Cottages

Jan and her partner, Gary Douglas, found it when they were looking for a new main home. “We’d moved to Sandsend but we really missed our social life in Harrogate and Leeds, so we wanted to move back. Gary’s sister found this place advertised in the Yorkshire Post and called to tell us about it,” says Jan. “We viewed it and also went to look at two other properties but our dog loved this one best and so did we.”

Part of the appeal was the potential that lay in the house and the separate barn.

With plenty of renovation experience, the couple were keen to create a bigger home on the six-acre plot and wanted to renovate the barn. Planning permission proved tricky but after hiring a consultant they found a way through the red tape.

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Bats were another issue. Although there didn’t appear to be any roosting in the barn, they were feeding there, so Jan and Gary had to wait until the creatures had fledged before starting the project. Trusted builder Peter Gill did the work, which involved “virtually rebuilding and installing new foundations.”

One of the bedroomsOne of the bedrooms
One of the bedrooms

The couple, who have conventional buy-to-lets, knew that the holiday property required a different approach. They carried out extensive research, visiting other holiday homes and planning how best to design and fit out the barn.

Otley-based architect David Bamford helped them plan the layout, which includes a large living room filled with natural light from the old barn door. To make it extra cosy, there’s a wood-burning stove and underfloor heating. A separate snug was designed in to make sure there was a separate space to “escape to”.

The kitchen/dining room features Shaker-style units and SMEG appliances and there’s a separate utility / boot room, along with a ground-floor bedroom with wet room, which is ideal for those with reduced mobility.

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An oak and glass staircase leads to two en-suite bedrooms. Knowing that wi-fi is very important to visitors, it is there on tap, along with Sky TV.

The open plan living spaceThe open plan living space
The open plan living space

The decor is luxurious and practical with walls in Farrow and Ball colours, including Jan’s favourite Mole’s Breath, and flooring in a combination of limed oak, limestone and marble with carpet in the bedrooms.

Investing in quality has paid off. Guests appreciate it and it lasts longer. The beds are from John Lewis and the mattresses were £1,000 each. The kitchen is so well equipped, with everything from a Magimix to a Nespresso machine, it got the thumbs up from a professional chef, who stayed there with his family.

“There’s the best of everything apart from the crockery and glasses. If they get broken then it’s fine as they are inexpensive to replace. I also put 12 of everything in so guests don’t have to have the dishwasher on all the time,” says Jan.

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One of the most thoughtful aspects of Carr Well Barn is the lack of allergens.

Carr Well  Barn is for let with Gorgeous CottagesCarr Well  Barn is for let with Gorgeous Cottages
Carr Well Barn is for let with Gorgeous Cottages

“My son has asthma, as do a lot of other people and I was very conscious of that when I furnished the barn. I didn’t use lots of cushions and throws, which can harbour dust mites, and there are no curtains downstairs for the same reason. I used wooden shutters in the bedrooms as they can be wiped clean,” says Jan, who also chose not to use feather duvets and pillows. “The problem with feather duvets and pillows is that the feathers deteriorate and that is a big problem for people with allergies,” she explains.

She and her sister, Paula, manage and clean the let and at this time of year, they decorate the property for Christmas.

“We have a tree and put some festive treats out, like prosecco and mince pies, and we leave a Christmas card for our guests,” says Jan. “People really appreciate extra effort and we enjoy doing it.”

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* Carr Well Barn is available to let through Gorgeous Cottages, 01642 263249, www.gorgeouscottages.com

Jan’s top tips for those who are thinking of investing in a holiday let include: *Don’t over complicate the furniture and furnishings. *Line the oven racks with tinfoil and line the fridge shelves with kitchen roll. It makes them easier to clean. *“Say “no” to people who ask if they can arrive early. You have to give yourself plenty of to clean the property and there’s no point putting yourself under unnecessary pressure and risking letting your standards slip. You can always message them on the day if it’s ready earlier than expected.

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