- So why did you decide to run a bed and breakfast business, Sandra?

- To pay off the mortgage. I had.. I'd got a job in a pub when I left university, but it wasn’t enough to pay the mortgage.

- But you got a degree in psychology.

- Yes. Not much you can do with that unless you teach or become a psychiatrist. My dad died when I was 22 and left me the house and the mortgage. I didn’t want to sell it, so my sister and I started to pay the bank off together. When she went to live in Rome, I had a big house with five empty rooms and so I opened a bed and breakfast. When I met Luke, my husband, he had his own flat. I went to live with him and the bed and breakfast became more of a small hotel really.

- And you eventually sold the house?

- My sister has the business now. She moved back from Italy around the same time my first child was born. It seemed natural that she should take it over. Luke has his own career and I wanted to be at home with the baby. But now the children are older and I’d like to work again. When I saw your advertisement, I was very interested.

- So why do you think you’d be a good receptionist?

- The bed and breakfast gave me a pretty good idea of what people are looking for when they stay away from home.

- Ah huh…and what is that?

- Well, they want the comforts and luxuries obviously, like not making your bed, cooking food or washing up. But they also want to feel a bit special. They want to be spoiled and to feel as though they’ve stepped into another, better and more comfortable, world.

- How are your computer skills, Sandra?

- Well, I’m fine with the basic Office programs; Word, Excel, Publisher, Outlook etc., although I don’t actually have any formal qualifications. Do you use specific software programs on the front desk?