Norfolk B&Bs see October bookings soar due to weather

Katharine Wolstenholme, who owns College Farm B&B near Thetford, said annual takings had soared from £30,000 in 2022 to more than £51,000 so far this year - and that local holidaymakers had made the difference. 

She said: “People are definitely reluctant to go abroad, but on top of that we’ve seen a huge influx of people that live in Norfolk booking this year.

“They like the fact that they don’t have to travel for hours, they can go a few miles and they’re here.”

She added that the hot weather in October had helped extend their season, with couples booking last minute weekend breaks to make the most of the heatwave. 

Mark Dixon, who owns B&B and restaurant The Kings Arms, in Flegborough, said that although bookings were down at the start of the summer holidays, they quickly recovered over the following months.

Mark Dixon, who owns B&B and restaurant Kings Arms, in Flegborough (Image: Submitted)

He said: “The rainy weather in July worked in our favour. When it was really hot last year people spent less, especially on food.”

He also said that the season seemed to have been extended this year, with bookings remaining high throughout September.

He added: “We were so busy that I had to delay my own holiday by a week to keep up with the extra bookings.”

It was a similar story for Whitlingham Campsite, near Norwich. 

Whitlingham Campsite owner Linda Robey (Image: Submitted)

Owner Linda Robey said a quiet start to the summer gave way to a busy season, with bookings flooding in throughout September and October.

She added: “We saw a trend in people being more savvy with money, taking advantage of discounts and also booking more last minute than we have experienced before.

“The good weather helped to elongate our season, which was good news.”