It’s time for tea as luxury guesthouse fights back after lockdown challenges

Joyce Brownless readily admits she was “shattered and didn’t know where to turn” when the Covid-19 lockdown led to the closure of Blackwell House, the five-star guesthouse she runs with husband Steve near Scarva in Co Down.

“We were booked up for the season and were looking forward to welcoming guests from many parts of the world,” she says. “Like other hospitality businesses we are now closed and don’t even know when we will be allowed to open again.”

While recent funding schemes in areas such as rates from the Executive, she continues, will help the business to survive the lockdown, they knew they also had to generate cash to maintain the luxury guesthouse in a picturesque and tranquil location and to prepare for a post lockdown drive to win back guests for next year.

The award-winning business had been growing steadily and had just made a significant investment in three new luxury rooms for guests, she explains.

Joyce and Steve held a brainstorming session to plot the way ahead: “We just couldn’t sit back and hope that times ahead will be better for us and the wider hospitality industry,” she states.

“We’ve worked strenuously and invested substantially to establish and grow the business especially with international visitors. We came up with a number of activities that could generate some cash and help us maintain our presence in what will probably be a totally different tourism marketplace. While the shape of tourism after the virus threat has faded is far from clear and could still be extremely challenging we knew we had to position our business to be able to attract visitors willing to travel,” adds Joyce.

One of the ideas for generating cash and maintaining the profile of the business, a Taste of Ulster member, was the launch of a unique Lockdown Luxury Afternoon Tea

for home delivery.

“We decided that since our customers here aren’t allowed to come to us that we needed to go to them. Our Blackwell House Lockdown Afternoon Tea is now being delivered by us to local doorsteps on a pay in advance and contactless basis,” explains Joyce.

“Afternoon Tea at Blackwell House has been a bit of a tradition over the years as, we believe, it’s the finest around. We have long served a wonderful mix of home baked savouries and freshly made sandwiches, scones fresh from the oven with homemade preserves and an array of dainty sweet bites for the delight of customers - and all baked by myself in our own pristine kitchen.”

Joyce suggests to customers that zoom video technology could be used for afternoon tea events including birthday parties, baby showers, anniversaries and engagements for which bespoke packages could be created for doorstep delivery by Blackwell House.

The guesthouse has won a host of prestigious awards for the quality of its food which is sourced largely from local suppliers. Other major awards include Best Irish

Guesthouse last year and Best Irish Breakfast. Guests have been attracted from international markets such as the US, Canada, France and Germany.

The couple opened the guesthouse in 2014 with a commitment to offer luxury accommodation in a picturesque part of Northern Ireland with superb food from

artisan suppliers in neighbouring areas.

“At Blackwell House, we are passionate about providing the freshest and tastiest food. Everything is homemade, and we take particular care in sourcing the best local produce available every day. We are both keen to do whatever we can to support the local food industry especially at this very difficult time. Smaller producers have been adversely affected by the closure of hospitality here,” continues Joyce.

“We want our guests to feel at home at our table and to enjoy great hospitality and fine food from the best ingredients with provenance that only Northern Ireland can offer.  We’ve created menus that are a blend of wholesome traditional family recipes handed down through three generations. I still rely on my great aunt Maggie’s old hand written cookery books!”

The business also benefits from the couple’s vast experience in international management and especially marketing. Steve was a director of Gaggenau, the leading German manufacturer of home appliances including high-tech ovens. Joyce, a former teacher in home economics, worked in management for Sharp and was involved in its microwave over business.

Mentoring support to the food operation was provided by Raymond Blanc, one of Europe’s leading chefs and restaurateurs. A chance meeting with the top chef at a

dinner in London led him to send a key member of his team to Banbridge to provide Joyce with expert advice.

“I appreciate greatly the advice and support from such a distinguished chef and restaurateur. It has helped to establish our international reputation for quality food and creative dishes. This reputation will also benefit us as we rebuild business after the lockdown,” she concludes.

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