People start their own businesses for all sorts of reasons, but for Deborah Wright and her husband Gerard it was her love of dolls' houses that led to their first hospitality venture.
Although the Blackburn-based couple have hospitality backgrounds, with Deborah training in hotel management and Gerard as a chef, they had since left the industry to pursue different careers.
"It all started by accident really," says Deborah. Having decided to open a shop in nearby Whalley selling dolls' house accessories, she later added a Continental-style coffee shop to the plans.
That was two years ago, and since then the couple have worked hard to make a success of their business. Then last October the couple were driving home from work when they spotted a "for sale" sign outside the Petre Lodge Country Hotel in nearby Langho and fell in love with it straight away.
Having initially been told the property was sold, they later discovered it was merely under offer. Before long the couple had sold their house and arranged a six-figure loan with Bank of Scotland Corporate Banking, which Deborah says was "extremely positive" and encouraging. Although they were nearly gazumped a few times, the couple eventually bought the hotel and moved in on 1 April. "I had to pinch myself to realise I'd got it," Deborah says.
The couple plan to install a commercial kitchen for the restaurant, modernise the nine bedrooms and public areas and add a banquet hall for 50 guests.
The venture has meant the couple and their four children have had to move from a five-bedroom house to much smaller owners' accommodation. But there are no regrets.
"Since we moved in it just feels like home," says Deborah, who describes buying the hotel as "a dream come true".
www.petrelodge.co.uk