Pub owners are being urged to diversify from pints and ploughman's into bedrooms after a new survey revealed that operators in the South-east are losing out on £27m of potential business each year.
More than 70% of the area's rural pubs with good quality accommodation are turning away overnight business because they're full. This equates to about 150-160 roomnights each year.
The research, commissioned by Tourism South East, also revealed that greater investment in quality accommodation could bring significant reward. Room rates can rise by more than £20 a night following refurbishment, and one extra bedroom adds on average between £8,000 and £10,000 a year to a pub's income - most of which is profit.