A SOUTH Somerset bed and breakfast establishment was declared the winner in their series of the new 2023 season of Channel 4’s Four in a Bed.

The Crown & Victoria Inn, Tintinhull, featured in the national television competition competing against three other B&B businesses from the South West.

Owner of The Crown & Victoria Inn, Surinder Hothi-Bellamy, said: “We’re absolutely delighted. When we viewed the Crown & Victoria Inn, it was sadly empty and came with no existing trade, food stock or room or restaurant bookings.

“We also had the challenge of redecorating all four B&B rooms, but we were ready to take it on, and also wanted to re-open it in a new viable and sustainable format.

“Then one day, out of the blue, I received a phone call from Studio Lambert who make the show for Channel 4, asking if we would come on the show – we were quite taken aback and explained that we had only recently taken on the building and were in the process of a complete redecoration.

“However, we were up for the challenge, with only six weeks to get the rooms ready for the filming.”

Safia Hothi-Bellamy, Surinder’s daughter and business partner who accompanied her on the show added: “Filming the show was great fun, though the days were long.

“The other contestants and their businesses were all really different, but we all got along well, though the payment day was not what we expected at all.

“When we went on the show, we all hoped to be the winners, but what mum really wanted to do was showcase The Crown & Victoria Inn and the beautiful area of South Somerset.

“For every person that sees the shows and comes to stay with us, that ensures The Crown & Victoria Inn survives and that there is more spend for all the other hospitality businesses in the region.

“Being the winners is an extra bonus which will add to the prosperity of not only our hospitality business, but South Somerset tourism.”

Surinder only purchased the property at the end of April 2022 solely to provide a bed & breakfast offering for the customers of her other award-winning food events business, Pure Punjabi.

Pure Punjabi was a winner of The Federation of Small Business’ ‘Family Business of The Year South West’ 2020, and named top eight Indian cookery courses in the UK, by Olive magazine The show, televised over five episodes, sees four bed and breakfast owners host one another, and at the end of their stay, rate one another’s hospitality skills.

At the end of the week, they all sit down to talk through their feedback - both the positive and the negative, with one bed and breakfast owner being crowned the winner.