It was late afternoon on the last Friday before Christmas and Belinda Marshall, roving manager and chief troubleshooter for the Milton chain of Devonshire-based hotels had just been given some bombshell news from Nigel and Molly Milton, her employers. She’d been wondering why she’d been called into the inner sanctum so late in the day. Now she knew.
‘You’ve bought a new business in France? We’re finally expanding into Europe? That’s great news. I know you had a couple of holidays in France this year, but I thought they were just that – holidays for you both. You didn’t mention you were even looking at places,’ Belinda said, leaning against the filing cabinet as she accepted the champagne Nigel had insisted on pouring. ‘Cheers.’
‘It came up unexpectedly,’ Molly said. ‘In truth it’s all been a bit impulsive.'
'Anyway, we both know the place and we’re thrilled with it,' Nigel interrupted. 'Molly can’t wait to spend time there when it’s all been rejuvenated. Bit run-down at the moment. Which is where you come in, of course.’
Belinda sipped her champagne before saying, ‘So come on, you two, put me out of my misery. Where is our new hotel? Which particular part of France? Biarritz? St-Tropez? Paris?’
Nigel laughed. ‘I know we run a successful company, Belinda, but prices for places like that are way out of our league. No, Camping dans La Fôret is in—’
‘Hang on – did you just say, Camping dans La Fôret?' Alarm bells began to ring in Belinda’s head. ‘That’s a funny name for a hotel.’
‘It’s not a hotel. It’s a boutique campsite in Brittany, Northern France. Finistère, to be precise. Huge potential, but we’re going to need your expertise to drag it into the twenty-first century. Bring it up to standard so that more people can enjoy the Milton Hotel experience,’ Molly said.
Belinda looked from Nigel to Molly and back at Nigel again, stunned. ‘But we’re in the hotel business not camping, not even glamping.’ It had taken her three years of studying and hard work to be awarded her 2.1 in Hotel Hospitality Management. Not once had running a campsite, even a boutique one, ever crossed her path. Let alone one in Brittany.
‘Camping has just become our business,’ Nigel said. ‘It’s all the hospitality business. All about people. Making sure guests enjoy the experience of staying in a Milton hotel – and now a campsite. No difference really.’
‘But Finistère – isn’t it always raining there? Who in their right mind would want to camp in the damp? Morbihan maybe, but not Finistère. Not surprised it’s run-down.’
‘Don’t exaggerate. It’s an urban myth it’s always raining there,' Nigel said. ‘And with global warming and the movement of the jet stream, the weather is improving there every year. It could soon be The Breton Riviera!’
‘We had lovely weather the couple of times we were there,’ Molly chimed in. ‘It’s only run-down because our friends who owned it found it all too much to keep on top of. It’s in a beautiful spot – just needs some TLC to turn it back into a real paradise.’
Belinda looked at them both as the news penetrated her brain. ‘So let me get this straight. You’ve bought a run-down campsite called Camping dans La Fôret in Finistère and you want me to help you transform the place and fill it literally with happy campers.’ This was nightmarish news to her, but she couldn’t say that to Nigel and Molly. She took a deep breath. ‘Okay. Is there a website I can look at? Start to get some ideas flowing. As it’s only a campsite, I won’t really need to visit. I can do it over the internet.’
‘No, no. We’re sending you to France ASAP in the New Year,’ Nigel interrupted. ‘You’ll have two months – maybe three – to sort out the site and get it ready to fill with those proverbial happy campers this summer.’
Belinda felt a cold shiver run through her body. This couldn’t be happening. There was no way she could disappear off to France for weeks on end. There was Chloe and the twins to consider. Not exactly dependent on her, but they needed her to be around. And what about BB, her dog?
It was Molly who broke the silence that had fallen. ‘We know it’s a lot to ask of you,’ she hesitated. ‘Especially given you and your mum’s circumstances, but we’re sure it’s something you’ll enjoy doing. It’s always quiet in the hotels after New Year, so it’s a good time