A REDUNDANT 14th century barn is the centrepiece of a farming couple's diversification programme.

Clive and Julie Williams of Lowe Farm, near Pembridge, had already set up two bed-and-breakfast rooms but with an increasing demand for accommodation they decided to convert the part-timbered barn attached to the farmhouse with the help of a 40 % Defra grant.

Being situated along Hereford-shire's Black and White village trail, helped to attract a regular flow of guests.

And because they came from all corners of the globe, Julie undertook a five-week starter course in B&B, through Business Link, which included learning key greetings in Japanese and helping to maintain a steady flow of overseas visitors.

Julie began the B&B venture to keep herself fully occupied when she left full-time work in 1998.

At the time, the couple were already running a 200-acre family farm with sheep, cattle, cereals, potatoes, chickens and eggs.

The enterprise was awarded a Heart of England Tourism Council four diamonds gold award. However, with 60% of guests returning, Juliet found that the business was turning away more customers than it was accommodating.

Working on the barn scheme with David Hughes, an experienced consultant, as project manager, led to an approach being made to the Rural Development Service for Defra funding under the Rural Enterprise Scheme.

Juliet said: "Clive's grandfather who used the barn for cows, hens and hay 65 years ago would no doubt have been pleased to see the barn used for such a new diversification venture."

Like the Williams' farming philosophy of 'putting back as much, if not more, than you take out', the same principle is applied to the B&B business by sharing best practice with students from the Harper Adams College, and Juliet's work of promoting the Farm & Country Holidays Group and Farm Stay UK, as chair of the Herefordshire groups.