Cast on and cast off to Blackpool

Paula Chew swapped archaeology for a purler of a job, running the UK’s first knitting themed hotel in Blackpool

- Andrew Bettridge

As 40th birthday presents go, Paula Chew’s has to be up there with the more unusual. It was back in 2004 and rather than throw a big party or splurge on bucket-list type experiences, she bought the Westcliffe Guest House in Blackpool. She admits it was a little out of ‘boredom’ - she wasn’t working at the time. And after a year of running it, business wasn’t exactly booming at the North Shore guest house.

‘It was a real struggle when we first opened our doors – it just wasn’t working and we weren’t getting the guests we needed to make it viable,’ admits Paula.

‘I had always been a keen knitter, so we tried organising a knitting holiday package.’

The idea was an instant hit and, after trying a few more, she dedicated the business to guests who wanted to ‘get away and knit’.

‘It was absolutely the best decision to make and it gave us the opportunity to make our business niche and different to other guest houses in Blackpool,’ Paula adds.

By doing so, she had set up the first ever guest house devoted to all things knitting, wool and yarn across the UK.