I am very proud of taking a building that stood empty for 30 years, and welcoming nearly a thousand guests (951, so far).
But times change, and we hope the cottage will be a temporary home for people new to the area, or working here for a short while. There are lots of reasons for this change.
Put briefly, I spend too much time at my computer, and I am tired of the new nonsense every year which goes with running a small hospitality business right now. In particular:
But I am also tired of things that don’t bring me joy:
2024 and 20205 were both great years, but the fun is draining away. I have loved running the cottage, and want to have happy memories.
That’s the short version of why I am stopping. I am still involved in tourism here in the far North. I have come to care about the region and the people who live and work here very much.
Since we opened in 2018, we have had to deal with the Short Term Let Licence, and the proposals for the Visitor Levy. Coming at us down the line we new tax reporting systems, and the possibility of new energy performance (EPC) requirements. We aren’t impacted financially by the changes in rateable value, but it shows that we’re seen as cash cows by Holyrood and the Council.
The Visitor Levy / Tourist Tax risks killing the goose that lays Scotland’s golden eggs. When the Levy comes in, for every £100 you pay to Booking.com, VRBO or Airbnb, you will only get £50-£55 of actual value. The rest will go on commission, fees and taxes (the Visitor Levy, and VAT if the host is VAT registered). Travellers have a choice. Americans are travelling less, and Europeans can easily go to Croatia for scenery or Ireland for Celtic heritage.
I must get twice as many bookings to sell the same number of nights. The days of a family staying in a holiday cottage for a week every year were disappearing when we opened in 2018. They are long gone now, and I have to attract 80 or more people each year, instead of 40 or so.
These platforms promote unhealthy behaviours
Booking.com promotes easy cancellations. City centre hotels get walk-ins, but most of my guests book four to five months ahead. Historically, almost 40% of my Booking.com guests have cancelled, compared with 9% of people who booked direct. So I now have a ‘no cancellations’ policy on Booking.com. But this puts me low down the listings, penalising me and the guests who want to book the cottage.
AirBnb’s advertise for new hosts without telling them there are regulations to comply with. I’ve not yet heard a single one of their ads mention that you need fire doors to host in England and Wales, or the mandatory Short Term Let licence you need in Scotland.
I am lucky. About two thirds of my bookings are direct. This is because I spend a week or more each month on marketing.
What I did last year doesn’t work this year. A couple of years ago I did a marketing course and doubled my bookings. The next year my bookings fell, though I did exactly the same things. It is impossible to keep up with AI search, AI algorithms, AI video-making, and AI audience-finding. And AI is very, very bad for the planet.
My overheads would be the same if I had 10 properties, but I only have one. These are things I need to be seen online and run my business, like my website, software subscriptions, my office equipment, etc.
If I sound tired, it is because I am.
My name is Ben and we bought The Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage, Noss Head in 2017, 30 years after the last lighthouse keeper left. It stood empty, and was only used once in a while for the previous owners’ friends and visitors. I have turned it into a thriving holiday cottage welcoming visitors, employing people locally, and supporting local businesses. But now it is time for a change.
Meanwhile, you can still book a stay – we are open up until the end of October 2026.
Being human matters. This post was written by me, and not AI.
Last updated 21 January 2026.
