"It is wonderful to earn money doing
something you really love"
Elizabeth Daniel - the story of a journey through childhood infantile paralysis, single motherhood to the finals of Welsh Business Woman of the Year
Elizabeth Daniel, a now very successful business woman, was born in September 1944 in Esher, Surrey and grew up in the countryside. It was a happy relaxed childhood until 1947 when Elizabeth contracted infantile paralysis and was in an isolation hospital with callipers on her legs for nine months. She returned home to the house on the river Mole where the family swam, fished and messed about in boats; grateful that she had come through the ordeal with only a slight limp.
Between jobs in the swinging sixties she spent a year travelling in a beautiful “Reading Gypsy Caravan”, accompanied by her then boyfriend Julian playing his fiddle, with a dog, a goat and a couple of bantams. They made quite a picture travelling through southern England and became minor celebrities appearing in various magazines and papers.
The 70s and ready to settle down
Elizabeth travelled widely in Europe before marrying Julian in 1970 and settling on a farm in the Cotswolds where Julian became the Estate Manager, happily expecting to be a “farmer’s wife” for the rest of her life.
In 1972 they decided to buy a farm of their own. At that time the price of property and especially farms was escalating; so they moved to The Brecon Beacons where they hoped farms were cheaper and searched for a hill farm.
In the meantime they bought a row of delightful seventeenth century cottages in Llanfrynach called Mountain View. There were three cottages knocked into two situated in an idyllic location with pretty gardens on the banks of the river Menascin. Julian was working locally on a farm whilst they looked for a property of their dreams. Money was tight and to provide some much needed income they renovated the end cottage to generate rental from tenants.
Julian was “before his time” by trying to be self sufficient and live the good life, he wanted to generate his own electricity by building an under-shot waterwheel on the river behind the cottage. Unfortunately it was greatly admired as a thing of beauty but in one great flood was partially destroyed. The dream was falling apart.
Two children followed and Julian left, leaving Elizabeth a single mother with two small babies and no means of paying bills except the rental from the renovated cottage. Life was very difficult at that stage; she was living on a very small income and several times had to ward off the bailiffs who called at the cottage more than once. As Mountain View was officially more than one property, even though they were adjoined with no official access to the end cottage except through the garden of the main house, it made her un-eligible for any benefits.
Looking at things anew
On seeing her plight a close friend suggested that she set about renovating a farmhouse up on the mountain ready for a young family coming to work for him. When the house was finished the wife of the young farm worker decided it was too remote and she did not want to live there so Elizabeth suggested to the owner that perhaps he should try holiday letting.
No-one at that time had any experience of letting holiday cottages so Elizabeth just put an advertisement in The Sunday Times saying “remote Shepherds Cottage £100.00 per week” and the phone started ringing.
This property became very successful and another friend asked if Elizabeth could take on a cottage in the village; then her friends George Melly and Jeremy Sandford asked if she could help “do up” their cottages and let their houses when they were away. With two high profile clients the word spread quickly and more properties were offered to her.
In 1988 the business had expanded to the level that she took on her first member of staff who came to work part-time to help deal with the messages, telephone calls and letters that used to pile up. Brecon Beacon Holiday Cottages was born in the kitchen of her small house.
Her first award
In 1997 they won their first award The Best Small Business in Wales and South West England awarded by the Post Office and Parcel Force – the judging procedure was very thorough looking at the accounts, client base, interaction with visitors and owners and their relationship with the Wales Tourist Board etc.
This led to the company being noticed and in 1998 Elizabeth was in the final for Welsh Business Woman of the Year.
Success followed and in 2004, Brecon Beacons Holiday Cottages website was voted Best Website by The Daily Telegraph/Sage Business Awards - a very prestigious award.
In 2010 this is a very successful business with over 320 properties on its books employing local staff and the journey has been worthwhile. As Elizabeth herself says “it is wonderful to earn money doing something you really love”.
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