A Medieval Challenge in Pluckley for Former Meridian Tonight Reporter

The trouble with us is, we watch too many property programmes. Endless hours saying: "We could do better than that." By the middle of 2006, with hundreds of hours on Location Location, and Property Ladder floating around in our brain, we decided we really should have a crack at a little project ourselves. We were also huge fans of Hotel Inspector on Channel Five - oh and Kitchen Nightmares in all its forms. So when we found an old farm for sale on the internet, we pricked up our ears. Elvey Farm is tucked away down a little lane in Pluckley, and for years it had been run as a bed and breakfast. Could this be the project for us? Could we turn the farm into a stylish, luxury guesthouse, with guest suites, a wedding venue and a restaurant? And more importantly, was it something we wanted to take on?

Of course, the moment we came to view it, the answer was yes. It's beautiful. A collection of medieval buildings, nestled into the side of a hill, with breath-taking views over the Weald. We just had to buy it.

This was the project to end all projects. The farm needed a lot of TLC to get it ready for guests. Five suites in the Stable Block to rip out and replace, a business to begin... Suddenly, we were pitched from our cosy world in front of the telly, into the hell of major renovation. I remember standing outside on a freezing cold February night, drililng a trench through concrete with one of those huge machines they use to dig up roads, thinking to myself: "I'm WAAAAAY out of my comfort zone." The stress was enormous. Deliveries turned up late and wrong, baths were sent back.... it took six separate deliveries for the company to supply the right radiators. But somehow, by March 2007, we opened our doors to a slightly bewildered public, and collapsed in a quiet heap in the corner.

Except of course, we didn't have time to collapse. Now we had to start running the place. Rooms needed cleaning, breakfasts needed cooking, supplies needed buying. For months, we felt snowed under by the relentless work load. Life became one long round of dirty laundry and dirty dishes.

Year Two began with the opening of our restaurant, and that, of course, brought a fresh set of problems and challenges. Neither of us had any experience of running a restaurant. We studied, we researched - and then we plunged in. The first months of the restaurant were tough. Things went wrong, our stress levels shot through the roof. But slowly but surely, it calmed down and we fell into a pattern. Of course, we couldn't do any of this on our own. We had help. Jane is in charge of house-keeping, and does an amazing job, day in, day out. Claire is our chef, and her food is sublime. A team of cleaners, bar staff and front of house staff help us keep the place going, and stop us from going mad.

So now, we're starting Year Three. And this promises to be the best year yet. You see, people love this place. It's got a sprinkling of magic. Guests come from all over the world to stay here and enjoy the peace and quiet; diners travel from right across the county.

Sometimes, Simon and I just stand in the restaurant watching the diners chat and eat and laugh, and we're so proud. When there's a jazz band on the lawn and guests are sipping wine watching the sun set over the fields, we smile to ourselves and remember those freezing cold February days when we were ripping out bathrooms and painting ceilings. And now we've even got time to sit down and watch a bit of telly. We steer clear of property programmes though.