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by Nisha Chopra

A bed and breakfast owner's plans for an Open house during
next month's golf tournament have left her in the rough.

Gillian Hardy, 57, had high hopes of scoring a hole in one as
the lucrative Open golf tournament came to her home town of
Sandwich.

But instead of coining it in, the five-star silver awarded White
House Lodge is still a fair-way from being full - in fact she's had
no bookings!

The home is less than four minutes' drive away from Royal
St George's golf club, which is hosting the tournament.
But Gillian's had no interest at all from visitors wanting to
book rooms.

She said: "My husband moved us here for Pfizer and then the
job disappeared, so we started up a B&B."

She added: "We rented the house out but we've had no interest at
all. So we took it off the rental market for bed and breakfast.
Nothing has happened - I've still got rooms available.

"We were told by the estate agents it would be one of the first
to rent out."

It's been eight years since the Open last came to Sandwich, but
Gillian is worried because of the recession it won't bring as many
visitors as was expected.

The b&b owner said: "Major companies, as in the past, have
rented houses to bring clients down and I don't think they are
doing it anymore. The recession has hit everybody really hard."

In April it
was announced that high speed connections are to be laid on by
Southeastern for the golf championship in Sandwich, which
starts on July 14. But Mrs Hardy says this could be part of
the problem.

She said: "The high speed rail ink has hit us.

"It's good to have, but people are finding accommodation a long
way away from here and not coming to Sandwich."

Councillor Nigel Collor from Dover District Council said: "We've
got bookings as far back as Ashford."

He added: "So if locals are not full up, then their must be
something wrong."

The White House Lodge rates rise from £90 per night at the start
of July to £225 per night during the Open.

Is Gillian charging too much? Is it a fair price
hike for such a popular event? Add your comments
below.