These are our most frequently asked questions:

How long have you been here?
We moved to Helm in March, 1986.

Has it always been a guest house?
No, we converted it gradually over the years.

Did you do all the work yourselves?
Most of it, apart from plumbing and plastering.

How old is the house?
It was built in stages. The first part - now our kitchen and the room above - is believed to have been built about 1695, and further parts were added in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Have you always done this kind of work?
No, John's a photographer and Barbara's a graphic designer.

Do you stay open all year?
We try to have a break in the winter, usually between about mid-November and just after New Year. It depends on how much decorating and refurbishment we've got to do that year.

Where do you go for your shopping?
Fresh goods are bought locally, but the nearest major supermarkets are about 20 and 30 miles away in Catterick and Darlington. Other kinds of shopping are occasionally done in Leeds, Harrogate or Bradford.

Do you open for Christmas?
It has been known - but not usually.

Do you get snowed in?
Yes, sometimes, but only for a few days.

Where are the loudspeakers?
Not telling you!

Is there a Helm recipe book?
We're working on it!

What's it like in the winter?
Wonderful!