West Sussex entrepreneur, 26, turns 1600s cottage annexe into countryside getaway

Emily Boot, 26, has turned the self-contained annexe of her parents’ historic cottage, Lady Place, into a countryside Airbnb called Lady Maude.

The newly opened accommodation has already welcomed its first guests, with Emily hoping the project will offer visitors more than simply somewhere to stay.

She wants to encourage people, particularly younger visitors, to consider West Sussex for a weekend break and explore its countryside, independent businesses, historic towns and attractions.

“I just want to promote the beauty of West Sussex and everything that there is to do here,” Emily said.

“I think sometimes it can be perceived as a bit sleepy, especially by younger people, but if you sit down and look around, there’s actually so much more.”

Emily, who works in events at Goodwood, said the idea came after her parents tried to sell the family home but were unable to do so.

She moved back into the property and began considering how the house could be used while remaining in the family.

“I thought, why not share it with a few more people?” she said.

Her work in events had also given her an insight into the demand for accommodation, particularly around major events in the area.

Emily has always had an interest in interior design and has a creative background in events and set dressing. She decided to document the process of creating the accommodation through social media, sharing the work involved in bringing the project to life.

She said the response had already been encouraging, with some bookings coming through social media.

“It’s not just another Airbnb. They can see the person behind it,” Emily said.

“They can see my passion.”

A key part of the project is its connection to the history of the property and the surrounding area.

Lady Maude was named after Maude Petre, who lived at Mulberry House in Storrington and was involved in the local community, including helping establish Storrington community hospital in the early 20th century.

Emily said she wanted the name and the accommodation to help bring some of the area's lesser-known history to life.

The history of Lady Place itself also features prominently, with information about the property and the people connected to it included for guests.

The Grade II listed house has links to writer and pacifist Max Plowman, while the property's barn was previously used as Storrington fire station and later as a ballet school.

Emily said she hoped guests would enjoy staying somewhere with a story of its own rather than simply using the property as a base.

The location also provides easy access to the South Downs, while nearby destinations include Arundel and Petworth.

Emily said she particularly wanted to appeal to people who might otherwise look further afield for a short break.

“Sometimes we’re all chasing the next best thing,” she said.

“We live through our phones, but what social media shows you is actually what’s around you.”

She believes West Sussex can offer younger visitors an opportunity to slow down and appreciate their surroundings.

“Young people put so much pressure on themselves to do well and have a career and be a millionaire by 25, which is just not reasonable,” she said.

“Come here, sit down and look at the beauty.”

Emily also hopes to attract visitors from London, pointing to the county's accessibility as a reason to choose it for a short break.

“You can come here for 48 hours, you’re an hour from London by train, and you can just relax and realise that the world is beautiful,” she said.

Creating Lady Maude has also involved Emily learning new skills herself.

She said maintaining a historic property presented plenty of challenges, and that YouTube had become an important source of advice, as she tackled jobs she had previously never attempted.

She has taken over part of her father's garage as a workspace and has been working on projects around the property, including wallpapering the bathroom.

For Emily, the aim is to create somewhere that feels comfortable and personal rather than like a conventional holiday rental.

“I want it to be a home from home,” she said.

“It's a family home, so I want people to feel cosy and homely.”

With the first guests now having stayed at Lady Maude, Emily hopes to continue developing the project and potentially make more of the property available to visitors in the future.

For now, she describes it as a passion project – one which combines her interest in interiors, local history and hospitality with a desire to showcase the place she has come to call home.

“It’s just a passion project and something I enjoy.”

You can find Emily on Instagram & TikTok – @byemilyboot. To view the accommodation, visit: airbnb.co.uk/h/cottagebyemilyboot