A Teesside couple is hoping to capitalise on the latest holiday hotspot with a new business venture.
 Mike and Beverly Wray have left their North-east roots to set up Bulgarian Eco Holidays in the eastern European country. Beverly, from Eaglescliffe, and husband Mike have transformed a house and two bungalows in Lesovo, Bulgaria. After 15 months' hard labour, their house has been refurbished and the bungalow has been restored to provide holiday accommodation. The pair have concentrated on providing 'eco holidays' which aim to provide the best of the Bulgarian great outdoors. The business is run from the UK by Beverly's parents Judy and Bob Sisson, of Eaglescliffe. Judy said: "Lesovo is 4kms form the Turkish border and sits in beautiful countryside with abundant wildlife. "Bev and Mike have embraced the Bulgarian culture and have organised fishing holidays and routes for hikers and walkers. "They can plan an itinerary for people that can include horse-riding, bird watching and even hunting." Judy explained that Beverly and Mike's decision to move from the North-east came after a visit to Bulgaria. She said: "They wanted experience of living abroad and saw a TV programme about Bulgaria. "After visiting the country, they bought a property and moved their worldly goods over there." Beverly, a construction manager from Northumbria University, Newcastle, has already diversified the business in Bulgaria by setting up a construction company using the local tradesmen who worked on her own properties. Judy added: "This has brought some prosperity to the village and continuing work to people who have previously had to eke out a living on a fairly spasmodic basis. After they had all the work done on their own property, people kept asking about local builders. "With her qualifications, Beverly has assembled a construction team which has provided the men with their longest period of work ever." |