I’ve been part of the Sawday’s team since 2012 – initially working with our owners in France and more recently our pubs and hotels here in the UK. I spent time living in France during my French degree, where I spent any (many) hours I wasn’t studying indulging my love of cycling, surfing and skiing. I now live in Bristol and keep up the cycling – when life with a young family allows!  

patrick.henry@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Friday 

I started at Sawday’s in 2013, then went to our sister company, Canopy & Stars before returning to Sawday’s again! I help and advise our owners in the UK and France. I love the wonderful people I get to work with every day, both owners and colleagues. I have two little boys that keep me very busy at home and we try to spend time outdoors as much as possible – our favourite places to be are on the beach or at our allotment.   

jennie.wilkinson@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday  

You might hear from me in your first year, as I’m in charge of making sure your page really sings and that lovely guests are heading your way. I’ll be the one hassling you about photos, reviews and probably photos again, because they really are THAT important. I love discovering new special places to add to my ever-growing ‘must visit’ list and despite being the only decaf drinker at coffee time, I still like to bounce through the day.  

becky.brunning@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday  

I’m from Cinque Terre in Italy and take care of Italian, Spanish & Portuguese owners. I love travelling and meeting people from different cultures. I have two little ones who always keep me on my toes but if you have any queries about your page, your renewal or just wish to have a chat about your membership, don’t hesitate to get in touch.   

elisa.battaglioli@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday, Thursday, Friday 

I’ve lived in southern France since the early 90s, working in tourism, particularly walking tours prior to working at Sawday’s. I have been at Sawday’s since 2017 and have also been a Sawday’s owner for many years, so I knows what it feels like on the other side!  If you have any questions at all about your UK self-catering page once it’s live on Sawday’s, then don’t hesitate to get in touch!  

diana.tamlyn@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Thursday 

I write and edit most of the words on Sawday’s, as well as training our inspectors and dealing with (thankfully very rare) unhappy guests. I’ve worked at Sawday’s long enough to remember when we were a handful of staff in a terraced house in Clifton, from which we published our beloved books. I also remember filing cabinets, paper proof forms, fax machines, sacks of post in and out, cheques, printed photographs, and no internet in sight. Times have changed but the wonderful special places I get to visit and the delightful owners I meet have not altered one jot. Hurrah!  

nicola.crosse@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Thursday lunchtime 

I work with our owners to build new pages and update existing ones, making sure each special place is looking its best. I also coordinate inspections, proofread content for the website, and enjoy working on our processes to help things run smoothly behind the scenes. I enjoy being part of a multilingual team, and a company that truly values people and sustainability.  

roella.smith@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Friday 

I work as an operations coordinator where I use my bilingualism (French and English) to onboard owners and support both them and guests.  I spent my early childhood in Brussels, then moved to South Africa where I completed a degree in marketing. I then lived in Normandy, Paris (where my daughter was born), Tunisia, Cote d’Ivoire, Mexico, Switzerland and Reunion Island. My hobbies include painting, Afrofusion dance, Muay Thai (which I’ve been practicing for 9 years) and pilates.  

paola.pereira@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 

I spent an idyllic childhood in the French Pyrenees – skiing, cycling, swimming and building dams in streams. A love of travel brought me, eventually, to Bristol where I’m now firmly based with my family. As the Business Development Manager for Sawday’s, I’m often out searching for new special places, which leads to a suspicious amount of time spent in pubs with rooms. I love my work and don’t regret for a second the time I turned down a job offer from the Mafia.   

gwen.vonthron@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Friday, excluding every other Friday 

I am the first person potential French owners will speak to and do all the inspections in France that I can reach, venturing out to more distant areas to meet owners and hear the news in those regions. I’ve been Sawday’s France in-country manager for a decade and aside from my family, my loves are historic buildings, gardens, and countryside conservation. I’m endlessly inspired by our owners. So many have fascinating ‘second jobs’; including ballet dancers, designers, writers, humanitarians, mountaineers, ethnologists, artists and artisans. It is clear to me that behind every Special Place is a very special owner.  

nicky.debouille@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 

I’m the person to talk to if you have a place you’d like to list on Sawday’s in the UK. Having grown up outside a village near Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons, but been drawn to the buzz of Bristol as a student, I appreciate aesthetics and design as much as the quiet of the countryside. I can always track down an independent coffee shop or bakery, am full of recommendations for the team and regularly supply the office with homemade treats. I’d love to hear about your place and your passion as I welcome you to our community.  

nicole.bowen@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Friday 

I have spent all my working life in publishing as a pub/hotel/restaurant inspector and writer, and as a guidebook author and editor, in addition to being a judge on several pub industry awards. Back in 2004, I researched and edited the first edition of the Alastair Sawday Pubs & Inns Guide and continued to develop this much-loved guidebook for a further 12 editions. Having left in 2016 to work on other pub-related projects, I returned to the Sawday’s fold in 2023 as Inn Curator, excited to build the digital Pubs with Rooms Collection. I find new special places, build relationships with inspirational owners, and spend time on the road staying in some great pubs for the Collection.   

david.hancock@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday to Friday 

I was born and raised in Enna, a small medieval town in the center of Sicily. For study and work reasons, I travelled a lot in Italy and abroad and currently live permanently in Bologna. I love discovering the values and quality in all things, people and places I frequent. I carefully select special places giving importance to all the details that can make our guests feel at home away from home. I always look for places that can guarantee a unique experience both to those who are traveling but also to those who host. 

giuliana.diventi@sawdays.co.uk 

Working days: Monday, Wednesday, Friday