Thirty years ago the television cameras first give us an insight into the day to day workings of a small South Devon hotel, the staff who worked there and the guests that passed through the door.

At the time the nation’s reaction was to laugh at the antics of Basil and Sybil Fawlty as they fought to turn this small and somewhat inhospitable hotel, into a hotel fit for the cream of society’s rich and famous.

Naturally Basil and Sybil were disappointed at this reaction and hoped by allowing cameras in a second time a few years later they may be able to put things in a better light, as we know this failed to be the case. If anything this only made things worse, and they became a bigger laughing stock than ever.

For the first time we look at what happened after Basil and Sybil closed the doors to cameras for the final time, and look at what became of this small run-down hotel we first saw in 1975.

Initially after the second series the hotel had no problem finding guests, mostly of the wrong sort however. One ex-member of staff described them as “troublemakers out to provoke some sort of reaction or journalists just out for a good story”. However guest numbers began to decline after the fuss had died down and the flood of horror stories had subsided.

As guest numbers fell time came for a period of consolidation and reflection at the hotel. Although most of the guests had only been out to stir up trouble they did on the whole pay their bills, so the finances of hotel were looking quite healthy. This enabled Basil and Sybil to make changes to the hotel that would start it on the road to recovery, and eventual success.

Whilst the space and number of rooms would always be a limiting factor for the hotel, they sought to capitalise on what they had by smartening up what they did have. The refitting of bathrooms, introducing more en-suite and family rooms, thus reducing the number of rooms but increasing the quality and size of those available.

The quality of rooms would also need to be matched with quality of service, Basil and Sybil now had time and money to review the contracts of existing staff and replace as necessary. One of the first to go was Manuel, whose time at Fawlty Tower had not been very pleasant. It had given him an insight into the hotel industry and was soon able to find other employment, even if it was back in his home country with his brothers and sisters he missed so much.

Polly Sherman, the much put upon waitress, receptionist and chambermaid who we had watched and sympathised with back in the early years, met and fell in love with a then little known American actor, who had been filming a Second World War drama on the South Devon coast. He proposed and they left for America after the end of filming, where they now live in happiness with their two children. Polly never having to work again, after her husband became one of the highest earning film stars in Hollywood.

When the new look hotel was officially opened in 1983, it was fully booked instantly, again mostly by journalists wanting to re-open old wounds, however they had a shock in store. They struggled to find fault with the hotel, and found the service and accommodation was much improved, one commented publicly that “even Basil and Sybil seem to be getting on with each other”.

It was true that with worries about the hotel and finances gone (or at least significantly reduced) Basil and Sybil’s relationship was much improved. They found themselves enjoying each other’s company and supporting each other in the day to day running of the hotel, rather than pulling in opposite directions.

Thus began a happier existence for the couple, and a period of settled existence for Fawlty Towers. Towards the end of the 1980’s Basil and Sybil began to detach themselves from the running of the hotel, beginning with the hiring of a manager in 1986, and culminating in 1992 with their retirement.

Now the hotel continues to thrive, 1999 saw a long overdue expansion of the buildings and grounds. Basil and Sybil were naturally keen to see this project come to fruition, and were proud come out of retirement to officially open the new “Whispering Palms” wing. With swimming pool, sauna and another 14 en-suite rooms, it was a major achievement for the couple whose hotel had been a national laughing stock.

That is not to say it was all plain sailing, and on several occasions Fawlty Towers, has hit the local and national headlines. People still remember what the hotel was like all those years ago and any trace of scandal, is reported with glee. Such as the time when one of the chambermaids was caught in bed with a well known football manager, by his wife. The story would make the headlines of all the tabloid newspapers, and eventually ended up in the divorce courts, but it apparently did the hotel no harm, in fact I am told that some guests ask for that room in particular!

The sign made famous all those years ago still stands outside the hotel, well not the actual sign, this about the fourth or fifth incarnation, as previous ones have been removed by souvenir hunters (one sold on eBay in April 2003 for $4,275). It still looks the same, but this time the letters are firmly screwed in placed!