05/25/2020
Duncan Murphy runs the Oak Bay Guest House with his wife Deidre. He is a fixture of the community and we are excited to feature him in our People of Oak Bay series:
I was born in Scotland, grew up in England, and left school when I was 17. Since then, I have lived and worked all over the world. My family travelled a lot, and I followed in their footsteps; starting in Europe, working in hotels in Italy, driving from South Africa to Nepal, and travelling extensively through India, Thailand, and SE Asia.
After a chance encounter in Africa, I ended up in New Zealand, where I managed a backpackers hostel, and set up transportation around the Coromandel Peninsula for adventure tourism activities. That was my first real introduction to the hospitality business.
Several years later I went back to University in Nottingham, England, where I met my wife, Deidre, who was born and raised on Vancouver Island. We took a short term teaching contract in the UAE and ended up staying a bit longer than we expected…almost 20 years!
Fast forward, and it was time to return to Canada with our two sons. Whilst looking for an opportunity, we came across the Oak Bay Guest House and knew it was the one for us. We already had a house in Oak Bay and knew the area well.
This is now our 5th year of running this quaint English style inn, right in the heart of Oak Bay. We welcome people from all over the Island and all over the world, and it has been a really great experience living amid the beaches, the parks, the golf courses, the marinas, the village, the shops, the restaurants, the FRESH AIR and the local people.
COVID-19 has definitely impacted our business. As an essential business, we have stayed open the whole time, but are running at about 10% occupancy. Our guests have been mainly people needing medical attention on the South Island, but we are open to all, and look forward to welcoming people back as soon as it is deemed appropriate, and people feel comfortable travelling again.
While this has been a difficult time, there’s always a silver lining. We’ve kept busy with repairs, maintenance and getting the place in tip top shape for when visitors do return. We are also following all the guidelines for a safe return. I’ve also started running again. Going for a run over to Cattle Point has been a highlight of my week.
I’ve lived all over the world but I can confidently say this is one of the nicest places I’ve ever lived. Oak Bay has everything. It’s a beautiful small town on the West Coast, and just minutes from a vibrant city. It’s the best of both worlds!
