ANNABEL Garven is House Manager at Eshott Hall, near Morpeth in Northumberland. She is jointly responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of this luxurious 11-bedroom country house hotel, which opened just over a year ago. In this time it’s received a five-star accommodation rating and an AA rosette for its restaurant.

Annabel, 25, is responsible for looking after conferences and weddings, and is currently working on the hotels’ special accommodation packages for Valentine’s, Easter and Burns’ Night.

What’s your first memory?
On my first day of school when I met my new teacher she asked what my name was and I answered ‘Annabel Louise Macaroni Cheese’….this was my favourite meal and what everyone called me at the time.

Born and brought up Newcastle, but having family in Beadnell and on Holy Island I spent lots on time on the beach so inevitably my first memories are associated with sand! I was forever being told off for getting covered in seaside mud on a brand new outfit. It never came out…oops.

What were you like as a child?
Irritating and happy. I always loved chatting to everyone – actually very similar to how I am now.

What childhood games did you play?
Barbies, shops and the school teacher game like every other girl. I spent a lot of time outside building a tree house that fell down and no one used or on the beach and in the sea.

What music did you like and what was the first record you bought?
Pop and the first bit of music I bought was Barbie Girl by Aqua and I listened to it on my Walkman. Funnily enough I don’t still have it today!

Did you have a family pet?
Yes two black labs called Kizzy and Becky. Kizzy was the only dog I know who could catch a tennis ball when it had been thrown over a three-storey building.

Were your school days the best days of your life?
I absolutely loved my days at school. I went to the Newcastle Church High School where the women in my family have been going for generations. My grandmother was there during the war, and at the time the whole school was evacuated to Alnwick Castle.

Were you ever bullied?
No, luckily I was never bullied.

What were your favourite TV programmes?
Bucky O’Hare and The 5 Children and It.

What did you want to do when you grew up?
I really wanted to be an around the world sailor. Funnily enough this never happened, although my current job jointly managing one of the North East’s most beautiful country houses would be any lucky girl’s dream.

How did you spend your weekends?
Most weekends were spent on the Northumberland coast. Inevitably I would end up in the sea without a wetsuit and with blue lips due to the cold. I especially remember one occasion in the Easter holidays where I went ‘paddling’ with a cousin and ended up swimming in my clothes freezing!

Do you remember your first kiss?
Nope, it has been erased from my memory for everyone’s safety.

Who was your first love?
Ronan Keating from Boyzone.

What was the most important thing in the world to you?
My Bear Canterbury. He is a Canterbury bear and was given to me by my grandpa Pops on my christening, has gone with me everywhere since.

What did you wear then, that you would never wear now?
Blue Cargo trousers and black platform heals, cycling shorts and matching T-shirts (I remember a particularly garish lime green combo), trainers for everyday wear not just sport….need I go on…

How have you changed from your teenage self?
In too many ways, but for one I have definitely grown up.

Where did you go on holiday?
My dad is a very keen sailor (some may say obsessed) so most of our holidays were sailing ones to Scotland, Norway and Holland. I have always been a lover of food and therefore it’s typical that most memories from my childhood holidays are food-related. I remember going to a friend of the family’s in Norway called Radar, where we ate freshly-caught crabs, with hammers to break the shell, and sucking the meat out of the crab legs. I remember Lorne sausage being fried on the boat in the middle of Loch Ness and the mouthwatering smell.

Would the young you be pleased with the adult you?
I’m pretty sure I would.

If you could go back in time what would tell your 15-year old self?
Enjoy school (and living at home) as life will never be so easy again.