Getting a sneak peek behind closed doors will always be intriguing

Have you ever walked past a house and thought 'I wonder what it looks like inside'? Or wanted a tour of a derelict – but historic – building just to see how it has changed?

Whether you want to say it out loud or not – for most of us the answer is yes, writes Jenny Moody . It is human nature to be nosy and intrigued to know more about what is behind a closed door. We just can’t help ourselves.

It is why property programmes and websites are so popular. Most of us have seen a neighbouring property go up for sale and then gone straight onto the Rightmove website to have a look at how it looks inside.

You can admit it – we won’t tell anyone if you don’t.

Just this week the Daily Mail has a story with the headline ‘The man who owns Britain’s chavviest house’. We know that many people, I will admit that includes me, will click on the story just to see how ‘chavvy’ it really is.

You may not even read how the electrician who owns it has hit back at ‘snobby critics’ – it is all about seeing those pictures and deciding for yourself.

The same goes for ‘urban explorers’ who go inside old houses or long forgotten businesses and battle through the cobwebs (which alone would stop me going in as the fear of a spider in my hair is enough to get me running for the exit) to reveal the secrets of its past.

It is like stepping back in time and something that will never not be fascinating. A particular favourite of mine was when these ‘explorers’ went inside the old Burton Magistrates’ Court, which closed in 2016.

I spent many days in the courtroom as a young Burton Mail reporter covering the court cases and I was fascinated by it. To see the bones of it still there was amazing – the magistrates’ bench and the glass dock where many defendants stood to hear their fate.

There were also behind the scenes rooms that I’d never seen before. It really transported me back in time to when I used to spend my mornings there listening to the various cases as they came on.

It was during my time with the Burton Mail that I was responsible for writing property stories – I used to love doing this as I got to be nosey but with a legitimate reason. I would find an interesting property and then write a story about it with all the pictures – it was as simple as that.

It could have been an apartment at Bretby Hall, a million-pound house with its own pool and gym, one with a unique design or just in a sought-after village. Over the years I’ve written about houses with a vineyard, farmland, historic homes owned by the same family for generations, newbuilds and some with some quirky décor and design.

On the other end of the spectrum are the houses that are in need of a bit of love and attention. They have cupboards barely on the walls, wallpaper hanging on for dear life and gardens resembling a jungle.

These houses have so much potential for those with the right skills and patience to transform it into a home – they are usually sold at auction and can be an absolute bargain.

These stories always proved popular – just because we can’t resist a look behind the scenes.

This is worth remembering when it comes to your PR as people will always want to know more about what we can’t see. They want to know what goes on behind the scenes of a business – this could be a tour of the building or seeing products being built or put together.

So, throw open the doors once in a while and let everyone see what really goes on behind closed doors – you’ll be amazed at the response you get.

This blog was written and shared by Jenny Moody. Do you want to find out more about how a blog can help your business? Find out how we can help by?getting in touch