Judy Bradley: It's a joy to welcome our guests at this special time

Ideally, you'll have a cup of tea, or maybe a glass of wine, in which case I envy you, I really do.

Here at Mr Underhill's, we are usually fully-booked throughout the whole year. Rooms and tables are booked a long time in advance. It takes many years to build up to that and it's something we're very grateful for, and do not take for granted.

In the days up to New Year's Eve we're full with families and groups of friends who want to continue celebrating – but want someone else to do the catering and the washing up.

We'll all be working harder than ever; we always try to make the festive season extra special for our guests, many of whom are regulars. It's our way of saying thank you.

This year, as well as including some extra tasters, we've made and decorated little cakes as a gift for everyone to take home.

We are lucky that there's normally a great atmosphere in the restaurant and kitchen; being open over this time really does have some advantages.

Our appreciated guests are still in party mood and that's infectious, so we all end up enjoying ourselves too. All the hard work, and there's plenty of it, seems more than worthwhile at the end of a long but happy day.

However, on New Year's Day my husband Chris and I go for a drive, across country and then up the coastal road to Aberystwyth. It's spectacular by sun or by storm. When we first moved here we read somewhere that it was one of the 10 best drives in the world. That's a real bonus for us.

We're not ones for New Year's resolutions but there's always a new project or hopefully-achievable goal.

I'm determined that 2014 will be the year when I catch up with, and keep on top of, all my jobs. I'd like an extra couple of days just for me and no one else on the planet. Chris has similar ambitions but reckons he needs those extra two days every week.

Anyway here's to a great year for us all, may we enjoy a repeat of the summer of 2013.

Chris and Judy Bradley run Mr Underhill's, a restaurant with rooms at Dinham Weir in Ludlow. It was the first winner of the Hardens UK Restaurant of the Year Award.