Bored with her briefs, the lawyer who gave it all up for naturism

by LUKE SALKELD - More by this author » Last updated at 21:49pm on 3rd April 2007

As a high-flying investment banker, Samantha Taylor was the epitome of naked ambition.

The 27-year-old law graduate had a demanding but successful career with an international firm.

But after five years of the long hours culture, Mrs Taylor became bored with her briefs - legal and otherwise - and has quit her £35,000-a-year job to run a naturist resort.

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Banker Sam Taylor quit her high-flying job to run a naturist resort with her nudist husband Mark

Mrs Taylor and her husband Mark have bought a hotel on the Greek island of Kefalonia which is due to open this summer as the Vassaliki Naturist Club.

Yesterday Mrs Taylor said her parents and colleagues could barely believe her decision.

"I was happy with my job but Mark and I always fancied doing something abroad," she said.

"When he first suggested setting up a nudist resort I thought he was bonkers. I looked into it, though, and began to come around to the idea. We flew out to Greece and found a site and loved it.

"I was extremely nervous telling my family, friends and colleagues.

"Most nudists never have to tell anyone what they do but I had to tell the world and it came as a surprise to some people.

"My parents didn't know that I was a nudist until we came up with the business idea.

"But they actually found it very interesting and were very open-minded about it. They could see it was what we want to do and have been very supportive ever since."

The hotel complex in Kefalonia which they will turn into the Vassaliki Naturist Club

Mrs Taylor was introduced to the joys of naturism after she met chef Mark, 35, while she was studying law at the University of Kent.

She recalled: "Mark didn't tell me that he was a naturist for about two years. I had never had anything to do with naturism before and I was a bit shocked when he told me.

"After that quite often I would come home from work and he'd be preparing dinner in the buff."

To be supportive, she dipped her toe into the world of public nudity after taking her place on the J P Morgan graduate training scheme in Bournemouth.

Remembering her first tentative steps along the naturist beach at nearby Studland Point, she said: "I was a nervous wreck. I kept on my bikini bottoms to start with and went topless. But as I got more comfortable I took them off as well.

"Mark held my hand as we walked down the beach and I was surprised at how nice it was.

"I soon realised that nobody was interested or looking at me and I actually began to enjoy the experience."

Idyllic: Just another day in the Greek Islands

After they married in 2005 the couple, who own a two-bedroom bungalow in Ringwood, discussed moving abroad, and Mark then came up with the idea of running a naturist resort.

They flew to Greece to look at possible sites and fell in love with the site they are developing.

Mrs Taylor said: "It is a stunning resort with 11 apartments and a swimming pool and bar.

"We decided to go for it and sold our bungalow to cover the cost.

"In the first year we are expecting to break even but we hope word will get around and things will build from there."

Her husband is equally excited about their adventure.

He said: "I have been involved in nudism for many years but only at a beach level. People are usually very interested in it but are not really sure what it is about.

"We are already quite booked up for the coming months which is an excellent sign. I am very excited about it all, it really is our dream."