The Government could go a long way to promoting growth in the economy by making dramatic cuts to the amount of red tape small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have to contend with when taking on new workers, the Managing Director of employment law specialist Bibby Consulting & Support has said.

As the Prime Minister continues to seek opinion from businesses on what legislation they would like to see abolished, Michael Slade said the foreseeable future for the UK economy will continue to be bleak unless the Government can get to grips with employment law immediately.

According to the latest figures the UK economy contracted by 0.2 per cent in the final three months of 2011. Worse still, some observers believe the country has already dipped back into recession and the economy will continue to contract throughout most of 2012.

“Over recent years it has become increasingly difficult for employers to take on new members of staff and even harder to dismiss them if they fail to perform as expected,” Slade said. “All too often, companies view staff recruitment as a process fraught with difficulty and risk. If for any reason the relationship does not work out there is also the perception that ending it can be extremely time consuming and expensive, but it really doesn’t need to be that way.

Slade went on to comment that, “Businesses should be encouraged to take on new recruits. For this to happen there must be financial incentives for SME’s, such as tax relief and reduced administration and immediate changes must be made to the Employment Tribunal system so that employers could worry less about the repercussions of dismissal. The government must also tackle the imbalance in employment law which still sees employee’s rights outweigh those of the employer.”

Slade concluded: “By taking radical action now – and I mean immediately – the government could go a long way to promoting real and sustainable growth in the economy.”

The Lake District hotel, in Glenridding, Ullswater, was taken on by the Lake District Hotels Ltd group 11 years ago and was previously known as the Ullswater Hotel. After a name change to Inn on the Lake and a large investment in renovating most of the interior, the hotel soon became well known for its great hospitality paired with unrivalled views.

Now 11 years on it is getting a fresh new look, which began with phase 1 being completed in November 2011. The Lake View bar lounge and the Glenridding function room were decorated in luxurious fabrics with a mulberry colour running throughout. By the end of February 2012, the main Lake View restaurant, lake view lounge and reception and lobby will also be complete.

And that’s not all the refurbishment work that has already been carried out in 2012. To welcome in the New Year, the Borrowdale Hotel and Skiddaw Hotel are excited to announce 10 new bedrooms have been refurbished.

Lake District Hotels are proud of the fact they consistently invest money into updating and refurbishing their bedrooms, hotel interiors and exteriors. The Inn on the Lake Hotel Ullswater had balconies added to four of its Lake View bedrooms in 2011. The Lake balcony rooms overlook Ullswater giving guests that extra space to their bedroom, and get every opportunity to breathe in the fresh Lake District air. All the balcony rooms have also been refurbished to the Lake District Hotels Ltd usual high standard.

The Kings Arms Hotel Keswick, has also had several of its rooms refurbished in 2011. The comfortable rooms have a cosy feel and mix modern and traditional textures and patterns.

To view the new rooms and keep informed with all the news regarding refurbishment and offers, visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net

It’s not too late to book a romantic Lake District valentines break at the Applegarth Villa Hotel in Windermere. The last few rooms remain and what a treat is in store.

One the weekend of the 10 and 11 February, Applegarth Villa is offering a dinner bed and breakfast package starting at £105 per person per night.

Added extras can also be ordered including chocolates, roses and champagne for those more romantically inclined!

As a finale guests can book a ninety minute luxury champagne cruise aboard Mistress, the Applegarths privately owned motor yacht around Lake Windermere. Voted one of the most romantic things to do in the Lake District the cost of this exclusive cruise is £50 per couple and is only available to guests of the Applegarth Villa.

Applegarth Villa Hotel in Windermere has seen extensive refurbishment recently and now offers some of the most luxurious hotel rooms in Windermere. Combine that with their award winning restaurant serving locally sourced food, a well stocked bar with local real ales from the Watermill at Ings and even a whiskey bar.

For more information on the Lake District valentines break and for all the information on this luxury Lake District hotel, visit http://www.lakesapplegarth.co.uk

Acolyte Home & Gifts are offering independent UK designers, creatives and producers of handmade home accessories and gifts the chance to showcase and sell their products through the Acolyte website. New designers and artisans excite Acolyte Home & Gifts who are always keen to find people who care passionately about what they create, how it is created and where it is sold.

Here are just a few of the benefits Acolyte offer within their membership package:

•    No restrictions on where else a designers chooses to sell their product.
•    They products are the designers. They keep control of their range and name.
•    The pricing of goods and delivery costs are set by the designer.
•    Acolyte take customer payments on the designer’s behalf and any costs incurred in transactional fees are paid for by Acolyte.
•    The Acolyte team will make sure Acolyte Home & Gifts is marketed and regularly updated. They will also ensure the site maintenance and security is also taken care of.
•    As the Acolyte Home & Gifts membership is a `by invitation only` site, designers are assured that there will never be any cheap imports competing with their products.
•    Acolyte load and list the products for members onto Acolyte Home & Gifts – freeing up valuable time.
•    Offer Acolyte Home & Gifts an exclusive range and there are additional benefits.
•    When an order has been made, funds will be transferred to the member’s account as soon as it has been acknowledged.

Acolyte Home and Gifts is an ethical company ensuring the products offered are produced from sustainable sources and the suppliers and employees are treated with dignity, respect and paid fairly. Acolyte believe their suppliers not only meet these exacting requirements, but offer products that are unique in the marketplace and stand out in terms of quality. In addition to ensuring products are ethically sourced, the Acolyte team also supports a number of charities.

Acolyte offer reasonable membership rates as well as terms and conditions and they would be delighted to hear from any prospective designers and artisans. If you think your handmade home accessories would complement the existing ranges offered by Acolyte Home & Gifts, then get in touch via http://www.acolytehomeandgifts.com

The Castle Inn Hotel near Bassenthwaite is holding special Valentine’s themed dinners on 11, 14 and 18 February where for just £25 per person where guests can enjoy a delicious four course candlelit dinner.

Surprise your other half with a romantic Valentine’s meal in the lovely setting of Ritson’s Restaurant within this Keswick hotel. Diners will be treated to a delicious menu which features choices such as chicken liver parfait with red onion marmalade and toasted olive bread or rosemary and courgette soup to start followed by a palate cleansing champagne sorbet.  Main dishes include seabass on a bed of spring onion mash with sweet peppers, pak choi, tiger prawns and herb oil or beef medallions with dauphinoise potatoes, glazed carrots and courgettes and a marsala wine sauce.  There are also vegetarian options for starters and mains.

The deserts are equally tempting from the naughty chocolate fondant or blueberry crème brulee through to a lighter passion fruit panacotta.  Cumbrian cheeses are also available.

This lovely dinner costs just £25 per person.  Guests can also upgrade their dinner to include a glass of sparkling wine, a single red rose and a selection of canapés for a further £26 per couple.

The Castle Inn has recently been awarded the ’PLUS’ status by the Best Western group. This Lake District hotel is one of the first in the country to gain the new ‘Best Western Plus’ status from the Best Western group after it was launched to the nation earlier this month. Castle Inn is one of only 10 hotels in the Great Britain and is the only hotel in Cumbria to have been awarded.

For more information including a full menu and reservations for the Castle Inn Hotel Lake District visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk or call 017687 76401.

Reserve your Lake District cottage property by 29th Feb 2012 and benefit from the Lakeland Cottage Company Early Bird Discount on many properties.

All you have to do to find the great savings is to tap in your dates, duration and property size in the availability search box on the Lakeland Cottage Company website, where a list will be displayed of both availability and the cost.

The months of January and February are ideal times to book a holiday or short break. Booking early in the year gives time to organised annual leave if necessary and importantly, gives you something to look forward to later in the year. For families, it enables parents to select holidays and short breaks in school holidays.

Along with the Early Bird Booking discount, Lakeland Cottage Company will automatically enter you into a super iPad 2 raffle when you make a reservation for any holiday in 2012 and placed by 29th February 2012, when shortly after the draw will take place using their super random name selector – the office bin.

Now in their 20th year, Lakeland Cottage Company have the choice of some 90 of the best examples of Lake District self catering properties. With an emphasis on quality not quantity combined with extensive knowledge of each property and the area they are located in means their customers always find the perfect cottage in the Lake District.

Full terms and conditions on the Lake District cottages Early Bird Discount and ipad raffle can be found at http://www.lakeland-cottage-company.co.uk/  along with all the information you will need in order to select you perfect cottage in the Lake District.

“The Eternal City Break” has been created by The Grange Hotel, one of the leading hotels in York, to attract TV viewers who are expected to tune into this new legal drama in their millions.

The drama has been created by the writers behind the award-winning “Ashes to Ashes” and “Life on Mars” and was filmed in and around the city of York last summer.   Telling the story of angels who are sent to Earth as lawyers with the task of doing good, “Eternal Law” will showcase York’s numerous attractions including York Minster, Stonegate, The Shambles, St William’s College, York Art Gallery and the National Railway Museum.

According to actor Samuel West, the City of York is “beautiful in every sense and is a major character in the drama”.  Greg Dyke, the former BBC Director-General, has gone further and described York as “the Dubrovnik of the North”.  Other attractions, such as the City Walls, the Jorvik Viking Centre and the Castle Museum (which is actually located opposite the city’s main Law Courts), are also expected to benefit from the coverage that the city will get on ITV over the coming weeks.

The “Eternal City Break” is available at The Grange hotel in York between Sundays and Fridays until the end of March, and includes two nights’ accommodation, and dinner on one evening in either the hotel’s AA 2-rosette Ivy Brasserie or the more informal New York Grill & Cafe Bar.  Also included in the York hotels package is a one day York Pass which gives free admission to many of the attractions which feature in “Eternal Law”, and an exclusive Locations Information Sheet, which highlights other films and TV series which have been shot in York.

The Eternal City Break at The Grange one of the leading luxury hotels in York costs from £165 per person, and reservations can be made by ‘phoning the hotel on 01904 644744 or visiting its website at http://www.grangehotel.co.uk

The week before Christmas saw a saw a full house of 204 guests gather at the Lodore Falls Hotel, Borrowdale for this year’s pantomime performance “Jack and the Beanstalk”. This is the third year successive year that the hotel has played host to a Christmas pantomime and they provided even more cushions to fill the front row so children could have the best seats in the house.

Mesmerising adults and children alike, the cast of Chaplin’s created a buzz throughout the audience with raucous laughter and children eagerly shouting at the performers.

General Manager Stephen Johnson said “The hotel is magical at Christmas, it looks like a scene from a fairytale and it was lovely to see children dressed up for the occasion. During the interval we provided hot snacks that were pre-ordered, it worked very well and we had some excellent feedback. This is the third time we have worked with Chaplin’s – a specialist pantomime company and they just seem to get better every year. They certainly hit the right note with our younger guests who had giant laughs throughout!

For more information about events in the New Year, contact the Lodore Falls Hotel Keswick part of the Lake District Hotels Ltd group on 017687 77285 or visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/lodorefalls/index.php

Goosemire Cottages, based in Kendal, know all too well that New Year celebrations and plans can often be overlooked due to the organisation of Christmas festivities. But there needn’t be any worry of what to do for New Year as Goosemire Cottages are not only offering discounts on the remaining Lake District cottages available for the New Year week but short breaks are available on selected properties too.

Even though Christmas has fallen on a weekend this year meaning many people in employment have the enjoyment of over a week off work, with family commitments and parties it isn’t always possible to be away for a whole week. Get the best of both worlds with a New Year short break in one of Goosemire’s stunning Lake District cottages. The Lake District is a year round destination but it really comes into its own over the festive period due to its great hospitality and stunning views. What better than to walk off those days of over indulgence on the endless paths and fells throughout this region.

It’s simple to check availability for the New Year period through Goosemire’s live availability charts and booking system. Short breaks are clearly marked and can either be booked online or by telephone.

Goosemire have a varied selection of Lake District cottages to choose from including rustic 17th century cottages through to modern interior barn conversions. What they all have in common are high standards and spectacular locations such as within the Eden Valley across to the Western Lake District in the Wasdale area. Being a small, family business, Goosemire Cottages are able to offer low prices without any slip in standard of property or service. As well as offering low prices, Goosemire also have a “Pets Go Free” policy in most of their Lake District cottages meaning even Fido can join in the New Year celebrations. A note regarding the properties allowing pets can be found next to each cottage description.

For further information on the full range of services and cottages in the Lake District available from Goosemire as well as New Year availability visit http://www.goosemirecottages.co.uk

At the same time, the Newcastle-under-Lyme Company has created a number of new posts over the last few months, including a head of projects, Steven Attwood, to manage long-term in-house investments in systems and processes, and a dedicated training manager, Jon Hughes, to further expand their training services.

A key factor in Bibby Consulting & Support’s growth has been its continued expansion into major target markets such as care homes and franchising. Major contract wins from big names like Select Healthcare and the Domino’s Pizza Group have reflected the increasing demand for the company’s expertise in specific market sectors.
Understanding the needs of a sector and being able to deliver skills and solutions that have been refined over the years are the main reasons Bibby Consulting & Support has seen such impressive growth, according to Managing Director Michael Slade.

“By specialising, we have been able to show that we can clearly provide our client base with a level of service and support that is specific to their business needs,” he says. “As a result, confidence is very high within the company and we are achieving all of our goals.”

As well as supporting customers, Bibby Consulting & Support has put long-term investment into its own staff. This includes a programme of having all of its Tele-marketing team in Newcastle under Lyme accompany field sales people to gain a deeper understanding of customer’s needs. The company has also provided funding and support to enable staff to secure further qualifications. This has included training courses for people within support functions, as well as studies leading to qualifications for client facing staff, through the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

“We see this as succession planning,” says Slade. “We have some very gifted individuals who, having initially joined the business via the Tele-marketing team, have then gone onto use their degrees to great effect within other departments, such as our Business Improvement function or others who have qualified in specific areas of Employment Law to help run our indemnity activity. We see investment in staff as a great way to prepare the next generation. Whilst some businesses are cutting training budgets, we believe investment in our people is exactly what is needed to create a successful business.”

Bibby Consulting & Support’s parent company the Bibby Line Group has once again won a National Business Award 2011 in partnership with Orange. The judges said: “Demonstrating that a large and diverse business can deliver consistent growth with family values at its core, Bibby Line Group has demonstrated a recognised commitment to staff, and ethical practice has been driven by strong leadership and management.” Slade concludes: “If you are recognised as a good company to work you will attract the best people and that’s vitally important to ensure we continue to provide a top quality service to our customers.”

For further information about Bibby Consulting & Support employment law specialists and health and safety advisors, visit http://www.bibbycas.com

Bailey motorhomes have been developed using over sixty years of experience in caravan design and are manufactured in a state-of-the-art production facility to provide the very best in touring home quality and value. The company will now look to bring this same level of expertise to the Motorhome market with the introduction of the new Approach SE range.

Driver and passenger comfort are both high on the agenda in the new Approach range as well as performance and economy thanks to the Peugeot 2.2 Hdi 130 bhp engine complete with a 6-speed manual gearbox. To further aid comfort economy, the Approach SE incorporates the Alu-Tech construction system keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer.

Stowford South Wales branch are also offering customers the chance test drive the Bailey Motorhome. Simply fill out the form on their Stowford motorhome homepage and a member of the Stowford team will contact you to arrange a date and time.

Already Devon’s leading touring caravan and motorhome site and caravan retail outlet Stowford Farm Meadows has recently opened a new caravan centre and accessory shop in South Wales offering their usual quality service and great caravan and motorhome deals including Sprite, Lunar and Bailey motorhomes. As the only caravan dealer in North Devon; Stowford are open all year round and always have a large selection of both new and used stock on display. They also have an awning display area and a caravan accessory shop, all on site for you to browse at your leisure.

For information on all of Stowford’s products and service and to book a test drive in the new Bailey Approach Motorhome, visit http://www.stowford.co.uk/motorcaravans/index.asp

Industrial Air Power Limited can now provide users of compressed air the choice of purchasing compressed air in the same manner as other utilities.  IAP can install a bespoke compressed air facility at your plant and will remain totally responsible for all operating and maintenance costs for a predetermined period of time, normally three to five years.  IAP guarantee to supply high quality, clean, dry compressed air at a mutually agreed flow rate, pressure and dew point for the entire period of the contract.  A fixed monthly contract price is mutually agreed based on the cost of the plant, installation and service requirements specified throughout the term of the contract.  The objective of Contract Air is also to provide 100% reliability by providing the highest standard of preventative maintenance, including SPM monitoring, oil sampling and regular service visits.  IAP also operate a buy back scheme depending on age and condition of the redundant plant.

The advantages of contract air can benefit a business greatly and none more so than in today’s tough economic times. Advantages include no capital outlay and no maintenance or breakdown costs and most of all, guaranteed quality air and flow rate.

For the past ten years IAP has been responsible for maintaining and servicing all of the compressor plant at British Ceramic Tiles Limited, the largest tile manufacturing facility in the UK.  Andy Selley, the Project / Services Manager of British Ceramic Tiles is responsible for all of their industrial compressed air plant and equipment.  Andy was considering updating all of their compressors and associated equipment at a very high capital cost.  IAP introduced the concept of Contract Air as a more cost effective option as opposed to tying up large amounts of capital.

Industrial Air Power has been a distributor for Ingersoll-Rand for thirty years specialising in the sales, service, repair, air compressor maintenance and air compressor hire of a complete range of compressed air equipment including air compressors, air tools, air winches, air pumps, air hoists, dryers, filters, air motors, spare parts and accessories. The company employs a team of factory trained sales and service engineers operating in Wales, Gloucester, Avon, Bristol, Devon and Cornwall.

For information on all of IAP’s services and products including air compressor hire and air compressor maintenance, visit http://www.airpower.co.uk

New for Christmas 2011 is a range of decorations depicting characters from The World of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.

These decorations, including baubles, have been produced from high quality glass with beautiful detailed images of characters such as The Tailor of Gloucester™ and Jemima Puddle-Duck™. The quality and appeal of these decorations mean adults and children alike are sure to adore these keepsakes. In fact, these baubles are so desirable they would make an excellent gift as well as a decoration.

As well as the decorations, The Peter Rabbit Shop are also proud to be able to supply delightful personalised Christmas cards. Offering a choice of name and featuring a Beatrix Potter image from the original tales. Again, this is not just an ordinary Christmas card so would make for a very special gift and keepsake.

Their aim is to stock the complete range of products from Beatrix Potter’s World of Peter Rabbit™ including Jemima Puddle-duck, Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, Mrs. Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny and Hunca Munca. So whether you are looking for Peter Rabbit™ books, toys, clothing or collectables; perhaps for a christening gift or new baby present, you are sure to find the ideal gift in our Peter Rabbit™ shop.

The Peter Rabbit Shop operates from four stores in Bowness on Windermere, Keswick, Hawkshead and York as well as though their online store. Offering gifts, collectables, clothing, keepsakes and toys, the Peter Rabbit Shop is an official retailer of the full World of Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter books, gifts and merchandise. The Peter Rabbit Shop is also a licensed and official retailer of other popular children’s characters including Thomas The Tank Engine, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Paddington Bear.

For further information and to browse the full product range visit http://www.peterrabbitshop.co.uk/

Christmas is worryingly approaching fast. Time is running out and so are finances. The team at PiciScan fully understand extra special gifts can be expensive, hard to find and often impersonal. Let PiciScan come to the rescue with two personal, affordable and personalised gift ideas this Christmas.

Whether it’s those old photographs, slides or negatives PiciScan will digitise these and produce an image on stretched artist quality canvas. Available in various sizes with a mortise jointed, 36mm wooden frame, satin sealed and with a 200 year ink guarantee.

With PiciScan’s high resolution scans (1200 dpi from photographs and 2400 dpi from slides and negatives) the canvas prints produced retain their original look and will take pride of place in any living space.

Enjoy your memories on your DVD player with Gift idea 2. From as little as £6.00, PiciScan will scan in photographs, slides or negatives of your choice and create a DVD with optional background music and a personalised DVD and inlay design.

PiciScan based in Kendal, Cumbria but offering a nationwide service scan all sizes of photograph for up to A4 and all sizes of mounted slide and photographic negative. They also convert a variety of different video formats to DVD, including the transfer VHS to DVD.

For all the details on how to order any of the gift ideas, photo scanning or negative scanning, visit http://piciscan.co.uk

Katie Welton joins James Maguire & Co from Rowlands Field Cunningham in Manchester where she trained and specialised in family law.

Katie has a particular interest in cases involving children law and matrimonial finance and has experience of all areas of family law. Local to Wilmslow, Katie having grown up in Hale, brings the total number of lawyers in the Wilmslow town centre based office of James Maguire & Co to four. James Maguire, of the firm comments “It is very nice to welcome Katie who I am sure will prove a valued member of our team”.

James Maguire & Co is a specialist firm of Family Law and Divorce Law solicitors based in Wilmslow, Cheshire.  They offer legal advice to parties going through a divorce including the financial issues which flow from this (including pensions), linked business issues, international aspects and any relevant issues concerning the children. They also offer legal advice in relation to matters covered in this blog and general Children Law advice.

James Maguire & Co advise clients in the Wilmslow area and also to the surrounding areas of Alderley Edge, Bramhall, Hale, Altrincham, Manchester and the North West. They are also able to act for clients nationally and internationally subject to the jurisdiction of England and Wales.

For more information on all of the divorce solicitor Cheshire services offered by James Maguire & Co visit http://www.family-law.co.uk

High performance rubber seals manufacturer, Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE), a Unit of IDEX Corp., is the first manufacturer of its kind outside the Americas to receive Nadcap accreditation for the production of its elastomer rubber seals and o rings.

Nadcap is the highest standard accreditation awarded to suppliers to the aerospace industry and provides an assurance of quality and integrity in component manufacture. Accreditation is awarded only after a rigorous audit of an organization’s quality and manufacturing systems. The audit covers processes throughout the business; from raw materials, tooling and manufacturing, to inspection, packaging and dispatch.

“This accreditation is a great achievement for PPE and reflects our commitment to quality and continuous improvement in all aspects of our business”’ says Paul Gillyon, PPE managing director, “I believe it shows PPE once again taking a clear lead in aiming for the highest global standards of quality in elastomer rubber seals and o rings manufacture”.

“Achieving Nadcap accreditation is not easy: it is one of the ways in which the aerospace industry identifies those who excel at manufacturing quality product through superior special processes. Companies such as Precision Polymer Engineering work hard to obtain this status and they should be justifiably proud of it,” said Joe Pinto, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the Performance Review Institute. “PRI is proud to support continual improvement in the aerospace industry by helping companies such as PPE be successful and we look forward to continuing to assist the industry moving forward.”

For more information on PPE o rings, rubber seals and gaskets products, visit http://www.prepol.com

A Northamptonshire-based haulage and distribution firm is enjoying a significant increase in profits and higher levels of customer satisfaction after outsourcing its HR function to leading employment law specialists Bibby Consulting & Support.

A family-run business, Truckwright Limited turned to Bibby Consulting and Support when it needed help with developing its disciplinary procedures.

Although it was not faced with a single, major issue, more commonplace issues were causing concern for the Corby firm that operates a fleet of 22 trucks servicing clients from across the UK and the near continent.

Jo Copely, a manager at Truckwright explained: “Since we outsourced our HR function to employment law specialists Bibby Consulting and Support we have seen a dramatic increase in performance and productivity and this has in turn improved customer satisfaction.

“With their help we have tightened up our disciplinary procedures and now drivers and other staff know that if they make a mistake, upset a client or their performance is not up to scratch, appropriate action will be taken.”

Jo went on to say that it is difficult to put an exact figure on how much this has saved the company, but it has gone a long way towards improving profitability during tough times for the logistics and haulage industry.

“It is more important than ever that staff get things right first time, every time and Bibby Consulting & Support has helped us to put in place a disciplinary procedure that is fair to staff whilst helping us to improve performance and reduce costly mistakes,” she added.

As well as helping Truckwright with its employment law issues, Bibby Consulting & Support also takes care of all aspects of the firm’s health and safety policies, ensuring it complies with all relevant legislation.

Commented Michael Slade, Managing Director of Staffordshire-based Bibby Consulting and Support: “SMEs in particular do not have the resources to employ their own legal or H&S teams, so outsourcing to a provider they trust can provide the ideal solution. I am delighted that Truckwright has found that by working with Bibby Consulting & Support, we have been able to have such a positive effect on the bottom line.”

For more information on all the employment law and health and safety advisors services offered by Bibby Consulting & Support, visit http://www.bibbycas.com

Guests at the Lodore Falls Hotel ‘Black and White Charity Ball’ followed the black and white dress code and dined on black and white food at the event which raised over £2,900 in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

Head Chef Mike Ward created a colourful black and white themed menu which included Halibut served on Black Squid Ink Tagliatelle and a dessert called Ebony and Ivory – white and dark chocolate mouse with a duo of chocolate sauces.

As well as music and dance, there were casino tables and a charity auction and raffle which included breaks at the hotel, the Selkirk Arms in Scotland and a tour of the M-Sport factory at Dovenby.

Tanya Sentance, Sales Manager at the Lodore Falls Hotel part of the Lake District Hotel Ltd group said “It was fun to dress the Garden Suite in such a dramatic way. We had black and white candles and table décor; people really go into the spirit of the theme. Everyone was very generous, the atmosphere was fantastic and we were thrilled to raise so much for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research – it is such a worthwhile cause and one close to our hearts because our General Manager Stephen Johnson, lost his bother to the terrible disease earlier this year.”

Charity events are becoming a regular fixtures on the calendars of the six hotels in the Lake District Hotels Ltd group. With their excellent attention to detail and stunning settings, their hotels are the perfect locations for supporting such worthwhile causes as Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, Keswick Mountain Rescue and North West Air Ambulance.

Anyone interested in finding out more about organising charity events at the Lodore Falls Hotel or any of the other Lake District Hotels Ltd group of hotels can visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net for more details.

Due to the amazing response to their earlier ‘Dinner on the Villa’ offer of a free dinner for two, Applegarth Villa has now extended this fantastic deal to the 16th February 2012.

This stunning offer grants bed and breakfast guests in double rooms a four course dinner on each evening of their stay.  Valid for stays between Sunday and Thursday and available from now until 16th February 2012 excluding the Christmas and New Year period.

Knowing that everyone is feeling the pinch on the run up to Christmas, the chance to get away from the stresses and strains of everyday life without the financial worries is something everyone dreams of.

After extensive refurbishments to the main entrance and to 3 guest bedrooms, taking the opportunity of the “Dinner on the Villa” offer is a must both for new and returning guests. The Villa restaurant serves locally sourced food which the owners of Applegarth Villa, now complete with a 5 star accommodation rating, know is of upmost importance as well as the overwhelming confidence that Cumbrian produce is some of the best in the United Kingdom.

Applegarth Villa hotel in Windermere is truly a rare find in the very heart of the Lake District. Offering individual luxury Windermere hotels accommodation of the highest standard, this magnificent Villa is unique to Windermere. Having both an Award winning Lake District restaurant serving only the best locally sourced regional produce and a cosy oak panelled bar with roaring fire and one of the finest Whisky selection in the area, this is the perfect place to spend the evening after enjoying a day walking the fells and taking in the breathtaking scenery.

Please mention the “Dinner on the Villa” offer when booking to ensure the offer is received. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer advertised and excludes the Christmas and New Year period. Visit http://www.lakesapplegarth.co.uk for more information and to check availability.

Following the nationwide launch of the new ’PLUS’ status by the Best Western group, the Lord Mayor of Allerdale formally announced that the Castle Inn Bassenthwaite had been awarded this prestigious status.

This Lake District hotel is one of the first in the country to gain the new ‘Best Western Plus’ status from the Best Western group after it was launched to the nation earlier this month. Castle Inn is one of only 10 hotels in the Great Britain and is the only hotel in Cumbria to have been awarded.

This new ‘Best Western Plus’ status has been awarded to these selected hotels as they offer increased levels of luxury and service including larger beds, higher quality bed linen, extended choices and offerings at breakfast time and technology in rooms that create comfort as well as at atmosphere to be able to work for business guests.

The hotel owner, Peter Wells was one of the first hoteliers globally to apply and after passing rigorous standards and quality assessments the hotel has been granted with the title and as such changes its name to Best Western Plus Castle Inn.

Peter Wells, Best Western Plus Castle Inn, general manager/ owner, said: “We are delighted to be one of the first hotels worldwide to be awarded the Plus status. It is a great testament to the hard work and dedication of the team here.”

Best Western has properties throughout the country ranging from country manors, castles and coaching inns to stylish town houses, super modern retreats and sumptuous secluded getaways, there is a hotel to suit every personality and type of British break.

For more information on the Best Western Plus Castle Inn hotel in the Lake District, visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk

Looking for work Christmas Party ideas? Or something different to do over the festive season with family and friends? Look no further than our Brooklands Surrey Spa Hotel, where your magical Christmas moments can really happen.

Whether you get into the Christmas spirit at our Party Nights, go for our all out indulgence with our Christmas Day lunch, treat yourself to an overnight stay or see in the New Year with style; Their friendly and experienced Events team will set the scene, providing fantastic food, faultless service and the right atmosphere for the ultimate seasonal party, meal or break.

With prices starting from just £19 per person, let The Brooklands Hotel spoil you, your friends and family, colleagues or clients with an unforgettable and affordable magical Christmas party or break in Weybridge experience at this luxury hotel.

For more information on all of the Christmas parties and breaks which include Christmas Party Weybridge Nights, Christmas Day Lunch, Corporate Christmas Lunch, Twixmas Breaks and New Years Eve Parties call The Brooklands Hotel Events team on 01932 335 720 or view our 2011 Christmas Brochure at http://www.brooklandshotelsurrey.com/christmas/index.htm.

Firstly, Jon Taylor has become the new Telemarketing Operations Manager at Bibby Consulting & Support joining the company from rival firm Peninsula Business Services. Based in call centres for the last 15 years, Jon has also worked at Vodafone, Rank Xerox and Auto Trader.

Says Jon: “I chose Bibby Consulting & Support because it is a very strong brand within the industry and offers plenty of opportunity for expansion and growth. I’m delighted to be joining at this time as the firm experiences exceptional success and continues to develop its reputation across various sectors.”

He adds: “Telemarketing departments are the foundation of the whole sales process. They are the first point of contact with any prospect and are responsible for positioning the brand as the supplier of choice within the prospect’s mind. In this way, the Telemarketing department is absolutely fundamental to the success of the business and I’m looking forward to helping the company to move forward and grow.”

Bibby Consulting & Support’s second appointment is Bill Collins who has been with the company since 2007 as Environmental Manager and has now become Head of Department for SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality). Before joining Bibby CAS, Bill was an avionics technician at the Ministry of Defence.

“It’s great to work for a company where what you put in is recognised and rewarded and I’m looking forward to continuing the progress we’ve made in recent years in building the best SHEQ service in our industry,” Bill says.

Michael Slade, Managing Director of Bibby CAS, says of the appointments: “Both Jon and Bill bring highly valued strengths to the team. I’m confident that with them on board we will continue to develop our reputation as a leading force in providing vital support to businesses and organisations on employment law and health and safety legislation.”

Adopting the most effective and efficient approach to your Employment, Health & Safety and Environmental challenges is critical. It frees up key people to focus on core business, deliver on customer expectations and helps you to build a strong brand that delivers better performance for your business.

The services we provide are tailored to match the needs of your business and are always delivered with predictable costs. We are also able to show you how by using our Employment Law experts, Health and Safety advisors and Environmental consultants, your business can secure the commercial advantage you need when tendering for contracts.

For more information on Bibby’s employment law specialists and health and safety advisors, visit http://www.bibbycas.com

‘The Art of Cooking’ is a series of themed culinary demonstrations by their talented Chef, Dale Blacow, including live cookery demonstration, detailed recipes and an insight into the professional ‘know how’ of cooking with fresh local ingredients.

With Cumbria having such high quality local ingredients, Dale is always keen to promote them and knows chefs up and down the country would long to cook with such fine local produce.

The first three dates announced are November 2nd 2011 ‘A Taste of Cumbria’, December 7th 2011 ‘A Christmas Feast’ and January 25th 2012 ‘A wee dram for Burn’s night’.
The  ‘Demo’ and dinner is a snip at £30.00 per person which includes a special three course dinner and a glass of house wine. Should you wish to make a night of it then a special offer of the ‘Demo’ dinner and stay at the Hilthwaite House Hotel in Windermere is from £55.00 per person. This offer includes special three course dinner, a glass of house wine, accommodation in a house double/twin room with full English breakfast, subject to availability.

Being on holiday in the Lake District is synonymous with delicious cuisine – especially when you are staying at Windermere hotels such as the Hillthwaite House Hotel, one of the finest luxury hotels in the Lake District. Their team will spoil you with their award-winning menus using a wide variety of local produce. With menus changing daily, an extensive choice of excellent wines and their Lake District restaurant’s stunning elevated views towards Lake Windermere and the distant fells you are bound to experience a real feast for both the eyes and the pallet. Whether its breakfast or dinner, they cater for every taste from Sunday roasts and imaginative vegetarian dishes to special diets and plain, simple options.

All demonstrations will commence at 6.30pm prompt. To find out more about the ‘The Art of Cooking’ series and for all the detail of this hotel in Windermere, visit http://www.hillthwaite.com

PPE conducts a range of professional development training courses, seminars and workshops throughout the year but they are pleased to announce two forthcoming course dates:

26 Oct 2011 – Elastomer technology and seal design for critical sealing applications.
Venue: Balmoral Suite, Norwood Hall Hotel, Garthdee Road, Cults, Aberdeen, AB15 9FX
23 Nov 2011 – Elastomer technology and seal design for critical sealing applications.  More info.
Venue: PPE, Greenbank Road, Blackburn, BB1 3EA

These educational events are designed to increase the delegate’s awareness of the important aspects of elastomer technology. The content of each course/seminar/workshop is industry specific and tailored to the attendees’ requirements.

Events are held at PPE’s purpose built training centre in England, at delegates’ own business premises (subject to a minimum group size) or at strategically located convention venues throughout Europe and the USA.

PPE training events are delivered by leading experts in the elastomer industry, ensuring that delegates receive the benefit of many years experience as well as the very latest technical know-how.

Current training courses include:

•    An introduction to elastomer materials and how O rings are made (1 day or ½ day)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for critical sealing applications (1 day)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for diesel engines (1 day)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for the semiconductor industry (1 or 2 days)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for the pharmaceutical industry (coming soon)

New courses are constantly being added in response to customer demand.

Founded in 1974, PPE has over 35 years specialized sealing expertise, offering an unrivalled range of products from over 170 elastomer materials. Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE) Ltd is a unit of IDEX Corp, and operates as a business within IDEX’s Health and Science Technologies segment. PPE is a world leading designer and manufacturer of high performance rubber seals and rubber gaskets solutions. The company’s elastomers product range is used in many demanding manufacturing environments around the world. Applications as varied as semi-conductor manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceuticals, marine engineering and power generation benefit from PPE’s innovative, robust and reliable rubber sealing and o rings solutions.

If you wish to attend a future training on rubber o rings technology or elastomer technology and rubber seals design courses please visit http://www.prepol.com.

The event was organized in conjunction with Hilary Cookson from the renowned dress shop Maureen Cookson at Whalley in Lancashire and Lancashire magazine. Whilst there were a number of ladies from Lancashire and beyond, there were also tables of local ladies from Cockermouth, Patterdale and Penrith.

The fashion show was presented by Hilary Cookson who owns the fashion house. She entertained guests during the fashion show by recanted humorous tales of fashion faux pas and highlighting the new range of clothing for the autumn which this year, included a mix of practical and glamorous outfits for a range of ages and sizes.

General Manager of the Inn on the Lake part of the Lake District Hotels Ltd group, Gary Wilson said “This is the third year our hotel group has worked with Maureen Cookson – and it is the second year here at the Inn on the Lake – it was good to see new faces from outside Lake District experience what we have to offer. The Victorian gazebo made a wonderful backdrop for pictures so we hope the magazine will show what we have to offer in its full glory.”

With such a stunning backdrop and setting, it isn’t hard to understand why the Inn on the Lake has been choosen for the second year running to host this event.

One table of guests included members of the Workington NSPCC committee, who took time out of their busy fundraising year to enjoy a ladies day. Kath Palmer, one of the committee members said “It was a stunning early autumn drive and the location was absolutely lovely. Hilary Cookson was fun to listen to and the clothing range had something for everyone.”

Head Chef Frazer Soutar was congratulated on his menu by many of the guests who enjoyed the delicious Crab and Lobster Tian starter followed by local lamb. But the star of the menu was the Iced Raspberry and Elderberry Parfait with Mascapone Ice-cream that stole the show.

Anyone interested in finding out about events at the Inn on the Lake part of the Lake District Hotels Ltd group can contact Lorraine Barr on 017684 82444 or visit: http://www.lakedistricthotels.net