It’s not too late to book that late spring or summer holiday in the Lake District and even better, with a significant discount. Many Lake District cottages have an Olympic 20.12% off spring and summer week reservations. Use the search availability on the Lakeland Cottage Company site to check out dates and see the great discounts on offer.

There are few better places to spend a Summer holiday than the Lake District. Whether it’s a romantic getaway for two, a gathering of friends or a family holiday, the Lake District caters for everyone. With its many lakes and mountains, forests and valleys, along with welcoming towns and villages, all combine to offer the perfect backdrop there’s no wonder it is the National Park of choice for so many.

The Lakeland Cottage Company is now in its 20th year of offering the very best in Lake District holiday cottages. With a wealth of knowledge of all the properties they market as well as the areas they are located in means clients always get the right cottage to suit them. From economy 3 star cottages to luxury 5 star properties there’s a cottage to suit all requirements.

Offer Terms – Any offers advertised on the Lakeland Cottage Company website and any other advertising media, or any price structure changes may not be used in conjunction with other offers or incentives they maybe publicising, nor applied to any reservation already made and confirmed prior to publication of changes, offers, or after the period of the offer date. The Lakeland Cottage Company and or the owners of individual properties reserve the right to remove the offer at any time, or to extend or revise the offer beyond any dates published on this website, any amendments or changes cannot be used against reservations already made and confirmed.

For more information on the 20.12% Lake District holiday cottages offer and to browse all of the properties on from The Lakeland Cottage Company , visit http://www.lakeland-cottage-company.co.uk/

It’s not unusual for guests staying at any one of the 6 hotels in the Lake District Hotels Ltd group to ask our receptionists and members of staff if they can recommend any good walks in the Lake District. After all when guests come to stay with Lake District Hotels Ltd, 9 out of 10 of guests are here to enjoy the beauty of the area and want to get outside and explore.

It was for that reason that Lake District Hotels Ltd decided to produce their very own walking book especially for those who come to stay. Walk the ‘Lakes with Lake District Hotels’ guide book is now available to guests for free when booking onto one of their walking breaks. Alternatively guests can buy the book for just £2.50 from reception. Non residents can also buy this guide book at a price of £4.95.

Using the expertise of Cumbrian-based writer, Vivienne Crow, the walks have been written so that they start and finish from the doors of the six hotels, with 15 walks in total covering Borrowdale Valley, Keswick, Ullswater and Eden areas. Kit Graves, Director of Lake District Hotels, said “Walking in the Lake District is one of my great passions and I wanted to be able to share that with our guests. The walking guide has been professionally written and looks great and I hope that our guests will take it home with them and use it for years to come.”

The Lake District Hotels Ltd staff have already been out trying the walks for themselves and they are proving very popular with many guests also giving very positive feedback on the walking guide.

For more information on Lake District walking breaks and the ‘Lakes with Lake District Hotels’ book visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net

It’s been a little while now since PiciScan started offering discounts for bulk orders. For customers using our negative scanning and slide scanning services, the points at which the two different discounts offered kicks in has always been the same.

For those just wanting their photos scanning, however, they have had to send in rather more to get the discounts. That is, up until now.

From today onwards, the great discounts offered on the Piciscan photo scanning service are in line with those offered for the slide and negative scanning services.

That is, if you 200 photos are required to be scanned, customers will now receive a discount of 20%. For orders with more of more than 400 photos, customers will receive 40% off. An order of 200 photos previously cost £40.00, and an order for 400 photos £80.00. The new discounted rates however mean a 200 photo scanning order costs just £32 and a 400 photo order only costs £48. That’s a price cut of £8 and £32, respectively!

Why have they done this? Well, to put simply, they are listening to their customers. It is what people have been asking for for a little while, so now they’re doing something about it.

Piciscan digitise slides, photos and negatives using state of the art machines. Slides and negatives are scanned at the stunning resolution of 2400 dpi and photos at 600 dpi and every order comes complete with a personalised disc.

This is not a sale on photo scanning introduced just for Easter, these are the new price points at Piciscan. Visit Piciscan’s website at http://piciscan.co.uk/ for further details on all of their services.

Using simulated weather it will enable an environment to continue to provide fabulous landscaped gardens whilst keeping guests dry, ideal for weddings.

Building the dome has required innovative construction and engineering methods on an unprecedented scale, with lessons, materials, and techniques drawn from around the world. Utilising a revolutionary plastic manufactured by a tiny factory in Germany and design methodologies from the Eden Project, a much larger sized dome is now a reality.

The Castle Inn Hotel’s new dome will have adjustable vents at the top and bottom which will prevent heat building up. Air heats and rises and then when reaching the top/apex it falls and circulates in what is known as a “rolling doughnut pattern” providing a circulating airflow.

General Manager Peter Wells commented: “This is a unique development which we are undertaking and one which will benefit our guests. Weddings will always be guaranteed dry weather due to our cleverly controlled climate. Using a dome creates a structure around the hotel without any columns as we strive to make everything unobtrusive to our guests.”

For more information on the new dome and for all details relating to this hotel in the Lake District visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk.

Combine your love of cooking with the scenic surroundings of the Lake District on a two day cookery break. Lake District Hotels are working in partnership with the ‘2 sisters’ who run the renowned and highly popular Food & Company cookery demonstrations, bringing you a fantastic cookery break in the Lake District. Stay two nights and enjoy a selection of one day light hearted cookery demonstrations in the grounds of Mirehouse – a historic home in a beautiful setting just a short drive from Keswick.

Lake District Hotels are delighted to offer a wonderful experience for food lovers, by introducing a selection of cookery demonstrations, with real down to earth, unpretentious and practical recipes and ideas. Arrive at your choice of hotel where you will be welcomed with tea and cream scones. Take time to explore the area and relax in the hotel before enjoying dinner in the hotel restaurant.

The following morning start the day with a fresh full Cumbrian breakfast in the hotel before making your way to Mirehouse for 10.30am, where you will be welcomed by the 2 sisters with tea, coffee and homemade biscuits. Private transport to and from Mirehouse can be organised at extra cost.

Your day is led by local sisters Joan Gate and Margaret Brough. As farmer’s daughters, they both have a great appreciation of locally produced, quality foods as well as a great knowledge of sourcing, preparing and presenting fine foods from the Lake District.

Each event takes place in the Garden Hall, situated in the grounds of the splendid historic home of Mirehouse. This beautiful historic family home, is just 2 miles from centre of Keswick in the Lake District.

With monthly pudding clubs, chefs becoming Radio celebrities and a Master Sommelier as one of their managers, Lake District Hotels Ltd are quite firmly at the heart of the Lake District culinary scene. Lake District Hotels Ltd offer a choice of 6 family owned and run hotels in the Lake District each offering the finest Cumbrian produce from two lakeside settings to town centre hotels in Keswick and Penrith.

To secure your place on one of the Lake District cookery breaks with Lake District Hotels Ltd, or to purchase a gift voucher, please call a member of our reservations team on 0800 840 1240 or visit http://www.lakedistricthotels.net/cooking_school.php.

Brimstone is a collection of sixteen stunning new suites at Langdale. Housed in their own building with private car parking and reception they will be like nothing else in the Lake District and beyond. Each suite will boast a stunning contemporary interior, the highest quality furnishing and décor, cutting edge technology, a full size balcony, concierge service, in room dining options, in room (or on balcony) spa treatments, a private entrance, exciting and unusual bathing experiences and to add further to this unique hotel, sustainable energy use.

Langdale are proud to announce that the interior designers they will be working with are the award winning Greyline Design.

Greyline have worked on some exciting and prestigious projects including Cameron House, The Carrick and Gleneagles. Working with such innovative and experienced designers will ensure that the new suites at Langdale are at the cutting edge of quality and contemporary luxury.

Langdale are also pleased to be working again with Unwin Jones Partnership as Architects for this project. The Langdale Estate and Unwin Jones Partnership have worked together on many projects over the years.

Work has commenced on preparing the site and removing rock to make space for the underground parking and with the opening of this new Lake District hotel in March 2013. Bookings will soon be taken for next spring and beyond.

The Langdale Estate is home to one of the finest 4 star hotels in the Lake District as well as luxury self catering and timeshare properties.

For more information and details on this exciting new build visit http://brimstonehotel.co.uk/ and http://www.langdale.co.uk/

The 20 page glossy brochure allows couples to see a sample of what the venue has to offer whilst also providing useful tips and advice on to the make the day go to plan.  It depicts the luxury accommodation available and the outstanding cuisine alongside information about recommended suppliers – all in all acting as a total guide to wedding planning.

The hotel prides itself on the specially created menu options which it offers bridal parties.  Unlike many venues, The Castle Inn Hotel offers an opportunity to create unique bespoke wedding menus which wedding guests are then able to choose from on the day.  Katie Batson, wedding and events manager explained: “We realised that not all couples want to opt for a classic wedding breakfast menu so we have launched our bespoke service.  This means that by working with our chefs, couples can have any type of food they choose whether that is three courses sit down meals, elegant buffets or quirky canapés.  We also know the difficulty in choosing a menu that every guest enjoys therefore our option of guests choosing from a set two option menu on the day works extremely well.

Set amongst the rolling landscapes of the picturesque northern Lake District national park, the Castle Inn Hotel possesses all the qualities that make a wedding celebration as charming, romantic and memorable as any bride will have always imagined. The hotel holds a civil wedding licence which enables couples to have both the wedding and reception in one location.

Peter Wells, general manager of the family owned hotel said: “We believe the most important and memorable day of their lives deserves to be just that. With years of expertise in hosting amazing weddings, we pride ourselves in taking care of the detail so that our couples can savour every single moment of their big day.  Northing is too much trouble for our staff and we’ve even been known to create a dream wedding in under three months!”

Wedding receptions between 45 and 200 guests can be catered for with an additional 100 guests in a marquee if required. Beautiful landscaped gardens with a backdrop of the fells provide an exquisite location for the wedding photographs.

The Castle Inn Hotel started life as a traditional coaching inn and the original building still remains, as part of the main hotel.  This lovely part of the hotel can be hired as a self-contained group of nine rooms, ideal for the bridal party.  It allows total privacy yet with the benefit of being connected to the rest of the hotel.

The Keswick hotel offers couples wedding planning services, leisure facilities, trusted suppliers of additional wedding  services and accommodation for guests in 46 en-suite bedrooms, making it a great venue for couples looking to have everything under one roof.

A classic wedding breakfast costs from £29.50 for two courses or £33.50 for three courses per person. Drink packages start at £16.50 per person to include four drinks around the wedding reception. Room hire varies from £55 to £385 depending on season and room size chosen.  Alternative and bespoke packages are priced on application.

For enquiries visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk or call 017687 76401 to arrange a preliminary meeting to discuss individual requirements with Katie Batson.

Easter is fast approaching but it isn’t too late to book a holiday or short break. The Lakeland Cottage Company still have a selection of Lake District cottages
available during the Easter holidays with some being discounted by an incredible 25%.

There are few better places to visit in the early Spring than the Lake District. Whether it’s a romantic getaway for two, a gathering of friends or a family holiday, the Lake District caters for everyone. The daffodils in full bloom and new born lambs dancing in the fields. With its many lakes and mountains, forests and valleys, along with welcoming towns and villages, all combine to offer the perfect backdrop there’s no wonder it is the National Park of choice for so many.

The Lakeland Cottage Company is now in it’s 20th year of offering the very best in Lake District holiday cottages. With a wealth of knowledge of all the properties they market as well as the areas they are located in means clients always get the riht cottage to suit them. From economy 3 star cottages to luxury 5 star properties there’s a cottage to suit all requirements.

Offer Terms – Any offers advertised on the Lakeland Cottage Company website and any other advertising media, or any price structure changes may not be used in conjunction with other offers or incentives we may be publicising, nor applied to any reservation already made and confirmed prior to publication of changes, offers, or after the period of the offer date. The Lakeland Cottage Company and or the owners of individual properties reserve the right to remove the offer at any time, or to extend or revise the offer beyond any dates published on this website, any amendments or changes cannot be used against reservations already made and confirmed.

For more information on the Easter Lake District cottages offer, to browse all the properties and to take advantage of a comprehensive guide to the Lake District, visit http://www.lakeland-cottage-company.co.uk/

Forward2me, the UK’s first dedicated international parcel and package forwarding service, has read a new report which has uncovered how much the UK leads the world in the online marketplace.

Over the next four years it is predicted the UK internet retail sector will grow by 11%, increasing the total value of the national economy by 16% to £221 bn. This is almost double the estimates for the US and Chinese economies.

Forward2me sends items bought from UK retailers to destinations all over the world and is best placed to observe this trend.

While it’s clear that UK consumers have a fondness for online buying, online shoppers from outside the UK are buying British more than ever before, none more so than American consumers. Their love for all things quintessentially British at the moment is huge with online retailers such as notonthehighstreet.com and amazon.co.uk seeing records sales from across the ocean.

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) found the internet contributed 8.3% (£121 bn) to the UK economy in 2010, which represents an average of £2,000 per person. Commentators are confident this will provide some welcome news to small to medium sized web-based companies, which can now look to grow in spite of the UK’s economic woes.

Forward2me enables consumers from outside of the UK to take advantage of the prices and availability of UK goods as well as cutting out the cost of expensive international shipping options. Forward2me is currently serving all EU countries plus the majority of the rest of the world with a few notable exceptions.

For more information on how to obtain a Forward2me UK postal address and for all the details on their forwarding service visit http://www.forward2me.com.

David Robertson joins the Newcastle-under-Lyme Company from Bibby Financial Services (BFS) where he was global chief executive.

Robertson won a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 after overseeing Bibby Financial Services’ aggressive growth strategy which saw pre-tax profits soar from £4.3m in 1997 to £40m plus in 2011. The award was given in recognition of Robertson’s role in “shaping the invoice finance industry” and setting best practice standards for the sector.

By 2011, Bibby Financial Services had expanded its operations into 13 countries and experienced a 25 per cent growth in new business year-on-year – and this was in a period when banks had tightened their lending criteria and company insolvencies went up by over 50 per cent. Bibby Financial Services was also listed in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies To Work For in 2010 and 2011.

Of his new post, Robertson said: “I am very proud of what we achieved at BFS and I am delighted to be joining Bibby Consulting & Support which is an organisation that is really starting to go places. The latest growth figures underline that this dynamic company clearly has a great future ahead.”

January 2012 saw sales beat target by a staggering 32%. Managing Director Michael Slade said: “Considering the economic climate over the last few years, this achievement is really something to be proud of. Without doubt this success has been achieved thanks to the sheer dedication from all our employees in meeting the needs of customers while being able to diversify into new markets with a range of innovative products.”

He added: “David has worked with the Board here as a non-executive Director over the last few years, but we are delighted to see him taking a more active role as Chairman.

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

The open weekend starts on Friday 13th April 2012 and runs through to Sunday 15th April 2012, 9am-5pm each day.

With spring just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to purchase your plants from Hopes Grove Nurseries, the largest specialist grower of hedges and hedging plants in the UK having over 70 acres of hedge plants in production.

Hopes Grove sell economical bare rooted hedging and larger rootballed hedge plants where instant effect is important and have the widest selection of varieties and sizes available anywhere.. Pot grown hedging plants are suitable for planting all the year round and come in many sizes. For ease of reference the main groups of hedging plants may be found on the left hand menu or images below.

To keep all their prices low, they only sell hedge plants direct to the end user, delivering to many thousands of customers nationwide. Their hedging plants come highly recommended by keen gardeners, designers, landscapers, farmers and columnists.

Hopes Grove are very pleased to be awarded the Gardening Which best buy for both native and garden hedging plants. All the plants sold are covered by the Hopes Grove guarantee and prices already include vat.

Orders can be placed online through the Hopes Grove website, but for any questions or comments Hopes Grove welcome telephone calls and their sales staff have worked outside on the nursery, so have the plant knowledge to answer questions. Telephone orders are also most welcome.

The nursery is only open to the general public on the three open house days. All other visits by prior appointment only. For further information on all the hedging plants offered by Hopes Grove and for location details, visit http://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk

The Castle Inn Hotel Lake District is offering holiday guests over the London Marathon weekend the chance to win their break for free. All they have to do is beat the hotel General Manager’s time.

Peter Wells, the General Manager, is participating in the London Marathon on 22nd April 2012 joining some of the world’s elite runners, fun runners, charity runners combined with an enthusiastic crowd.

Using the Castle Inn Hotels newly refurbished leisure facilities, guests can start their marathon anytime during the Sunday morning to post a time on the treadmills. Comparisons of marathon times will be made later during the day and any guests beating Peter Wells will get their weekend accommodation break for free.

Peter Wells commented “I wanted an additional challenge to running the London Marathon and thought this would provide incentive to keep going and post a reasonable time. As we are a family run hotel, this is an ideal way everyone can help with my training and keep me focused on the target. The daunting task is made easier by a combination of spectacular scenery, challenging routes and snow capped mountain peaks providing a variety of training around the hotel.”

Set in a picturesque location just 8 miles from Keswick at the top of Bassenthwaite, the Castle Inn overlooks some of the Lake District’s highest fells. Originally a 1770 Lake District Coaching Inn it has been transformed into a modern venue with 46 large bedrooms. Within the hotel is a Fitness Centre, large swimming pool, sauna, steam room, tennis court and Jacuzzi.

For further information on this Lake District hotel offer and bookings call 017687 76401 or visit http://www.castleinncumbria.co.uk

In a romantic mood and inspired by the eHarmony.co.uk statistics making the Lake District the most romantic place to propose and the 29th also marks the completion of the hotel’s major refurbishment – but that’s not what has got staff in a spin. It’s the fact it’s Leap Year and a chance for ladies to propose that has excited them – and they are keen to help ladies make their proposal something special. The hotel wants to be the first to have a leap year proposal and they think with new décor and balcony bedrooms overlooking Ullswater, plus a few treats to encourage her, they may just inspire a brave lady.

Gary Wilson General Manager of the Inn on the Lake, part of the Lake District Hotels Ltd group, for 12 years has seen over a hundred and forty proposals and 1500 weddings since he became Manager and knows how to get it right. “We can provide music, champagne and chocolates and we can get the guy onto the balcony, but because tradition dictates that the 29th February is officially ‘the Ladies Privilege’ she gets to pop the question. Imagine how romantic it would be, views across the lake, candles, music playing and the love of your life proposing from the patio whilst you stand on the balcony. What man would say no!”

As a gesture to support nervous ladies, Gary and his team are offering a ‘Ladies Privilege Pack’ – providing the music, champagne and a romantic dinner for free – just as long as they hear the proposal from the patio. And if they end up booking the hotel for their wedding, they will be treated to the honeymoon suite free of charge.

To mark the end of the refurbishment work, and to entice the couple to the hotel for 29th February, there is a special offer – dinner bed and breakfast with a second night bed and breakfast free from only £114pp. If the lady asks the hotel to help propose, they get the second night’s dinner free too.

The Ladies Privilege allowing ladies to propose on 29th February is a tradition that dates back to the 5th century when St Bridget complained to St Patrick that ladies had to wait too long for a proposal. St Patrick said yearning females could propose but only on one day in February every four years and named it ‘The Ladies’ Privilege’.

To book a Ladies Privilege Break and organise a proposal visit the Lake District Hotels Ltd website at http://www.lakedistricthotels.net

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