Tag: lake district

30% Off Train Fares In Support Of Flood Hit Areas

By on 13th February 2016in Lifestyle

A discount of 30% on Off Peak Advance fares to regions hit by floods is now available as part of Virgin Trains’ partnership with VisitEngland for their ‘Love the North’ campaign…

Virgin Trains, which operates passenger services on both the East Coast and West Coast, has teamed up with VisitEngland to support ‘Love the North’, which aims to promote tourism in the North of England and demonstrate that Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland and Yorkshire are #OpenForBusiness following the damage caused by storms Desmond, Eva and Frank in December 2015.

The offer is available for travel between 19th February and 13th May, and is timed to coincide with the February half-term holiday and the Easter break in March.

Discounted fares can be purchased on direct Virgin Trains services to destinations including Carlisle, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith and Preston on the West Coast route, and Berwick-upon-Tweed, Doncaster, Leeds, Morpeth and York on the East Coast until Tuesday 1st March.

Destination organisations along the East and West Coast have pulled together some accommodation offers and deals to help customers make the most of this great travel discount.

Phil Whittingham, Managing Director at Virgin Trains, said: “We care about the local communities and want to show our continued support for them. We’re pleased to launch this 30% discount as part of VisitEngland’s ‘Love the North’ campaign. We look forward to welcoming visitors on board our trains, and hope they make the most of the many offers that show the region is very much open for business.”

David Horne, Managing Director of Virgin Trains East Coast, said: “This is a fantastic initiative to bolster areas affected by flooding and put them back on the map for visitors. As our head offices are in York, we have seen firsthand the damage the storms caused to communities and businesses this winter. Indeed we were one of many businesses affected as our offices were flooded.

“York is just one of the wonderful destinations on our route which is linked by some of Britain’s most breathtaking scenery. From the Flying Scotsman season at York’s National Railway Museum to the great shopping on offer in Leeds or the spectacular backdrop of Berwick-upon-Tweed, there are plenty of great reasons to visit, and we hope customers take advantage of this offer.”

Lakes Single Malt Whisky One Year On And Maturing Well

By on 17th December 2015in Local Biz

England’s largest whisky distillery raises a glass, as the country’s newest single malt whisky reaches a major milestone in its maturation…

The Lakes Distillery started production of its Lakes Single Malt in December 2014, the same month it officially opened its doors to visitors.

The spirit, which will officially become whisky after three years maturing in oak casks, will be ready for drinking from spring 2018. Early feedback from the distillery’s team, which includes some of the UK’s foremost whisky experts, is that the Lakes Single Malt is on track to be one of the finest.

“After only one year maturing, already it is smooth and sweet and very drinkable” says Distillery Manager John Drake. “It is quite outstanding.”

In just 12 months, The Lakes Distillery has also become one of Cumbria’s leading tourist attractions, welcoming more than 70,000 visitors through its doors. Meanwhile, the acclaimed Bistro at The Lakes Distillery has built up a tremendous reputation, being popular with tourists and locals, thanks to head chef Andrew Beaton with renowned chef Terry Laybourne overseeing the bistro.

The Lakes Distillery has also been named as a ‘Top 50 Cumbrian Icon’ in only its first year.

Founder and Managing Director of The Lakes Distillery, Paul Currie, who founded and ran the award-winning Isle of Arran Distillers in Scotland before opening England’s largest distillery, said: “This has been a phenomenal year for the business. The reaction from the drinks industry, the public and the local businesses in the North West has been fantastic.

“We feel honoured to have been awarded a string of accolades from different industry bodies in our first year. Our spirits have picked up awards at the IWSC and International Spirits Challenge (ISC), while the Bistro at The Distillery has been listed in the Michelin Good Food Guide 2016 and picked up Open Table Diner’s Choice Awards several months in a row.”

In 2016 Paul will not be resting on his laurels, and already has big plans for the distillery’s second year of business – including a series of talks and events at the venue.

He continued: “We’ve run a couple of events this year, including one with former Olympian Jonathan Edwards, an ambassador of our whisky, a gin themed evening with Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott, and a night of fine dining with Michelin-starred chef Nigel Haworth. All the events have been very successful, and we’re planning an exciting schedule for next year.

“We are situated in one of the most stunning places in the world, which we think gives us a real edge, and that, combined with the unique spirits we are producing, makes us a strong contender in this industry. Our aim is to ensure The Lakes Malt is recognised as one of the finest malt whiskies in the world, making us a challenger to Scotland.”

Already the creators of artisan spirits The Lakes Gin and The Lakes Vodka, The Lakes Distillery offers a blended British Isles whisky called The ONE, which is currently available in a limited edition sherry cask finished bottle, marking the distillery’s first birthday.

For more information on The Lakes Distillery, visit www.lakesdistillery.com or for further details on The Bistro at The Lakes Distillery, visit www.bistroatthedistillery.com.

ADVERTISERS