Lake District News from Linthwaite House

Mrs Thatcher has passed away. Official. You're probably fed up with hearing about it. But as a hotelier I found it fascinating that she spent her last months at the Ritz.
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We do give, privately and through our business. Most people I know are very generous. Some just don't like to be overt about their giving, but don't want to appear mean when they say no.
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Not many people get the chance to ride with Charlie's Angels but that's what people tell me I'm doing. Third day on the tour of USA selling to the agents, trying to persuade them to send their clients to the UK.
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Now a lot of people would say I'm a lucky chap travelling with three really lovely ladies, but I wouldn't want to sit next to me especially as we were in the small seats at the back of the plane. Anyway in the end it was decided democratically that I'd have the aisle. Big mistake.
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I love getting cabs in the USA. They always seem to be driven by characters and if you can connect it's very rewarding. This time after a long day travelling from the Lakes via Heathrow to Atlanta on a very good new plane, a 777 operated by BA, the radio was tuned to an AM station and I couldn't believe my ears...
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What if music or bands were hotels? Which would your favourites be?
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As I sat waiting through the long dinner and ceremony, our name came up as a contender for the Service Award, but we didn't win. Oh well, that's it I thought. Then the last award was being presented by Knight Frank. As the speech progressed, someone nudged me hard in the back. The man from Knight Frank was apparently talking about me and Linthwaite.
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I recently had my dear old Mum to stay, both at home and at the hotel. One of the other things she loves to do when she comes up is to potter round the Lakes and enjoy the beauty.
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It's that time of year again. Thanks to Steven Doherty of the wonderful Lakeland Cafe, I got roped in to help with the judging of the Cumbria Life Food and Drink Awards this time last year. Now it's time for a repeat performance.
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Haven’t you ever seen a grown man with his underpants over his tights? I don’t mean Superman either. No, it’s time for Westmorland & Cumberland wrestling. This is the time if year when you can go to the Sports days held all over the Lake District. You can also often see them at what some term as agricultural shows. The Westmorland Show in September is one of the best in the country. I don’t know how many acres it takes up but it will take you all day to do it justice.
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I've always wanted to believe hotels do people good. They make people feel better don't they? But some people take it a bit too far. Whilst we might make people feel rested by giving them a break, what we can't be are marriage problem solvers.
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My mother-in-law is up at the moment from deepest Devon. She's 87, has most of her faculties but is finding it difficult to walk and her sight is limited. She doesn't complain though. The wheelchair has to go everywhere, and it changes your view about things.
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So to those under 50 it's probably not very impressive for me to say my claim to fame is that I tried to prevent Burton and Sophia Loren (sharp intake of breath for those over 50's again) from dining in the hotel's restaurant I was responsible for.
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Champagne service with a leery smile
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A walk with the professor of @BestLovedHotels
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When I was a schoolboy I was encouraged to play lost of hearty games such as rugby in the winter and cricket in the summer. I loved it. But we also had to take part in some (to my mind) very boring athletics. Bad performance was incentivised by being whacked with a plimsoll. I mean, if you aren't built for running, what fun can there be in it unless it's to fetch a football.
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Last week I had to go to Ikea, the Trafford Centre, and then Manchester centre. Don't get me wrong, I do like Manchester, except when they give me parking tickets after 6pm. That night we had tickets to see the wonderful Wilco which softened the blow but also meant I couldn't avoid the shopping bit
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Occasionally I become a tourist. My dear old Mum hadn't been to the Lakes for over 15 years, so I was looking forward to showing off the spectacular countryside in all its glory to her. After a long drive up from Bournemouth the 89 year old lapped up a splendid afternoon tea, followed closely by dinner, and slept well in one of our new ground floor rooms.
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Just back from the AA Awards dinner on Monday night at the Hilton, Park Lane. 750 people in the wonderful hotel business enjoyed an amazing dinner produced by guest Chef Paul Gagnaire, he of the eponymous 3 star Michelin restaurant in Paris and of Sketch in London. (He also has an outpost in Las Vegas at the Mandarin Hotel.) The salmon fillet starter was beautiful in every way. The surprising main course choice of blanquette de veau, albeit with a twist, reminded me of catering college and Ceserani & Kinton; the Practical Cookery book we all learned from. The twist was ginger; onion fondue and Paris mushrooms; lettuce filled with venere black rice; and brunoise of green apple and chive. A little bit more complicated than the way we used to do it. Fabulous though. People who know me will be amazed I am not going to write about the dessert. The petit fours were amazing, though I had to restrain my wife from eating the chocolate; it was the stand that held the petit fours. She doesn’t like waste.
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In the mid 70's I sent myself on a five day marketing course at the Inst. of Marketing in Cookham. It was great because it wasn't just about hotels and no-one else on the course had anything to do with them. It was also the time Fawlty Towers came out. As the course was residential, we were off in the evenings and one night we sat down to watch Basil and co.. My leg was pulled mercilessly. Was it really like that Mike? Well, yes actually, it was.
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