Grasmere Inn Proposes Staff Accommodation to Boost Recruitment

A pub and guest house aims to construct a two-storey staff accommodation block with the goal of retaining existing employees and attracting new ones. Lake District Inns Ltd has submitted proposals for this building to be developed in a scenic location adjacent to the Travellers Rest Inn in Grasmere, Cumbria. The company states that a scarcity of local accommodation is causing significant difficulties in recruitment. Documents lodged with the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) indicate that the structure would comprise seven single-occupancy units, each fitted with an en suite bathroom and a kitchenette. According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the plans would also allow a nearby bungalow, known as Ghylburn, to be occupied by a couple who would manage the inn, leading to the creation of four additional staff positions. The Travellers Rest currently employs 10 full-time and between three and five part-time staff members. In the planning documents, Lake District Inns noted that it has been unable to operate at pre-Brexit and Covid-19 pandemic levels due to “the inability to attract and retain staff”. It further stated: “This a situation is compounded by the cost and lack of availability of housing that’s pricing people out of the market.” The company added: “It has become fundamental that the provision of subsidised accommodation to a high standard is made as part of a package to attract and retain staff and appeal to the calibre of staff needed to properly serve the business.” The LDNPA is currently reviewing the application, which, if approved, would result in construction taking place at the northern end of the pub’s existing car park.