Hotels and restaurants in the Lake District are lying empty as one of the UK’s most popular tourist destinations struggles for visitors, locals have claimed. Tim Keenan, a well-connected community activist told the Express the region has still not recovered to pre- Covid levels despite domestic tourism numbers swelling post-pandemic. “It should be peak season,” he explained.
“But it's not as busy as it usually is. There are guest homes not full and restaurants lying empty. “ Cost of living is [one of] a number of factors.
There was a boom time after Covid where everyone didn’t go abroad and stayed here. “[In that time] I think people were shocked at the time it took to get to the lakes, the cost of everything in the lakes and the service and amenities there are around here. “I mean there’s always walking and swimming [but beyond that] things to do are few and far between.
If it rains, as it has a habit of doing, you’re stuck inside with the TV, which is fine - that’s a lakeland holiday. “But I think a lot of people if they do something want the guarantee of sunshine.” Keenan’s claims are supported by the official statistics which show the number of visitors to the Lake District since the pandemic remained flat at around 18 million for the second year running in 2023.
By contrast, the final year before the pandemic 22 million people flocked to Cumbria. The reduction in overall numbers has also been accompanied by a demographic shift with more “min.