At Lake District Hotels, we love to highlight staff achievements and milestones – it’s what makes us more than just a workplace, but a work family!
Part of this means rewarding and recognising these achievements, especially at our staff awards nights. But we don’t just want to acknowledge the efforts of our staff internally – we want to shout about our staff across our six Lake District Hotels and tell the world how incredible they are!
We had the privilege of sitting down with Richard, Head of Grounds at Inn on the Lake, to chat about his twenty years with Lake District Hotels, and this is what he had to say…
Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! I’m Richard, I’m the Head of Grounds at the Inn on the Lake.
I started working here when I thought it might be time to head back home after travelling the world! The position appealed to me because I wanted to work outdoors in a labour position, and this seemed perfect.
I still think so… when it’s sunny!
Can you describe your experience so far in one word?
Rewarding.
Can you tell us a story or two from your time with us?
Definitely. The first, and dearest, memory to me has to be just after the floods in 2015.
For anyone non-local that may be reading, just before Christmas 2015 there was a period of heavy, heavy rain. Around 7,500 houses were flooded, and so many more homes and businesses were affected. It was a really devastating time for the community.
The Inn on the Lake was hit quite badly, and a team of volunteers from the village and Lake District Hotels rallied together to help me with the clean-up. I usually work alone, so it was an amazing feeling and really brought everyone together in such a horrible time.
On a lighter note, being given my Long Service Award was a really proud moment for me. It made me feel valued and part of a bigger team.
What’s been the biggest change over the last 20 years?
The sheer volume and diversity of people walking through the doors of the hotel.
How did you get into gardening?
It was actually on my travels – I was living on a Kibbutz in Isreal, and they needed a gardener to look after a 240-acre village (imagine about 240 football fields) and that ended up being me! It was a stroke of luck to find a similar job back in the UK, especially one that I’m proud to have held for twenty years.
Any plans for the next 20 years?
I’m over sixty now – and I won’t say much more than that! I’m keeping it simple: enjoying life and the great outdoors.
Thank you, Richard! We'll let you get back to your roses!
Such long and dedicated service with Lake District Hotels is something worth celebrating! Richard is well known at Inn on the Lake, and a bit of a legend within the team.
Richard has worked at the Inn on the Lake almost as long as I have! Of course, that makes me feel old, but also incredibly proud. The Inn on the Lake is proud to say that we create a working environment that makes staff feel as if they’ve built a home with us. We have Richard to thank for our beautiful gardens and flowers, and I only hope we can persuade him to stay another twenty years with us!
Lake District Hotels & Inn on the Lake would like to thank Richard for his dedicated service over the last 20 years.
If you visit Inn on the Lake, be sure to check out the incredible garden and terrace!
