After selling up and moving to Cumbria to take on a new venture, one couple couldn't be more pleased with how their leap of faith has turned out.

New owners of Cumbrian Lodge, Paul and Angela Evans, took on the challenge of running the Seascale hotel back in November 2020.

And after a seven-month makeover – and a long period in lockdown – the accommodation was ready to be shared with all those wishing to visit.

While the former Derbyshire residents weren’t too sure what to expect from their new venture, they have been blown away by the support and encouragement received from the community – and by the number of bookings they have been swamped with since opening in May.

"It's been all go, go, go recently," Paul said.

"We took over the lodge in November, and Angela and our daughter had a cafe back in Derbyshire, which we actually sold last week.

"It's all been a bit mad, but it's a real good news story – to know that even during the pandemic businesses are still being bought and sold is really great, and it's nice to see some positivity at the moment despite everything else."

He continued: "Seascale is a very close-knit community, and we're really lucky to be a part of it.

"Our water heater broke over the bank holiday weekend, and people all pitched in to find us a new one and get it installed, and within 24 hours it was all sorted.

"It's rare to have that even during a normal week, never mind a bank holiday! So that was just fantastic."

And with working 17-hour-days throughout the half term, the hard-working couple can use all the help they can get, and have even be busy enough to expand their team.

Paul said: "We've got a great team of local people, which we're really pleased about and so thankful for.

"We've been so busy since we opened, and it's great to have things going so well – the only down side from our point of view is that we're knackered!"

But despite being floored by the mayhem, the duo couldn't be more thankful for the support for their family-run business.

"Thank you to everyone who has visited," Paul said. "We've had loads of really nice reviews and comments, and we're so grateful for all the help and support we've received."

The special lodge features six high-end hotel rooms, as well as a top-notch restaurant to be wined and dined in, and caters to both locals and visitors to the seaside village.

To find out more about Cumbrian Lodge, or to get your room booked before they're all taken, visit www.cumbrian-lodge.co.uk.