RESTAURANT and hotel owners across South Lakeland and Furness are starting to come forward to back a vital charity appeal.

As reported in Food & Drink last week, the hospitality industry is being urged to support the Turning the Tables campaign in aid of New Holehird.

The New Holehird team is trying to raise enough money to keep open the cherished home for disabled people in Windermere, which has been under threat of closure since the national charity, Leonard Cheshire, announced it was being forced to pull out of running the home.

Turning the Tables will enable restaurateurs and hoteliers to make an important contribution by donating cash from their businesses.

For example, a restaurant might give the equivalent of the price of two desserts, or a hotel might decide to donate the cost of four covers from an evening meal.

Those already taking part include the Jumble Room restaurant, at Grasmere, which is contributing the proceeds from a table for four.

Kendal wine Merchant Frank Stainton has pledged £100; Let's Dine Out discount dining club entrepreneurs Peter and Maureen Caulfield have promised £25; the Grasmere Hotel has offered £30; the Low Wood Hotel, near Ambleside, pledged the cost of the meals for the first three couples through the door of the newly-refurbished Windermere Restaurant, likely to be around £200; while the Salutation Hotel, at Ambleside, and Holbeck Ghyll, at Windermere, are also on board.

Now The Gilpin Lodge, near Windermere, has come forward with a pledge of £250 or the equivalent of a table for four plus Champagne, while the Drunken Duck, near Hawkshead, is offering the cost of a table for four - likely to be around £150.

Although the appeal is focused around the weekend of September 18 and 19, the New Holehird team would love people to pledge now, so that they can start to gather some momentum for the campaign.

Pledges can be made straightaway by ringing Andy Hill, of New Holehird and the Jumble Room, on 015394-35188 or 015394-36088. He will send out a stamped addressed envelope to use to send in the pledges, along with some information.

And to further encourage people to join in, over the next few weeks Food and Drink will be featuring those who have generously agreed to take part.