TOURISM leaders across South Lakeland are celebrating a victory after government ministers refused to entertain the idea of imposing a bed tax on visitors to the Lake District.

Hoteliers and guesthouse owners attacked plans to tax hotel beds and breathed a sigh of relief when the Government quashed any lingering thoughts of taxing tourists.

The good news was announced following the publication of the much-anticipated Sir Michael Lyons's inquiry into local government.

The bed tax was seen as a way of reducing the burden on local taxpayers with visitors contributing for the use of local services through a possible levy on accommodation.

Sir Michael Lyons's inquiry report left the door open for such a tax in the future but government minister Phil Woolas said there was no intention of introducing a tourism tax.

For full story see the March 23 edition of The Westmorland Gazette.