NEW-LOOK RESTAURANT: The Grange Hotel has unveiled the latest stage of a huge refurbishment programme with the opening of a new-look restaurant.

Mayor of Grange-over-Sands Pamela Monkhouse performed the honours at the hotel's Carriages Restaurant watched by VIP guests including Grange resident Joan Taylor, the granddaughter of Thomas Rigg who was the hotel's first manager back in the mid-19th century.

Pictured toasting the restaurant's success are Grange Hotel proprietors Hugh and Jenni Rushton (left and far right) with the Mayor of Grange-over-Sands Pamela Monkhouse (2nd left) and Joan Taylor.

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ICELAND has launched a new home shopping package which will allow worried parents to keep their student children supplied with food while away at college or university.

The 'Student Survival Pack' is the brainchild of Ben Dutton who has just returned to Leeds Metropolitan University after completing a year's placement at Iceland's head office on Deeside.

Ben suggested the pack after researching students' eating habits and finding that most struggle to shop sensibly and eat a balanced diet.

Despite the fact that 72 per cent receive family contributions towards their food shopping, figures show 45 per cent of students skip meals, 78 per cent miss breakfast and overall they spend 22 per cent of their weekly grocery budget on alcohol.

The survival pack is designed to provide breakfasts, snacks, drinks and 14 evening meals, together with essentials like toilet tissue at a cost of £ 40 (this compares with the student's average weekly spend of £ 29.82).

This is delivered to the student's door accompanied by recipe ideas and a personalised message taken at the same time as the order.

The packs (there's also a vegetarian version) can be ordered on 0870-242-2242 and are available within a 10-mile radius of the student's local Iceland store.

If the three-month trial goes well, they will be available on the Internet as well as by telephone.

TWO more South Lakeland restaurants have just signed up for the Hi-Life Diners Club which offers members a variety of discount dining offers.

They are - Great Urswick's Coot on the Tarn and Kendal's Georgian House.

DATES for your diary include National Apple Day on October 21 and National Curry Day on November 7.

Word has it that Hovis is also organising a National Toast Week starting October 30.

Whatever will they think of next?