HMO plea to help 'hundreds' of job applicants

Plans have been lodged to turn Harvington House into an HMO with eight bedrooms

The boss of a hotel chain that is trying to create more accommodation for its staff has said a lack of affordable homes is affecting businesses.

Mawdsley Bleachers, which runs five hotels around Keswick in Cumbria, has applied for permission to turn a town centre guest house into a house of multiple occupation (HMO) for its workers.

Geoff Mawdsley, one of the hotel chain's owners, said: "We recently put an advert online for a general assistant and 400 people applied within two weeks. Almost every applicant needs accommodation."

He said housing was too expensive in the area due to limited supply, but there were several B&Bs on the market that would "fill that much needed gap".

The hospitality industry in the Lake District has long lamented staff shortages caused by the lack of affordable homes and limited local transport.

Speaking about the planning application for an HMO, Mr Mawdsley said: "We could have permanent working residents living in Keswick, contributing to the local economy and helping sustain businesses in the local area.

"The added benefit of running at full capacity is that our company will be directly contributing more to the local and national tax revenue."

Millions of visitors travel to the Lake District each year, but permanent accommodation can be scarce

Mawdsley Bleachers owns The Coledale Inn, Ravenstone Lodge, Ravenstone Manor, The White Horse Inn and The Ruddings.

Its application to the Lake District National Park Authority seeks to turn Harvington House on Church Street, Keswick, into an HMO.

The guest house is still operating, but the owners want to retire and have been struggling to attract interest since placing it on the market last year, planning documents said.

Mawdsley Bleachers said there would be no external changes to the building and being able to use the eight rooms for their staff would avoid taking over another residential property.

The LDNPA is also looking at a similar proposal from Lake District Hotels, which owns six hotels including the Lodore Falls and Inn on the Lake.

The company has applied for permission to use a former guesthouse on Blencathra Street, Keswick, as an HMO with seven rooms for their staff at the nearby Skiddaw Hotel.

Both applications are being considered by the authority.