We're like a swan, sort of gliding on the lake, but puddling us below quite duress,

though. But no, it is great fun. The team love it. We love it because actually we're nice people

looking after nice people. Hello and welcome to today's independent travel podcast. It's the last one

of the year, Wednesday, the 31st of December. And I'm talking to one of the busiest people who has been working

his socks off throughout Christmas and the new year. Mike Vincent, the general manager

of the Langdale Chase Hotel here in beautiful Cumbria just looking down over there, sparkling

waters of Windermere.

Mike, beautiful workplace. Stunning, isn't it? A tough, tough job, though. It is, it is, but I mean, the thing is you enjoy it. And, you know, when the weather's looking like this, you're looking over the Langdale Pikes, and, you know, it's a beautiful day. Where else would you want to be? You've got to enjoy it. Well, yes, and your guests are able to do that. Tell us about the New Year package you've got for people. So we've got a full house for

New Year's, so we bring it in in style. So we have a eight-course tasting menu, with plenty of

entertainment. We've got a jazz quartet who are going to play us through the evening and then

do Old Landsai out on the terrace where we'll have a fireworks display as well. And then on

New Year's Day we'll do a leisurely tour around the lake on our 1928 wooden launch, which

sets sales directly from the hotel from Argeti.

From a logistical point of view, it sounds like a nightmare.

So you've been working flat out since, well, I guess, the start of the festive season.

Yeah, right, all the way through.

So for us, it starts about the middle of November when the first Christmas tree goes up.

So second week in November, and then all the way through.

So yeah, just you've got to get the logistics of all your orders right and guests, you know, checking in and out.

And especially over the Christmas period, because of where we are, the deliveries tail off towards Christmas.

And basically we don't get, I think our last delivery was on the 22nd and then we don't get delivery then until the second of January. So we have to plan our meat and fish and all of that

carefully. But, you know, we're well versed to it now. But while the on stage part is a marvellous

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