A CUMBRIAN inn is celebrating a record year during 2014 by reporting average occupancy levels soaring to an all-time high of 90 per cent.

The 17th century Sun Inn at Kirkby Lonsdale has seen more 'heads on beds' in 2014 than at any point in their last eight years.

It says it has also enjoyed a 20 per cent surge in restaurant business.

The figures are encouraging news for tourism businesses operating on the fringes of the Lake District and outside the honeypot National Park, where the bulk of visitors tend to gravitate.

Cumbria Tourism says that the average annual occupancy level for serviced accommodation across the county in 2013 was 59.2 per cent - meaning most businesses enjoyed nearly 60 per cent of rooms full throughout the season.

The serviced accommodation sectors includes businesses like hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs and Inns.

Mark and Lucy Fuller have owned The Sun Inn since 2006, when they completely overhauled the property into a five-star inn and restaurant. Co-owner Lucy Fuller said: “2014 has been our best year yet. Our occupancy levels have been consistently high throughout the year, and we’ve continued to welcome staying visitors from across the country."

"However, what’s really encouraging is the growth in the restaurant side of the business, which has been fuelled by an increasing number of people from Cumbria/Lancashire coming to eat here too. It’s been great to see the return of our Head Chef Sam Carter and our inclusion in the Good Food Guide has also been a real boost.”

Tourism chiefs enjoyed a strong year for the industry in 2013 but the long summer of 2014 - marred only by a soggy August - looks to have beaten it across many sectors year-on-year.

Serviced accommodation expects to be five per cent up on 2013 but the real story is the performance of the self catering sector, which includes cottages, static caravans, chalets and lodges. The large sector of over 7700 self catering businesses in Cumbria, is expected to be 10 per cent up on 2013 after several years of patchy performance.

The hot summer of 2014 also looks to have led to a 20 per cent year-on-year rise across touring, camping and caravanning pitches as outdoors holidaymakers flocked to the area to make the most of the good weather.