HIM Indoors hates shopping — Christmas shopping even more.

So in order to entice him on my spending spree I came up with a cunning plan ... promise him a scrumptious lunch in return for a trip to Lakeland Limited at Windermere to set the festive ball rolling.

It worked.

What’s more, top chef Steven Doherty’s trailblazing efforts on what he once described to me as the fast casual dining front meant that our visit to the creative kitchenware company’s flagship First Floor eatery was an unmitigated success.

We managed to bag a table straightaway — it was a Friday, you might have more of a wait at weekend. Our order had been taken within five minutes and it can’t have been more than 10 minutes later that our ‘lunchtime specials’ arrived — jacket potato with a creamy leek and grain mustard sauce and flaked smoked haddock topped with Parmesan cheese, soft poached egg and dressed side salad for me; char-grilled breast of chicken with black pudding, mashed potatoes with creamy wild mushroom and tarragon sauce served with buttered veggies for Him.

And then came the clever bit . . . I suggested lunch before shopping, and saving coffee and cake until we’d finished shopping.

Two hours later we went back upstairs, collapsed in the comfy chairs rather than the formal dining area, and tucked into a slice of Kendal-made Ginger Baker’s Chocolate Brodie (made with Hawkshead Brewery’s Brodie’s Prime beer and a cream cheese topping), and a slice of apple and cinnamon cake with a vanilla topping, plus a couple of steaming freshly-made coffees.

He was happy — I was happy. That’s the way to do it!

The verdict — fast casual dining at its best.

Lakelands first floor café Lakeland Limited, Alexandra Buildings, Windermere.