A RESPECTED South Lakeland hotelier has stepped out of retirement with a dream to restore a historic country house hotel.

Iain Garside has more than 30 years experience in the industry having previously run the Rothay Garden, Grasmere, Miller Howe, Windermere, and Fayrer Garden, Bowness-on-Windermere. He has now become the proud proprietor of The Wordsworth Hotel at Grasmere.

Mr Garside, who is the former Cumbrian Tourist Chairman and president and chairman of the Hoteliers Association, has embarked on his latest venture with his wife Jackie, 57, and daughter Polly Winder, 29.

They take over from Reg and Elizabeth Gifford, who have stood at the helm of the four-star hotel for the past 30 years.

Mr Garside retired from the industry five years ago but admitted he was bored and wanted a new project.

“A lot of people are shocked about our new venture as I retired,” said the 61-year-old. “I will never complain about being bored ever again. I’ve been so busy but we’re so excited to be taking on such a wonderful project.

“Grasmere is a wonderful village and everyone has welcomed us back here. It's has been great to have so much support from friends and colleagues in the industry.”

The hotel’s two AA rosette restaurant has been re-named The Signature Restaurant and is currently undergoing a complete refurbishment, which is due to be finished by the end of February.

Mr Garside, who was the Lake District Entrepreneur of the year in 2000, said: “The restaurant will look completely different. We’re building a wine bodega and changing the wine list to suit every pallet and pocket.

“The food has always been excellent so we’re very happy with that.”

The gym and spa will be extended and equipped with new facilities and the changing rooms will also be refurbished.

The hotel’s 35 bedrooms will all be up-graded to be made ‘more luxurious’, with the higher class rooms equipped with gadgets such as an iPod docking station.

“We have lots of wonderful plans for the bedrooms. We’ve already started replacing acres of carpet and gone through tins of paint,” said Mr Garside.

“Any renovations we do will be in keeping with the hotel. We want to keep it as a historic country house hotel, we are not going to become a boutique hotel.”

The hotel will also launch a new website.

A Sunday lunch held at the hotel earlier this month raised £2,500 for the Cumbria Flood Fund.

Mr and Mrs Garside lost their home to the floods in Bowness and wanted to help others in the same position.