HOTELIERS across South Lakeland were counting the cost of thousands of pounds worth of cancelled bookings and lost casual trade this week.

Many visitors ended their holidays in the Lake District sooner than planned, or decided not to make the trip at all, while conferences were also scrapped.

Tourism attractions were affected, although Windermere Lake Cruises benefited unexpectedly as those holidaymakers still in the area parked their cars and used the boats to get around.

Chief executive of Cumbria Tourist Board Chris Collier began taking telephone calls from businesses first thing on Monday.

"It's the worst time it could have happened," she said.

"We normally start to get some serious money in now, regardless of how good or bad the season's been."

As soon as the crisis broke, Mrs Collier telephoned 10 Downing Street, the Departments of Trade and Industry, the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and Culture, Media and Sport, to ensure they knew how serious the problems were in Cumbria.

She is also concerned that not all of the 600 delegates due to attend a coach travel organisers' conference in the county next week will be able to make it, losing Cumbria potential business over the next five years.

Tourism operators supported the blockade, but it was the worst time of the year for their businesses, said Mrs Collier.

Chairman of English Lakes Hotels Michael Berry said his company, which includes the Low Wood near Ambleside, Waterhead at Ambleside, and the Wild Boar at Crook, would have lost tens of thousands of pounds in the crisis.

A 60-delegate conference at the Low Wood had been cancelled, while valuable chance business was being lost.

"I do have sympathy for the blockade, in the sense that the Government has got to listen to the people," said Mr Berry.

At the Nanny Brow Country House Hotel, in Ambleside, owners Michael and Carol Fletcher faced a double whammy of £1,400 in lost bookings, plus no guarantees that they would have adequate supplies of oil for their central heating system.

Guests were being asked to try to economise on their use of hot water, in an effort to conserve stocks.

However, Mr Fletcher was supportive of the action.

His heating fuel had risen from 12.5 pence per litre last year, to 22.5 pence.

Losses at The Langdale Chase Hotel are expected to reach between £20,000 and £30,000, and managing director Thomas Noblett said only six people had lunch at the hotel on Tuesday, compared to 30 to 35 on a normal day.

Dave Marsden, of Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, at Hale, said a party of children from Chernobyl, who were in the UK on a therapeutic trip, had been forced to cancel their visit to the centre.

And at Abbott Hall, in Kendal, head of marketing Sandy Kitching said her greatest concern was that school groups had been forced to abandon visits, and the children would miss out on the prestigious Ruskin and the Light of Nature exhibition.

One temporary winner was Windermere Lake Cruises, where general manager Les Micklethwaite said tourists were leaving their cars at their hotels and using the firm's boats to get around.

"It's good sense and a policy we have been trying to get over for years," he said.

A private charter of one of the boats was cancelled though, because not all the party could get to the Lake District.

Manager of the Old Laundry Theatre and the World of Beatrix Potter, at Bowness, Hilary Pezet was extremely worried about their Fifth Autumn Festival, due to start tomorrow (Saturday) with Griff Rhys Jones, and continuing with a £14,000 production of Carmen by the Watermill Theatre Company next week.

"Carmen has sold quite well so far but it needs the tourists to boost it, and needs people coming from Barrow, Kendal and Penrith."