William Derek Moore, a well-respected restaurateur and passionate gardener, has died at the age of 67.

He passed away at Royal Lancaster Infirmary on June 19 with his family by his side after a six-year battle against Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

‘Derek’ was born in 1952 in Trillick, a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, but moved across to England with his family at a very young age.

His family lived near Blackpool, in Poulton-le-Fylde, and it was there that he attended Hodgson Academy and developed his long-standing love of Blackpool FC.

In his early 20s, Derek moved to the Lake District. With a qualification in catering, he began his career as restaurant manager of ‘Gibbys’ (now Hyltons) in Bowness before going on to buy Sutherlands Restaurant with business partner Ron Reid in the late 80s.

It was the first of three restaurants that Derek owned, with him also being the proprietor for The Spinnery, Bowness and Castle Dairy in Kendal.

His restaurants became renowned for their colourful floral displays, as Derek indulged one of his main hobbies in life, gardening. He would enter the annual Windermere in Bloom competition and as a serial winner for Sutherlands he voluntarily stepped down to give others the opportunity to win - he was still presented with a special plaque by them, however.

Amongst his other interests he was a keen musician and enjoyed playing the guitar, talented in arts & crafts and a ‘try hard golfer.’

Described as ‘caring, humble, loyal and selfless,’ Derek had many friends and was known for being a hands-on and considerate employer. He was a loving family man who liked to play light-hearted tricks on his family, as well as their many walks around the beautiful Lake District together.

Although the amount of people who could attend his funeral last Thursday was limited, around 200 people who knew him surprised the family by lining the streets to pay their respects as he made his final journey through Bowness and Windermere and even along the route to Beetham Hall.

Derek leaves behind wife Jeannie, children Adrian and Ashleigh and grandchildren Jess, Sophie, Freya and Felicity.