The HIGHLY anticipated opening of a Lakeland inn overlooking the shores of Coniston water, has taken place after a multi-million pound redevelopment.

Having earned Visit England’s ‘We’re Good To Go’ accreditation, the historic 42-bed Coniston Inn re-opened on Saturday August 1, following a re-design by owners, The Inn Collection Group.

Husband and wife team John and Anita Dodsworth are the inn’s general managers.

“It’s been a long time in the making but the end product is second to none,” said Mr Dodsworth.

“We’ve been waiting for this day for 18 months and seeing the doors finally open fulfils a long-standing dream. We are so pleased to see everything we’ve been working on for so long come to life. It will be a great asset both for people living in the community here in the Coniston area and for visitors alike.”

The group has carried out a complete reform of the traditional Lakeland slate building, which has been a hotel for over a century.

Features of the inn, which is family and dog friendly, include direct lake access from the inn’s private jetty and four acres of gardens, while the step-free dining area, customer lift and accessible rooms make the inn suitable for wheelchair users.

A redesign of the bar and dining area has resulted in open-plan areas for customers to dine or drink in, while enjoying beautiful views.

Vintage memorabilia and photo murals adorn the interior, drawing on Coniston’s illustrious heritage including references to Donald Campbell’s record-breaking Bluebird.

The inn has also implemented several ‘green’ systems, including a reed bed water purifying system, a biomass boiler and are providing guests with rechargeable lanterns for evening strolls into nearby Coniston village.

The opening of the inn will create a total of 40 new jobs in the area. The Inn Collection Group is also looking to recruit a further 50 people across its expanding portfolio of Lakes sites including The Ambleside Inn at Ambleside, The Swan in Grasmere and The Pheasant at Bassenthwaite.

The Coniston Inn is open daily from 7.30am. Table bookings are advisable while the inn is operating at reduced capacity due to COVID restrictions on 0191 580 3610. The Coniston Inn, Hawkshead Road, Coniston, Cumbria, LA21 8AJ.