The Lake District and surrounding area has long been known for possessing a magnificent cultural heritage.

William Wordworth, who helped found The Westmorland Gazette, was one of Britain’s most influential poets. Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated her children’s stories here.

Arthur Ransome was inspired by the Lake District and it’s possible to identify many of the places in his Swallows and Amazons books as real locations.

Then there are painter and thinker John Ruskin, guide book writer Alfred Wainwright and artist George Romney.

The artistic work of such people plays an important role in both promoting the Lakes and attracting visitors to the area, which in turn boosts the economy.

The new lockdown means visitors cannot currently come to the area but hopefully tourism will open up again later this year and visitors, some inspired by such literary and artistic figures, will be able to return.

Civic leaders recognise culture's economic importance and a specialist is being engaged to work with the three councils of South Lakeland, Lancaster and Barrow to support the development of a Bay Cultural Compact plan, developing the area’s role as a cultural and creative capital.

These days culture comes in many forms and television and film exposure can play a massive part in attracting visitors.

A TV special Roald and Beatrix: The Tale of the Curious Mouse, which aired on Sky One this Christmas and focused on a meeting between Beatrix Potter and a young Roald Dahl, will no doubt spark further interest in this part of the world.

ITV’s crime drama The Bay, starting this month, will bring the stunning Morecambe Bay coastline to the screen.

Meanwhile, a Kent-based holiday company is planning six-day tours of Cumbria, visiting places featured in MW Craven’s crime novels, which are set in the county.

I’ve not read any of Mike Craven’s books, but one of them recently won the Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger award for best crime novel of the year, which suggests they are well worth a read.

It is good to know the cultural heritage of this part of the world just keeps on getting richer.