SOME of the country's top Michelin Chefs will join the Save Windermere campaign by hosting a week-long culinary event.

Barney Cunliffe of Gilpin Hotel and Lake House will lead the event, called Chefs4SaveWindermere. The event will raise funds for the Save Windermere campaign, which aims to end all treated and untreated sewage discharges into the lake by United Utilities. 

It will take place over six nights from 11-16 September, and each evening will feature different chefs and restaurants. Each table seats 10 with a total capacity of 100 guests for each night. 

The line-up is as follows: 

  • Mon 11 Sep:  Simon Rogan's Lake District Restaurants led by executive chef Paul Burgalières: 3* Michelin L'Enclume, 1* Michelin Rogan & Co, plus Aulis Cartmel and Henrock 
  • Tue 12 Sep:  1* Michelin Ryan Blackburn from The Old Stamp House, Ambleside, supported by Steven Doherty
  • Wed 13 Sep:  1* Michelin Ollie Bridgwater from SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel 
  • Thu 14 Sep:  Craig and Shaun Edmondson of the Brown Horse Inn at Winster (winners of Cumbria's Best Pub and Bar in 2023) 
  • Fri 15 Sep:  1* Michelin Richard Swale, with Anthony Amos from Allium, Askham Hall, joined by 1* Michelin Ben Queen-Fryer from The Dog and Gun Inn, Skelton
  • Sat 16 Sep:  Aakash Ohol of Gilpin Spice and Tom Westerland of Knipe Grill at Gilpin Lake House

The Save Windermere campaign makes the case that the lake is too iconic and too enclosed as a water system to receive nutrient inputs from discharges, which can contribute to algal blooms. The campaign compares Windermere to Lake Annecy in France, which does not receive sewage discharges.

READ MORE: Save Windermere founder Matt Staniek wins environment award

Chefs4SaveWindermere argue that any mistreatment of the lake threatens its associated £750 million tourism industry. 

Mr Cunliffe said: “It has been a pleasure to bring these amazing chefs together in support of Save Windermere. This event is a chance to say enough is enough, and to give Save Windermere the financial resources to challenge United Utilities."

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We all want to see the cleanest possible water in Windermere, which is why we will be playing our part. We are already planning projects at four sites around the lake to meet the new requirements of the Environment Act, bringing forward £19m of investment over the next two years.

“We are also a member of the Love Windermere partnership which is working towards improved water quality in the lake and will naturally explore the feasibility of any potential solutions.”