When the power went out over Derbyshire last week, it was a case
of 'watts up' as one award winning hotel drew on some old fashioned
'Dunkirk Spirit' to ensure it was business as usual for its guests.
East Lodge was subject to the power cuts that plunged the Peak
District into darkness but staff rallied round to ensure guests
still had a stay to remember for all the right reasons.
"We don't let the snow stop us, so we certainly weren't going to
let a power cut close East Lodge down," said East Lodge deputy
managing director Iain Hardman. "We channelled a bit of "Can do
attitude" instead and all the staff and guests ensured it was a
case of 'keep calm and carry on!!"
Hundreds of candles illuminated the former hunting lodge,
recalling days of old and on Wednesday evening a cold buffet was
arranged in the restaurant - bringing an all new meaning to the
term candlelit dinner! However, the hotel was determined that the
award winning breakfast would still be served, power or no power
and it was - courtesy of a camper van in the grounds!
Hotel owner David Hardman's own van was drafted in to ensure
that guests would still receive their hot breakfast and the
improvisation was a great success - if a challenge for the East
Lodge chefs, who had to swap their new £¼ million
kitchen for a camper stove for the day.
"It was important for us to keep the home fires burning and
soldier on and we did just that," added Iain. "Unsurprisingly the
blackouts forced many businesses to close but it is our policy
never to let our guests down if we can avoid it. Dinner by
candlelight was an amazing experience and we hope added to the
atmosphere of East Lodge for our guests as much as us! We are all
very thankful to see normal service resumed to focus on recharging
our visitors' batteries rather than our own."
"As we heard it, the power cut was due to an explosion at a
local sub-station. However, It's a poor workman who blames his
tools and while one of the best kitchen's in the country is a big
advantage for us, all the brigade are talented guys and we pride
ourselves on being able to deliver first class results in any
circumstances," explained East Lodge head Chef Simon Bradley. "We
decided on a cold buffet on Wednesday night but breakfast just had
to happen, so we called in the camper van. Our sous chef Ben
[Wilkinson] had his work cut out - we couldn't all join him in the
van - but while we wouldn't want to cook it like that every day,
breakfast was still the business."
East Lodge is owned by the Hardman family and the AA's three red
stars place the hotel in a select bracket of the top 150 hotels in
the whole of the UK and this exclusive venue remains one of just 48
hotels in the country presented with a Visit England Gold
Award.