A Lake District hotel is ensuring that its Burns Night Supper is one to remember by serving the traditional haggis on a silver-plated carving trolley worth £25,000.
The Borrowdale Hotel, near Keswick, will use the historic carving trolley to present the Scottish delicacy during the celebrations, which are held every year to mark the life and legacy of Scottish bard Robert Burns.
The silver-plated trolley, which has been a feature of the hotel’s dining room for more than 40 years and is believed to date back to the 1930s, will take centre stage during the evening which includes the Address to a Haggis and Toast to the Haggis.
Dani Hope, Director at Lake District Hotels which includes The Borrowdale Hotel, said: “The serving trolley is very much part of The Borrowdale Hotel and is used to serve our Sunday roasts and on other special occasions.
“It’s irreplaceable in terms of what it means to the hotel, and we’ve been told that to buy a new one could cost more than £25,000.
“We recently had restoration work done on the trolley at a cost of nearly £3,500 to ensure that it’s in excellent working condition and can continue to be used to serve diners for years to come.”
The Borrowdale Hotel’s Burns Night Supper takes place on Friday, January 21 and will include poetry recitals, speeches and traditional food and drink including Cullen skink and haggis, neeps and tatties.
During the evening, award-winning piper Craig Irving will pipe the haggis into the room before the Address to a Haggis is given by Scotsman Tony Belli, who works as a maintenance assistant at the hotel.
The haggis will then be plated and served to guests.
Tony, who is originally from Ayrshire, presided over several Burns Suppers while serving in the army, most recently as a reservist with the Royal Logistics Corps.
He said: “Burns Night is a special celebration for anyone of Scottish descent and helps keep the language and legacy of Robert Burns alive for now and for the future.”
The Borrowdale Hotel’s silver-plated carving trolley was made by Drakes Silversmiths of London who made carving trolleys for the finest catering establishments.
Burns Suppers are held across the world to mark the anniversary of Robert Burns’ birth on January 25, 1759.
