A new era has dawned at a Lake District hostel as its manager retires after 33 years.
Antony Moore has been appointed to manage Elterwater Hostel, as Nick Owen steps back to enjoy retirement.
Antony, a passionate lover of the Lakes and an accomplished ultra-runner, brings a rich and varied background to the position.
Originally from Cambridgeshire, he recently relocated to the area with his wife Jennie, who works for the Brathay Trust.
With early career roots in hospitality working as a chef and managing hotels, Antony later transitioned into children’s services and went on to lead several charities as CEO. Now, he is returning to his hospitality roots.
He said: “It feels like my career has come full circle. I started in hospitality and now I’ve come back to it and in such a special place.”
On the edge of Great Langdale, Elterwater Hostel has flourished under independent ownership since it was bought from the YHA by Christine and Alan Thomas.
The hostel has earned multiple accolades over the years, including recognition from Cumbria Tourism in the Customer Service and Employee of the Year categories, as well as a bronze award in the Best Hostel category from The Great Outdoors magazine in 2021.
Antony said he was keen to build strong connections with regular guests and new visitors and is already in conversation with schools and adventure organisations to better understand their needs around accommodation, food, and experience.
Meanwhile, Nick said he has plans to travel. A dedicated member and former team leader of the Langdale Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team, Nick was awarded an MBE for services to mountain rescue in the 2023 New Year Honours list.
