As the number of August bank holiday overnight stays at UK hotels were down from 8.6m last year to 4.8m this year, a list of 175 fully Covid-compliant UK hotels has been released by the hospitality industry’s Safe to Trade Scheme – and one hotel in Cumbria features.

The Scheme’s register of approved venues is continuously evolving as hundreds of hotels have already signed up to be audited, and many more continue to do so on a daily basis.

The newly-launched Safe to Trade Scheme helps holidaymakers to identify which hotels, bars, restaurants and cinemas are going the extra mile to ensure the safety of both their staff and guests.

The Macdonald Hotels Leeming House Hotel at Ullswater features in the Top 175 Approved Safe to Trade Hotels in the UK and has been independently audited by the Safe to Trade Scheme’s team of expert environmental health practitioners and have had to pass a strict approval process, as well as adhere to stringent health and safety guidance.

The hotels work with experts at the scheme on an ongoing basis, who will audit their safety practices against its safety charter to ensure that they are running a Covid-compliant operation, with information made available to the public.

Mark Flanagan, who chairs the scheme’s governance board, said: “We are delighted to announce the first 175 UK hotels to meet our stringent standards and be deemed as safe to trade.

“For those customers looking to make the most of what’s left of the summer with a UK staycation but who want to do so as safely as possible, the Safe to Trade Scheme provides peace of mind.

“Customers who consult our register of approved venues at safetotrade.org.uk can search for a hotel by name or location and be confident that every approved hotel that features on the list complies fully with the law.”

Each of the 175 establishments now feature on a national register, that holidaymakers can consult to find a safe to trade venue, which is regularly updated following honest feedback – both good and bad – from staff and customers.

The register is also made available to local and national safety regulators, to assist with their requirement to risk rate businesses and a full list of current approved venues can be found at: https://safetotrade.org.uk/safe-to-trade/search/

To find out more about the Safe to Trade Scheme visit www.safetotrade.org.uk.