MP warns the national media against reports that damage Cumbrian tourism

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has asked the national media to encourage greater sensitivity when reporting on local issues in the national media, after worries that some national coverage has a negative impact on local businesses.

During a recent visit to the newly refurbished Lingmoor Guest House, Windermere, Tim spoke with the owners, Paula and Graham Smith and Lucy Nicholson of 'Lucy's of Ambleside', about the problems facing local businesses and particularly the impact of national media coverage of Cumbria in recent months.

Although the national media does offer extensive and high-quality coverage on events such as the Cumbrian flooding of 2009, the cancellation of the Great North Swim and other local, there is a tendency for the national media giants to portray the whole of Cumbria as a disaster zone and thus discourage tourists from visiting the area.

Speaking this morning, Tim said; "The South Lakes is a beautiful place to visit at this time of year, with Lingmoor Guest House and Lucy's of Ambleside being just some of the many successful and quality local businesses that make the Lake District the ideal place to come.

"Despite the good example set by the two businesses I visited, national broadcasting can have a largely negative on the Cumbrian tourist economy by presenting the area in a messy state. In most cases, the broadcasting is to a very good standard and valuable for updating its many viewers, but I believe that more responsibility should be taken when reporting on such issues across the county."

Paula and Graham Smith, owners of Lingmoor Guest House, commented; "Following our refurbishment re-opening by Tim we are backing him fully in his attempt to get more balance into the reporting of national disasters which affect's tourism in Cumbria and also on a wider scale"