Northern Lights

Cumbria on show at UKREiiF

A three-day speed dating session for investors anddevelopers is one way an annual event which brings councils and collaboratorstogether. 16,000 delegates and 1,750 investors attended UKREiiF – the RealEstate investment and infrastructure Forum in Leeds – at the city’s Royal Armouries. With regions battling for attention, Business Crack’s NigelThompson was there to see how Cumbria fared.

In conversation: Henri Murison, Chief Executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership

A lot has happened in the decade since the Northern Powerhouse Partnership was formed and this year Cumbria is very much in the organisation’s sights. The business-led think tank for the north of England has commissioned a wide-ranging study to chart the county’s economy which it is hoped will provide the evidence needed to kick start a debate about the future of Cumbria. From transport to tourism, engineering to education, there’s work to be done if the county is to get its’ fair share of the spoils of devolution. Henri Murison, the chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, says he personally wrote to every new councillor in Cumbria to convince them that devolution was the way forward. So, with the election of a mayor just over a year away and the new combined authority now in place, how does he view Cumbria’s chances when it comes to attracting investment and building a reputation as a ‘can-do’ county where innovation thrives?

Windermere Lake Cruises

It’s all hands on deck as the county’s most popular paid for attraction gears up what is hoped to be a strong main season. With Easter falling early this year and seasonal staff now in place Windermere Lake Cruises is preparing the 16 strong fleet that last year carried 1.2m people on Windermere. But with global issues already leading to cancellations what will the 2026 season bring? Business Crack’s Nigel Thompson has been behind the scenes at the company’s Bowness HQ.

The Lakes Hospitality Trade Show

From rising costs and recruitment issues to changing guest expectations and business uncertainty, Cumbria’s hospitality sector certainly has a lot on its plate. For two days a year there is an opportunity for people from across the business of entertaining and looking after guests to come together and connect as a community. The Lakes Hospitality Show has been held for 49 years and is an event which organisers say is as much about collaboration as it is doing business with a wide variety of trades on show. From vital professional backroom services that help any business tick to those providing food and drink, decorating services, laundry, bedding and the myriad range of specialist support without which a visitor economy collectively worth £4.6 bn would not function. We report from the trade show and hear how hospitality is facing the opportunities and challenges of 2026.

In conversation: The National Trust in Cumbria

The geese are making their presence felt on the shores of Derwentwater as watery sunshine and the odd crisp clump of snowdrops hint at warmer days to come. The National Trust is the biggest conservation charity in Europe. The breadth and depth of the charity’s role is varied and maybe nowhere more so than in Cumbria. Yet news that the charity had to cut around 500 jobs nationally to save £26 million [https://businesscrack.co.uk/2025/07/11/national-trust-to-cut-jobs-as-charity-battles-to-balance-books/] caused concern about the impact change could have in the county. In this edition we meet Jez Westgarth, the National Trust’s Assistant Director Operations for Cumbria and North Lancashire, who talks to the podcast about the changes and challenges the charity faces plus his hopes for the future.