Village & Community

Cartmel Township Initiative

Over the past 30/40 years the number of visitors to Cartmel has increased substantially with the historic 12th Century Priory a visitor attraction and additional days in the horse racing calendar.   But the main driver of change has been the emergence of the village as a Cumbria ‘foodie’ centre and, consequently,  a destination of choice for visitors and holidaymakers.  Simon Rogan’s restaurant L’Enclume, which boasts two Michelin stars, started this trend and the village now also has a high-quality cheese shop, an award-winning coffee shop and a successful micro-brewery.

The growth in visitor numbers has led inexorably to a steady increase in the number of private and commercial vehicles entering and parking in the village.  Narrow streets and tight corners exacerbate the problem.

In 2013 the Parish Council resolved to address this and other issues, and a voluntary group of residents and business people embarked on a project called the Cartmel Township Initiative.

This resolved some pressing parking issues, but not without controversy. Parking, as in every rural settlement, remains an issue. A further project has resulted in the very fine pedestrian footbridge over the River Eea.