A HOTEL'S new £1m staff accommodation building is due to be launched next week.  

The new building at the Langdale Chase Hotel, Windermere, will be opened by Westmorland and Lonsdale MP and Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron at 11am on Monday. 

Faced with difficulties in housing hospitality staff, the hotel took the decision to build the new block at a cost of £1m. 

It will accommodate up to 30 staff members in state-of-the-art bedrooms and self contained apartments.

Managing director Thomas Noblett said: "One of the most difficult challenges within the hotel industry is attracting high-calibre staff. 

"Locally, there is a lack of affordable housing, with the cost of living far outstretching wages within the industry, making it difficult for people to move to the area who wish to seek employment within hospitality. 

"Additional to this, many hotels are remotely located and local transport links do not operate to the hours demanded by the work, making it impossible for people without transport to commute from the towns. 

"Difficulties in attracting local staff result in many staff being sourced from other parts of the UK and British-speaking natives of other EU countries who also face the difficulties of housing. 

"Situated in rural Lakeland, we feel it is of vital importance that we have housing on site for the majority of our staff. 

"We are proud to have many long-serving staff members and feel that it is important that they have somewhere safe and comfortable to call home."