Lakelands arts boss becomes hostel owner
AN arts charity boss is to become a leisure entrepreneur after purchasing the Lake District’s oldest Youth Hostel.
Taylor Nuttall, who is chief executive of arts charity Folly, has bought the Thorney How youth hostel at Grasmere with his wife Carolyn.
Thorney How is a 350 year-old former farmhouse which first opened as a youth hostel back in 1931. The pair have bought the building from the Youth Hostel Association.
The pair said that they now have a two-year plan to improve the existing building, with work currently underway on remedial repairs and the refurbishment of core spaces.
The building is set to reopen during the Easter break as an independent hostel aimed at providing both holiday and backpacker accommodation.
Taylor Nuttall said: “We intend to maintain, develop and extend the existing hostel provision, bringing our own personal experiences to create a unique and welcoming environment providing relaxed holiday accommodation.
“We will be upgrading the existing hostel and, subject to planning permission, also looking to make better use of some of the physical spaces on the site.
“Our offering will continue to be focused on our core element of traditional hostel customers, but we’re also looking to make it a place that will be used for activities by guests during the day, rather than just a place for sleeping in at night. Because of my background in the arts, we will be looking to make it a place where arts and music and a cultural offering are very much at the forefront.”
The pair were advertised on the purchase by Moore and Smalley Chartered Accountants’ corporate services director Colin Johnson.
Thorney How, situated under Helm Crag, is made up of two buildings. The first is the 350 year-old farmhouse and is of traditional Lakeland stone construction. The second was an exsxtension which was probably added in the Victorian era. This building has a Grade II Listing.
Thorney How was the first building ever bought by the YHA. It was bought in 1031 and remained in its hands until the sale to the Nuttalls.
