THE owner of a Cumbrian hospitality business has been chosen to speak at a national industry event.

Simon Temple-Bennett, who runs the Augill Castle, near Kirkby Stephen, will give two seminars at the Independent Hotel Show at London Olympia next month.

This is the largest event in the country devoted to the independent hotel sector.

His first seminar will discuss the future of independent hotels and his second will focus on the rise of online travel agents and how hospitality businesses can use them to their advantage.

Mr Temple-Bennett has run Augill Castle for 19 years alongside his wife, Wendy.

He is also a published author and won Lakeland Book of the Year for his first novel Undressed for Dinner .

He said: “It was an honour to be asked to speak at the Independent Hotel Show and I’m very much looking forward to meeting lots of like-minded people who work within similar businesses."

The show takes place from October 18-19.