Close to the city centre and within easy reach of the road-rail network, Hedley House Hotel is one of the best York Hotels, with modern comfortable surroundings, great food and outstanding personal service.

Built in 1845 in the heart of the Victorian city, many of our rooms still include the original fireplace features. Combined with en-suite facilities, hospitality trays and digital widescreen TVs, our rooms are a subtle blend of contemporary modern and historic.

Their intimate award-winning licensed restaurant is a great place to spend an evening or start the night. The restaurant serves a range of home cooked healthy meals, snacks and light bites, all freshly cooked using only award-winning ingredients.

Knowle House is a large Victorian terrace house situated off Bootham on the North side  of the city of York.  York Minster is within a six to eight minute walk.  It is also next door to and under the same ownership as Hedley House Hotel. These York self catering apartments are self-contained, fully furnished and contain all necessary linen, crockery and cutlery.  All have central heating, colour television, electric cooker and fridge.  Wireless internet is available. All but one of the apartments have direct dial telephone.

In a city where car parking space is limited, Hedley House Hotel and Apartments have 19 allotted parking spaces. When these spaces are full there is room for 8 more vehicles in the middle of the car park, the keys to these must be left at reception in case of emergency. The car park operates on a “first come first served” basis.  If this is unacceptable there is a large public car park (chargeable) 2 minutes walk from the hotel.

May Cottage is located close to the centre of Bowness-on-Windermere making it the perfect base to explore all the Southern Lakes. Just one road from the edge of Lake Windermere, an easy stroll to the boat rides, quaint shops and a variety of Bistros, Restaurants and Wine & Tapas Bars. The climatic end to the famous Dalesway Walk – Wonderful, never ending, breathtaking scenic walks and drives. Leisure facilities offer relaxing sauna, steam, jacuzzi, swim & gym areas, with snooker, café & bar with Sky T.V. lounge section.

Here is just a small sample of the excellent reviews May Cottage B&B in Bowness-on-Windermere have received on TripAdvisor:

“Great B&B accomodation close to the centre of Bowness”
5 of 5 stars
Date of review: 4 Apr 2011

Most pleasant welcome received from Sue – the accomodation was ideal for our three night stay – with a very comfortable bed room and fine ensuite. The excellent full English breakfast ,accompanied by Sue’s little talk on the locality and its history, set us up for the day’s walking . The B&B is just a few minutes walk to the centre of Bowness and the pubs and restaurants.
For Rugby League fans, a must is a chat with Len Casey , Sue’s husband and breakfast chef, who can relate anecdotes about his playing career for Great Britain ( some as captain) and England and both Hull clubs.

“A gem of a B&B”

Date of review: 1 Apr 2011
Our first trip to the lakes and first visit to a B&B. We recently married and decided to stay away for a couple of nights.

Sue and Len are great value, warm and welcoming. Place is a gem, you ll be lucky to get availability as the repeat business is a sign of how popular this place is.

Would love to stay again!
“SIMPLY THE BEST”
5 of 5 stars
1 more review of May Cottage by Sallyberisford:

Date of review: 23 Mar 2011

We returned to May Cottage, & yet again received a warm, friendly welcome. Sue goes out of her way to make you feel at ease & welcome. She has stories to tell you & her knowledge of the area is outstanding. She has a brillant sense of humour, ALL the rooms are lovely & clean.
If you stay here it is only a very short walk into Bowness & all the shops, pubs etc.
I mustn’t forget Len, who doe’s a wonderful breakfast each morning, Len to is a chirpy chappy.
Throughly recommed you to stay here.
We felt like part of Sue & Lens extended family. Will definately return.
THANKS BOTH

Dates for training courses, seminars & workshops have been announce by Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd.

PPE conducts a range of professional development training courses, seminars and workshops throughout the year but they are pleased to announce two forthcoming course dates:

26 Oct 2011 - Elastomer technology and seal design for critical sealing applications.
Venue: Balmoral Suite, Norwood Hall Hotel, Garthdee Road, Cults, Aberdeen, AB15 9FX
23 Nov 2011 - Elastomer technology and seal design for critical sealing applications.  More info.
Venue: PPE, Greenbank Road, Blackburn, BB1 3EA

These educational events are designed to increase the delegate’s awareness of the important aspects of elastomer technology. The content of each course/seminar/workshop is industry specific and tailored to the attendees’ requirements.

Events are held at PPE’s purpose built training centre in England, at delegates’ own business premises (subject to a minimum group size) or at strategically located convention venues throughout Europe and the USA.

PPE training events are delivered by leading experts in the elastomer industry, ensuring that delegates receive the benefit of many years experience as well as the very latest technical know-how.

Current training courses include:

•    An introduction to elastomer materials and how O rings are made (1 day or ½ day)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for critical sealing applications (1 day)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for diesel engines (1 day)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for the semiconductor industry (1 or 2 days)
•    Elastomer technology and seal design for the pharmaceutical industry (coming soon)

New courses are constantly being added in response to customer demand.

Founded in 1974, PPE has over 35 years specialized sealing expertise, offering an unrivalled range of products from over 170 elastomer materials. Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE) Ltd is a unit of IDEX Corp, and operates as a business within IDEX’s Health and Science Technologies segment. PPE is a world leading designer and manufacturer of high performance rubber seals and rubber gaskets solutions. The company’s elastomers product range is used in many demanding manufacturing environments around the world. Applications as varied as semi-conductor manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceuticals, marine engineering and power generation benefit from PPE’s innovative, robust and reliable rubber sealing and o rings solutions.

If you wish to attend a future training on o rings technology or elastomer technology and rubber gaskets design courses please visit http://www.prepol.com.

Boasting one of longest coastlines in England, and close to some of the region’s most beautiful and wild countryside, Middlesbrough is one of the most affordable places to live in the UK.

The commercial heart of the Tees Valley, Middlesbrough is a dynamic town where you’ll discover world-class art and events, stylish restaurants and bars, vibrant nightlife and superb shopping.

Shopping
The birthplace of Captain James Cook, at one time it was the fastest growing town in England and now boasts variety of shopping attractions offering shoppers a mix of high street, designer and retro outlets.

The compact and mostly pedestrianised town centre also contains a choice of shopping centres including the Hill Street Centre, Dundas Shopping Mall and central big one The Mall Middlesbrough

Heritage and culture
Not only a shoppers haven Middlesbrough, is home to one of the biggest free music festivals in the UK – Middlesbrough Music Live.
This diverse town mixes old and new, with Middlesbrough’s Institute of Modern Art – mima sitting alongside the traditional concert venue of the Town Hall: a popular with orchestras, national comics and pop acts alike.

Contemporary landmark buildings in the city centre include mima Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art, an acclaimed contemporary art gallery in Britain. Other museums worth a visit include the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum in Stewart Park and The Dorman Museum, home to an outstanding social history collection on Middlesbrough.

Sports and leisure
Within easy reach of Middlesbrough city centre is the spectacular Riverside Stadium, home to Middlesbrough Football Club. One of Britain’s oldest football clubs dating from 1876, Middlesbrough has long been a football city. Today the famous Riverside Football Stadium in Middlesbrough is one of the city’s landmark buildings.

Sports centres and facilities in Middlesbrough include the fantastic Prissick Plaza Skateboarding and BMX Park, one of the top skate parks in Britain. If you are an adrenalin junkie, this town is the place for you. Try your hand at white water rafting at the Tees Barrage or if you are brave enough why not Bungee Jump or Zip Slide off the world famous Transporter Bridge.

Just north of the Transporter Bridge is the Saltholme Wildlife Reserve and Discovery Park. These beautiful wetlands are home to a wide range of birds including Common tern, Peregrines, Yellow wagtails and Lapwings.

Eating out and nightlife
Middlesbrough is a town with a reputation for hosting new exciting bands and live music gigs. Catch top dance DJs at the spectacular Empire Middlesbrough which is also a centre for Middlesbrough live music gigs. Middlesbrough Town Hall also plays host to big bands and concerts alongside theatre shows and comedy clubs.

So for heritage, culture and fun, choosing lettings Middlesbrough are a wise choice.

The Glenburn hotel in Windermere is a highly acclaimed hotel that offers Bed & Breakfast or half board accommodation with four poster beds, spa baths, a relaxing bar and superb restaurant.

In addition to the hotel, Glenburn also offers a choice of two Windermere self catering holiday cottages, both within a short walking distance of Windermere, Bowness and Lake Windermere.

River Cottage and Gamekeeper’s cottage both comfortably sleep up to six people. They are beautifully furnished to a high standard and have car parking facilities.

River Cottage nestles within the hotel grounds next to a bubbling stream. It’s just five minutes’ walk from the centre of Windermere village, with its selection of bars, restaurants and shops

The 18th-century Gamekeeper’s Cottage is situated in the centre of Windermere village. It is an ideal base from which to explore the English Lake District and Lake Windermere.

Please visit www.glenburn.uk.com for details.

The Acolyte Home & Gifts VAT free amnesty on their shabby chic furniture range must end on July 31st 2011.

The VAT free saving on the Acolyte Home & Gifts latest range of shabby chic furniture has been running throughout June and July. Eliminating VAT creates a huge saving especially for larger purchases such as furniture. This VAT free amnesty must end on July 31st 2011 so it really is a worthwhile time to spruce up an interior without breaking the bank.

The latest addition from Acolyte is their shabby chic furniture range. Comprising of wardrobes through to chairs and bedside cabinets, this highly desirable and sort after furniture trend is anticipated to be a huge hit. Having started off with a few pieces, the popularity has grown and there is a now a dedicated shabby chic furniture section on the Acolyte Home & Gifts website.

Shabby Chic is a term used to describe usually new furniture that has been given an antique /distressed finish, it`s usually painted although not always. The end result is that it looks like it will have been in the family for generations ‐ a modern heirloom in other words. Suiting both modern and traditional interiors and architecture, it isn’t hard to understand why this look is highly desired at the moment.

The team at Acolyte have, for many years, enjoyed seeking and finding unusual items both for their own home, and as gifts for family and friends. Now that it is possible to source products that at one time would have been seen as specialist or exclusive due to their location, Acolyte are able through their extensive network of contacts to offer an impressively wide choice to customers including Gisela Graham products and oak bookcases.

Acolyte is an ethical company. The brainchild behind Acolyte Home & Gifts Barbara Adams, explains their concept: “We ensure that the products we offer are produced from sustainable sources and that our suppliers` employees are treated with dignity, respect and are paid fairly. We believe that our suppliers not only meet these exacting requirements, but offer products that are unique in the marketplace and stand out in terms of quality.”

View the full shabby chic furniture range and to take advantage of the VAT free amnesty.

Industrial Air Power Ltd is the authorised distributor for Ingersoll Rand Industrial Technologies products throughout Wales and the South West of England. The two companies have made a dramatic shift from being suppliers of equipment to providers of solutions. We are fully conversant with all aspects of air generation and equipped to carry out energy audits on any installed system, regardless of size or manufacturer.

A full system audit includes leak detection, measurement of energy consumption, and flow measurement including pressure, temperature and final air quality.

As utility rates continue to rise and firms continue to look to green initiatives, energy consumption has become a growing concern for manufacturers.

One of the largest energy users within a plant is the compressed air system. Energy recovery provides a cost-effective way for manufacturers to reduce their energy bills while simultaneously benefiting the environment by capturing the thermal energy created through the compression process and putting it to work. Where the heat produced from a compressor can be fully utilised, simple payback periods of less than two years are frequently achieved.

Having already worked with Carbon Trust on a variety of projects, Terram called on its expertise when faced with rising energy costs. The specialist manufacturer of geosynthetic materials, employing 95 staff at its manufacturing plant near Pontypool, worked with Industrial Air Power to eliminate energy inefficiencies and redesign and install a new air compressor system. The result was an industry best in terms of energy usage and savings of £202,000 per annum. It also produced:

* Energy savings of approximately 11.25 million kWh over five years
* Cost savings of approximately £1m in five years
* Emission savings of 7,390 tonnes CO2 in the same period
* Payback of approximately 24 months

David Roberts, control engineer at Terram Ltd, said: “The savings we are seeing now are unbelievable but just as important is the fact that we are reducing our carbon emissions and therefore benefiting the environment.”

Although Terram had already started to investigate the costs for new compressed air systems, it hadn’t looked at where, when, how much air was being used. Carbon Trust helped it identify this and used Industrial Air Power to design a system to meet its needs.

Having a tailor-made system installed in turn allowed Terram to capitalise on secondary savings such as heat recovery and compressed air leak reduction.

Ongoing monitoring of the fully automated system allows the savings to be quantified. Monitoring also ensures that the focus on savings is maintained and remains a high priority for Terram.

The new air compressor system was located into the steam boiler house. This enabled Terram to recover the waste heat generated by the compressors and use this to raise the temperature of the water in the hot well, which feeds the boiler. Increased water temperature in turn reduces the amount of gas needed to generate steam.

The aggregated savings from the installation of the new system and implementation of the measures identified represented an 11.8 per cent reduction in the site’s energy consumption and overall a 38.7 per cent reduction in the electrical energy consumption directly associated with the generation of the compressed air.

An annual CO2 saving of 1,214 tonnes has been achieved plus an additional 264 tonnes from a reduction in gas usage due to the heat recovery process.

From monitoring the system, it was calculated that Terram was using on average 85m3/min of compressed air with an efficiency of 8kW/m/min, which equated to 7.2 million kWh per annum. By installing a new compressor set supplied by Industrial Air Power, it was calculated that the efficiency could be improved to 6kW/m3/min. Post-installation monitoring has proved that the new machinery provides an average efficiency of 5.8kW/m3/min – delivering significant savings. The gas savings are on top of this.

The benefits to Terram have been fourfold: a significant reduction in energy costs, the ability to protect plant integrity, reduced maintenance cost and the added benefit of reduced gas consumption from the increased water temperature in the steam boiler hot well.

Installing new Ingersoll Rand two stage fixed speed compressors along with a Nirvana two stage trim compressor, fully automated via a control system provided Terram with primary energy savings. Secondary savings came as a result of the heat recovery process, lower maintenance costs and the leak reduction programme.

The exercise has been successful in achieving reductions of CO2 emissions and the overall costs of supplying the service of compressed air to the business.

A Carbon Trust Wales consultant worked together with Industrial Air Power and Terram engineers providing impartial, independent advice enabling the company to make an informed decision and deliver value for money. Carbon Trust independently validated the energy savings and confirmed that they exceeded Industrial Air Power’s initial projections.

Through our experience in carrying out hundreds of compressed air audits we have identified the majority of existing compressed air systems include one or more of these deadly sins. This will have and adverse affect on your reliability, productivity and energy consumption.

* System over-pressurisation resulting in increased artificial demand
* Excessive waste through air leakage
* False loading of compressors due to lack of system automation and volume
* Inefficiency caused by cycling fixed output compressors
* Excessive pressure drop

If you would like advice on calculating your savings potential and increasing your company’s profitability contact Industrial Air Power on 01656 658961, email sales@airpower.co.uk

Why get your torque wrench or torque tool calibrated?

If you care about the reliability of your products, about how well they’re put together, about your customers’ safety. And you care about the reputation of your company. You’ll know that regular torque wrench calibration or torque tool calibration is an essential part of your quality assurance activities. It may even be a legal requirement.

Let’s face it, most torque tools get a lot of abuse in service. Yet most people expect them give reliable, accurate performance day after day, month after month.

Lambda have an established UKAS torque calibration laboratory and have been providing torque calibration services to customers throughout the UK for many years.

Although the work is usually performed in our accredited UK laboratory. If you have a large quantity of air or electrically operated torque tools such as screwdrivers for instance, which are difficult to remove from site, we can perform torque screwdriver calibration on your premises.

In addition to torque wrench calibration and torque tool calibration we also calibrate closure meters, watches and analysers and a host of other torque tools and gauges.

Since 1966, First in Service Ltd has been helping customers all over the UK look after their building and its environment. This includes air conditioning servicing, heating, ventilation, electrical, catering equipment servicing, coffee and refrigeration equipment and building services.

First in Service will design and install air conditioning and ventilation systems, and electrical equipment and installations. Their helpdesk is manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your call. Their planned, preventative maintenance contracts are available across all disciplines to ensure that your equipment is kept in peak condition. All our Engineers are employed by the company and are CRB checked.

If you are looking to save energy or utility costs within your business First in Service can help you by installing energy/utilities meters, and they can assist in your application for an interest free loan from the Carbon Trust to help you install new equipment that will save energy.

For more information about First in Service, or any of their servicing, installation and maintenance services please visit www.firstinservice.co.uk.

Week off work…check, beautiful vistas required, the English Lake District…check, want to see as much as possible, camper van…check!

With such vast, varied and breathtaking scenery as in the Lake District, it is far too difficult a task choosing one destination for a holiday or short break. Great driving roads+breathtaking scenery=the perfect recipe for camper vans.

Camper vans give you:
The opportunity to visit and experience numerous locations in one trip.
Give you the freedom to stop off when and where you like and for what duration.
No need to worry about there not being a hotel or guest house available in the area.
You are protected from the elements unlike camping.

You’ll never tire of driving on the roads in the Lake District and Cumbria which has some of the most scenic roads in England. In particular, Hartside Pass which The AA and Top Gear list in their top 10 driving roads in England. Other great driving roads include the Kirkstone Pass, the A591 which passes through Ambleside, Grasmere and onto Keswick and not for the faint hearted Hardnott and Wrynose passes.
VW camper vans are particularly suited to the roads in the Lake District. They are compact and allow you to drive on the stunning, narrow roads which other, larger camper van and mobile homes would not be able to.

Camper vans have seen a renaissance in recent years both in terms of new camper vans and mobile homes but especially the popularity of the classic VW camper van. Their iconic status continues to grow and excite young and old. Driving around in the VW camper van is guaranteed to turn heads and makes a holiday even more special.

A mobile holiday is the ultimate in economical holidaying. The cost of parking up on a camping or caravanning site is nominal and sometimes areas can be found that are free. You can self cater as much of the meals as you wish although the Lake District has some fantastic eating houses that really should be visited.

Many people simply can’t justify purchasing a VW camper van for themselves due to lack of annual leave and other commitments. A camper van has to be used regularly both for economy and for the wellbeing of the van. The perfect solution is in the form of hiring. Classic VW camper hire is now available in the Lake District and enables those who want to experience a camper van holiday but that do not want to purchase one. Volkswagen camper van hire is also great for those thinking of purchasing a van to gain knowledge of driving one. Camper van hire in the UK, sorted.

EverLawn®, the brand from Artificial Grass (UK) Ltd, is pleased to announce the instant success of their ‘Affordable Landscape™’ product.

Answering the needs for large and small areas with a budget in place, the new product ‘Affordable Landscape™’ succeeds all expectations. Affordable Landscape is a quality, fibrillated yarn originally designed for Soccer but is now extensively used for leisure and landscape surfaces. The yarn is pre-slit during its making and matures to a fine yarn with everyday use.

Artificial grass installations are expected to increase in the coming years with America already warming to the benefits of this virtually maintenance free lawn  option. The initial purchase costs which have in the past put off some home owners, is eradicated due to products such as Affordable Landscape™.

With its multitude of uses such as maintenance free lawns for a holiday property or to create the wow factor on a roof terrace, artificial grass is the solution for  the modern day property owner, large or small.

The need to conserve water and energy is already extremely important but is almost definitely going to be an even stronger factor in the coming years. Artificial  grass eliminates the need for watering and energy and fuels are saved through the need not to have to mow.

So for more information on the appropriately named Affordable Landscape™ product, visit http://www.everlawn.co.uk.

Cuckoo Brow is a quiet little hotel nestled in the village of Far Sawrey near Ambleside and only a short walk to the famous National Trust home of Beatrix Potter – Hill Top Farm. This Lake District Inn offers good, clean accommodation with hearty bar food served in its cosy Claife Crier bar. Popular with walkers, cyclists and the weekend traveler alike, you will find a warm welcome att Cuckoo Brow. Their doors are open to families and to those wishing to bring their pet away to the Lake District.

When it comes to either Lake District Bed and Breakfast accommodation the Cuckoo Brow should be your first choice.