Michelin Guide has announced its hotly-anticipated 2022 awards and a number of restaurants up north have come out on top.
None more so than Simon Rogan's L'Enclume, which made history this week as the first restaurant north of London to ever be honoured with three stars.
It's the highest award that can be bestowed by Michelin, marking L'Enclume as one of the best eateries in the country.
A two-hour drive from Leeds, the Cumbrian restaurant is known for using the best in local produce, much home-produced on its own farm, and creating modern dishes packed full of flavour.
Chef patron Simon Rogan pictured in the L’Enclume kitchen garden. / Image: L’Enclume
L’Enclume was awarded its first Michelin star in 2005 and its second in 2013. Now, in its twentieth year, the restaurant in Cartmel can boast three stars.
As Chief Executive of the Northern Restaurant and Bar show Thom Hetherington points out, it’s the first time in the 49 year history of the UK and Ireland guides that a restaurant up north has been awarded the gong.
Reacting to the news, chef-patron Simon Rogan shared his joy at being awarded the honour, tweeting: “Words cannot express the joy that I’m feeling! Thank you to @MichelinGuideUK , to everyone at @lenclume, thank you a thousand times. #threemichelinstars”
Image: L’Enclume
Michelin’s Guide on L’Enclume reads:
“Few restaurants represent the region in which they’re located more than L’Enclume and the Lake District. The cooking in this lovely old smithy has never stopped evolving and the energy emanating from the kitchen is as palpable as ever.
“Classic dishes have been reworked and refined, while stunning new dishes have slotted seamlessly into the set menu.
Image: L’Enclume
“Simon Rogan may have interests in other parts of the world, but his passion for his first restaurant remains undimmed – as does his commitment to Cartmel and his nearby 12-acre farm which produces so much of the superb produce that clearly inspires the kitchen.
“The enthusiasm and obvious pride of the youthful service team further enhance the experience, an experience made even more memorable if you stay in one of the bedrooms spread about the village.”
A blog post from Michelin following the announcements yesterday added:
“There is now quite an extraordinary level of finesse in every dish. Flavours linger long in the memory. The kitchen is practiced and focussed. Techniques are clever and, combinations, inventive and original. But however clever the construction, nothing gets in the way of allowing the ingredients to shine.
“The young, professional service team work with obvious pride and have a clear understanding of what makes a great restaurant. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming and inclusive; there isn’t a hint of arrogance or complacency; and every guest leaves feeling that they have been treated to something truly special.”
Image:L’EnclumeImage: L’Enclume
Since Michelin shared the news, messages of congratulations have flooded in for L’Enclume and its head chef Simon Rogan.
Restaurant consultant and NRB boss Thom Hetherington posted: “Well there you go. At last. The first @michlein 3* outside of London and Bray in the entire 49 years of the UK Michelin guide, and of course it’s up North. Unprecedented. Massive congratulations to @simon_rogan and the @lenclume team. A long time coming, and utterly deserved.”
Gary Usher, the man behind the Elite Bistros group that includes Hispi and Kala, wrote: “Can’t not smile watching this. So so great! congratulations!”
UK Hospitality chief Kate Nicholls said: “Many congratulations – always a must-visit when in the Lakes” Daniel Cornwell posted: “*THE BEST*. I may have gone about how much love I have for this place. For them to finally get their third star is absolutely incredible news. So very very pleased for them all.”
The UK's worst cities for parcel theft have been revealed, with Leeds landing in the top five.
More packages were sent in the UK than ever before in 2025, according to recent data, with approximately 4.2 billion parcels being posted, but this has meant that doorstep deliveries have become part of daily life for many households.
As online shopping continues to grow, so too does the concern around so-called ‘porch piracy’, where parcels are stolen from doorsteps, porches, and communal delivery areas.
So, in a bid to reveal the UK cities that are most vulnerable to parcel theft, home and contents specialists at iSelect analysed cities across three key factors – local theft rates, working-from-home levels, and parcel theft-related search behaviour, and each city was then given an overall parcel theft risk score out of 100.
Image: Evri
The study found that Leeds, unfortunately, is the fourth city most at risk with an index score of 53.1 and 9.21 thefts per 1,000 people.
The study found that Manchester is, unfortunately, the UK city most at risk of parcel theft – with an index score of 91.43 out of 100.
Manchester recorded the highest theft rate in the study, with 13.52 thefts per 1,000 people, as well as one of the highest levels of parcel theft-related searches, at 161.6 searches per 100,000 people.
Experts at iSelect say this suggests that residents are not only more exposed to theft overall, but that concern around missing or stolen parcels is ‘particularly high’ in the city too.
Other northern cities featuring in the top five include Newcastle in second place, with a parcel theft risk score of 75.89 and Kingston upon Hull ranked fifth, scoring 48.48 out of 100.
Then into the top 10 is where you’ll find cities like Bradford, Birmingham, Nottingham, and of course, the English capital London.
At the other end of the ranking, Derby was named the safest UK city for parcel deliveries, with a score of 17.68 out of 100, and according to the research, the city benefited from a relatively high working-from-home rate of 28.9%, which reduces the likelihood of parcels being left unattended for long periods.
Snake Pass set to temporarily close AGAIN for ground investigation works
Clementine Hall
The Peak District route is set to temporarily close this summer for ground works.
The scenic route is classed as one of England's highest-risk roads running through the Peak District.
A statement published by Derbyshire County Council has stated that Snake Pass will be closed between Derbyshire Level in Glossop and Ladybower Reservoir from Monday 15 June to Friday 3 July 2026.
The route is classed as high risk due to its steep bends and the landslips it suffers.
Snake Pass has suffered ongoing damage in recent years, with four separate landslip sites currently affecting the route.
Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Councillor Charlotte Hill said: “We are currently undertaking feasibility and technical studies to fully understand the extent of the issues at the Doctors Gate site on Snake Pass and the options that may be available. This work is essential before any detailed proposals can be developed and discussed with funding partners, including the Government.
“Snake Pass presents a long standing and complex engineering challenge due to its underlying geology and exposure to severe weather. Addressing this safely and sustainably requires detailed investigation and significant resources.
“We are working with the East Midlands Combined County Authority to explore opportunities that could help secure the long-term resilience of the A57. Discussions with other partners are ongoing and form part of the wider work currently being undertaken.”
Jon Pearce, MP for High Peak, said on social media: "I know this closure will be frustrating for residents, commuters and businesses who rely on this route every day, but the condition of Snake Pass cannot keep being ignored."
Georgina Pellant -
17th February 2022 
