A DOUBLE success is being celebrated by Julia and Stephen Baker at the Sparrow Hawk Hotel, Burnley.

The hotel is the first independent hotel in East Lancashire to get the Investors in People award and has also been short-listed for the training in Tourism award by the North West Tourist Board.

The couple bought the Church Street hotel seven years ago. It then had five staff and now employs up to 29.

Julia said: "We are absolutely delighted, obviously both achievements are very important to us. Considering what the hotel was like when we bought it we have come a long way due to a great deal of hard work.''

Since a new induction training programme was developed at the hotel staff turnover has been reduced by 22 per cent while turnover has increased by 80 per cent.

The Tourism "Oscars'' will be presented on June 22 at Aintree Race Course. Winners of the 12 categories will then be entered in the English Tourist Board's "England for Excellence'' awards to be held later in the year.

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