Death of Michael Berry OBE

On 14 June 2004, our Chairman, Michael Berry OBE, died following a long battle with cancer. Michael had joined the family hotel business on 14 July 1972 and became Managing Director in 1974 following the death of his uncle, Norman Buckley. He remained closely involved in English Lakes for more than three decades, serving as Executive Chairman after his eldest son, Simon Berry, became Managing Director in 1998. Michael's years with the business encompassed substantial development across the group, including the expansion of Low Wood and the opening of Lancaster House Hotel. Beyond the company, he was active in tourism, training and local heritage in Cumbria. In 1997, he was appointed OBE for services to training and tourism in Cumbria, and in 2000 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Catering International Management Association. In 2002, he published Low Wood on Windermere: Three Hundred Years of Lakeland History, reflecting his longstanding interest in the history of Low Wood and tourism in the area. Following Michael's death, Simon took on the role of Chairman, continuing the Berry family's leadership of English Lakes. Michael's contribution is also commemorated at Low Wood Bay, where the resort's cannon was reinstated in his memory.