A Cockermouth hotel has been named as one of the country’s top employers.

The Trout Hotel, on Crown Street, has been shortlisted as one of the top 60 best employers in the hospitality industry by the website Caterer.com and could find itself named best overall at an awards ceremony in October.

The awards, which are judged solely on the responses given by employees to an online survey, will be presented at a black tie ceremony in London.

In April, the hotel was ranked by The Caterer at number 14 in The Best Places to Work in Hospitality awards, alongside with famed hotels such as The Dorchester and The Savoy.

Sue Eccles, the hotel’s managing director, said: “We take great pride in looking after our staff, nurturing them and providing them with a happy and inspiring place to work.

“That we are now receiving national recognition for our approach as an employer is a lovely bonus and we are really excited to hear our place in the rankings in October.”