Ambleside: Economic Benefits of Tourism
Hotels provided jobs for the people of Ambleside. In the census for 1851, there were 15 people working at the Salutation Inn and 19 at the White Lion. Roles included everything from innkeeper to stablehand.
Tourists contributed to the economy by making purchases in the shops or market, which in turn helped farmers who bought produce to be sold. Enterprising individuals made the most of the tourists. Harriet Martineau refers to “Our excellent postmistress, book & printseller &c&c, Mrs Nicholson.” Of the sale of the engraving of Richmond’s portrait of Martineau, Martineau originally had dismissed it — “Our’s is a humble little town; & Mrs. N’s is a humble shop” — but then remembers: “I forgot the tourists. Some of them might purchase. They flow through from June to October.”
William Green came to live in Ambleside, and was able to support himself and his family with his exhibition and sale rooms in Ambleside and Keswick and his guides and prints.
Locals could also add to their income by working as guides or builders. Although the wealthy would often bring their own servants, sometimes they would employ local people.
On the negative side, tourism jobs were still somewhat limited at
this time and largely seasonal.
Unknown artist, An old house at Ambleside Market Place,
August 1850, pencil drawing, The Wordsworth Trust.
The sketch shows a detailed image of an old shop.