A growing Lake District holiday lettings company with a unique focus on directly supporting and sustaining the local community have kickstarted 2024 with an exciting move.

Originally running the business from their Windermere home, the addition of two more staff to the close-knit Laik team has brought a move into a new office, in the former Sally’s Cottages shop on Victoria Street, Windermere.

Young couple Niall Mellonie and Marta Pawlik’s dream of attracting visitors to enjoy the best of their home county started with a luxury bell tent in a farmer’s field.

Gradually scaling up, in 2019 they founded their holiday lettings company “Laik”, named after the Northern English dialect word for playing, taking time off work and being on holiday.

Winning plaudits, enviable bookings, and industry award nominations, the couple’s high level of local focus and customer care has seen the business thrive.

The first smiling face you’ll see looking after guests and owners in the new restaurant office is operations manager and Marta’s aunt Kate Cichon, while husband Sebastian is head of maintenance, keeping properties up to the standard that saw the fledgling company placed finalists in the highly-regarded Cumbria Tourism Awards 2023.

“Laik is all about personal connection,” says Niall.

“So having a proper ‘shop window’ will make us much more visible, and easier for owners, visitors and locals, to pop in and chat with us.

“The original ‘Sally’ still owns the building, and she’s a total legend to us, as she started out in a very similar way.

“So we’ve got the best landlady, and the best location, even if it is temptingly close to lots of Windermere’s excellent cafes.”

Laik’s high quality lets, extra touches, and personal attention from Niall and Marta, are driven by their ethos that ethical letting and attracting local spend can benefit the Lakes economy, not drive people out.

Each property includes digital guidebooks to local attractions, restaurants and bars, and quality toiletries from Pure Lakes, while locals benefit from regular property cleaning and maintenance work.

Results bear out their stance: compared to a Lake District average of 53 percent, Laik’s year-round occupancy rate stands at an impressive 83 percent, helping many local businesses avoid a low season slump.

With business booming, and their personal attention to detail never wavering, the expanding Laik team is keeping it in the family.

“The Lakes deserves quality holiday lets which are more appealing, staying full year-round,” says Niall.

“Traditionally, letting agents have tended to insist on a minimum number of nights, but at Laik we’re working hard to secure bookings for single night stays, since shorter stays are what visitors are asking for and other agents don’t do them because it’s too much work.

“People stay in a hotel for one night, so why not a holiday let? It allows more visitors to discover the area, bringing more money and opportunities in, and creating a healthier, more profitable future for our neighbours, towns and villages. Even though it means more work and faster turnarounds, it’s what drives us and our occupancy rates proves we’re getting it right.”