Local archive
Crime & Public Safety
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of drug supply offences after South Lakes Police carried out a raid on Bank Road in Bowness on Wednesday 7 October. The suspects were taken into custody in Kendal.
Community
Navy Moores, from Kendal, is believed to be the youngest person to complete all 214 Wainwright fells and mountains after climbing every summit himself in five months with his family.
Sport
Police have warned that bicycles and rubbish are damaging playing surfaces and creating safety hazards at Netherfield Cricket Club and nearby football pitches in Kendal.
Business & Openings
Lovingly Artisan, based near Kendal, has been named the North of England regional champion at the Great British Food Awards after winning six product awards. The Lake District Tea Co also secured gold for its Kendal Mint Brew, while several other Cumbrian producers received national recognition.
Community Castle Green
A new trophy honouring late horticulturalist Alan Heath was awarded for the first time at the Cumbria in Bloom ceremony at Castle Green Hotel in Kendal.
Culture
Royal Northern Sinfonia will perform at Kendal Parish Church on Saturday 28 November as part of a festive tour also visiting Carlisle.
Culture Town Centre
The Kendal Whisky Festival will take place at Brewery Arts on Highgate on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 December 2026, with three sessions, around 40 exhibitors and more than 200 whiskies. Tickets are listed at £45 per session, although the festival’s About page still shows an older £40 price.
Business & Openings Oxenholme
Levens Hall will open for nine days across three December weekends in 2026, with Christmas decorations, Great Hall carols, festive food and bookable Father Christmas visits.
Crime & Public Safety
Sean Devaney has been jailed for four-and-a-half years after stealing jewellery from a Kendal home while its occupants were on holiday and committing another burglary while on court bail.
Community
Volunteers including staff from Kendal-based Wilson Build joined the final charity wagon pull, raising about £2,400 for three causes.
Crime & Public Safety Town Centre
Violence and sexual offences recorded within a mile of central Kendal fell from 140 in July 2026 to 66 in August, with the latest figure below the same month in the previous two years. The data suggests July was a one-month spike, although shoplifting increased and police.uk figures cannot explain why July was unusually high.
Sport Fell
Kendal Wasps were beaten 31-10 by Keswick Falcons after conceding five first-half tries, but produced a much stronger second-half display and scored twice through Amber Byers and Hannah Milling.
Education
Eligible South Lakes Housing residents can apply for a fully funded online Teaching Assistant Level 2 course delivered through a partnership between Kendal College, CIDORI and Auxicia from 11 January 2027.
Education
Simon Walton’s long association with the Air Cadets began at Kendal and has continued to shape his training, safety and leadership work with North West Ambulance Service.
Community
Peace campaigners in Kendal have held their 154th consecutive weekly vigil outside the town hall, calling for public support for Palestinians and changes to UK and local authority policy.
Traffic & Construction
A South Cumbrian motorist was issued two separate tickets after officers said the driver repeatedly left a car in a Kendal one-hour parking bay without number plates.
Sport Mint Bridge
Kendal Rugby Union Football Club lost 35-29 to Macclesfield at Mint Bridge after recovering from a 28-15 half-time deficit to lead 29-28 with five minutes remaining. The club’s second XV won 87-0 at Birkenhead Park, while the Wasps and senior Colts were scheduled for home cup matches the following Sunday.
Culture Town Centre
Kendal’s 2026 Halloween programme includes pumpkin picking near Sedgwick, candle-lit ghost tours at Levens Hall, Halloween activities at Holker and horror screenings at Brewery Arts. There is currently no Halloween trail, parade or trick-or-treat event listed for Kendal town centre.
Traffic & Construction
People who use, or want to use, buses around Kendal can share their views at Kendal Town Hall on Tuesday 6 October, while an online questionnaire will run from 5 to 25 October as part of a Cumbria-wide bus reform study.
Traffic & Construction Town Centre
Outline permission has been approved in principle for up to 160 homes at Kendal Parks, but only two councillors voted in favour and key issues including access, affordable housing and the final layout remain unresolved.
Community
Manna House in Kendal is seeking £100,000 to protect its services for people facing homelessness and poverty after a 38 per cent fall in confirmed funding led to reduced staff hours.
Crime & Public Safety Town Centre
Properties in Kendal were searched during early-morning raids across Cumbria targeting serious and organised crime, while police seized cocaine, cash and two e-bikes in Penrith and made four arrests overall.
Community
Kendal Pride will host its first Big Pride Christmas Party at The Venue, Bowness Bay Brewery, on Saturday November 28, with drag performances, music and dancing before members join Kendal’s Christmas lights procession.
Business & Openings
James Batchelor, founder and chief executive of Kendal-based Alertacall, has paid tribute to Dame Esther Rantzen, who served as an ambassador and advisory board member for the company.
Community
Kendal is forecast to see heavy rain and temperatures of 16.2°C before a brief dry and calm Saturday. Rain returns on Sunday and Monday, while Tuesday is expected to be drier but cooler, with temperatures falling further towards Wednesday.
Sport
Kendal Rugby Union Football Club began their return to the West league with a 57-40 defeat at Stockport on Saturday, 26 September 2026. A difficult opening half left Kendal 38-19 behind, but the visitors fought back to within 10 points before Stockport secured the Regional 1 North West victory.
Education
Kendal College is calling on employers across Cumbria to hire apprentices, with opportunities planned in engineering, agriculture, property maintenance and marketing.
Culture
Kendal Parish Church has been awarded more than £3 million by the National Lottery Heritage Fund towards a £4.3 million programme to restore its 15th-century tower and Bellingham Chapel roof, while creating new community spaces and reducing carbon emissions.
Education
South Lakes Housing residents aged 19 and over who are unemployed, receiving benefits or on a low income can apply for a fully funded Construction Skills Level 1 course beginning on 16 November 2026.
Crime & Public Safety
Community groups in Kendal and across Cumbria can apply for up to £2,500 from a reopened police funding scheme supporting projects designed to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.
