Rental car

Well, I can tell you it’s easy to do. I just got back from a 5 1/2 week trip to England, and I rented a car for a week through Auto Europe using Europcar when I was in Cornwall and Devon. I then turned it in and took the train to Liverpool where I stayed with friends for three days. After that, I picked up another car from Arnold Clark rentals in Liverpool, kept it for a little under three weeks and then turned it in in Carlisle, and took the train back down to Oxford and then London.

I believe that Arnold Clark has locations both in the Cotswolds and the the Lake District, so you could contact them about that. Arnold Clark also works with Celtic Legend, which is good to work with. You can get quotes from them, and you don’t pay until you pick up the car. Both Celtic Legend and Arnold Clark have gotten very good reviews here on the forum

Exactly what I was looking for... more local than big chains. Thank you!

In case anyone is interested;

I am renting a car in October to drive about in the Lake District and will pick it up in Kendal.
I prefer renting directly with Enterprise as I use them her at home.

When I went to the US site I was able to decline the CDW and got a price of about 310 GBP.
In researching the pickup I found myself at the UK Enterprise site. As an experiment, I booked a reservation there and found I could not decline the CDW. I called both US and UK Enterprise and they confirmed that at the Kendal location the CDW was a mandatory inclusion.
But the direct UK price (including the CDW) was also 310 GBP.
Hmmm
As I can't decline it, I may as well book through the UK site.

Dennis

Whilst Arnold Clark is indeed an excellent choice, it's not really a small local operation. It is Europe's largest independent car business.

I think the OP may have been referring to the fact that Arnold Clark operations are just in the UK as opposed to Hertz, and other international car rental agencies. And it is still a family-owned business.

Although Arnold Clark now have quite a few car dealerships around the Lake District (more than is good for the overall market) they only do car rental from Preston and Carlisle. The Preston office is not too far from the Railway Station- I would put it within walking distance, or more likely a short cab ride.
Most of the time (sorry for Mardee's traffic jam) the Carlisle office is a short bus or cab ride from the station. But Scotland Road still does get traffic clogged at unpredictable times, which is why I would never suggest that anyone drives through the middle of Carlisle, now we have the bypass. Anyone picking up a car there should turn right for the motorway or the western bypass, not left into the city irrespective of where they are heading.

There are is only 1 local company left that I am aware of in the Lake District, for cars- Glen Rental- very handy for Carlisle Railway Station. They will also collect you, like Enterprise.

There are a few others for commercial vehicles, but they are mainly on the edges of the district. Last weekend I stumbled on one other for cars (who I would never have thought of), but they are out on the west coast, and of course I forgot to note who it was. A very local company.

Enterprise and Europcar are your other choices. Enterprise have quite a few offices scattered round the district, and so are the dominant player locally.

Thank you everyone for your help!

Just a follow up to my previous post intended for those of you who rent cars in the UK

Is it the policy at all agencies (I only know Enterprise) to include the CDW no matter what the renters CC insurance?

Regards,
Dennis