STIRK House Hotel is one of the first in the country to ban mobile phones from their restaurant.

Malcolm Weaving, proprietor of the Gisburn hotel, took the decision, saying mobile phones in restaurants were objectionable.

He added: "Customers are on edge when one rings thinking it's for them. When a mobile phone used to ring, it was amazing how many people jumped for their phones.

"Some people are embarrassed to receive a call during dinner, and others are just annoyed, but there are people who like the sound of their own voice and they disturb other guests.

"There are times in the day when we need peace and quiet and dinner is one of them."

Instead, customers are asked to leave mobile phones in their rooms or if they wish to keep it switched on at reception. The mobile phone will be clearly identified and calls answered by a member of staff in their name. If the caller wishes to disturb the guest, they can then be discreetly approached and can take the call in a private booth.

Mr Weaving said that this way important calls such as sickness, emergency and urgent business calls would not be missed.

Five weeks into the new system, and no-one has objected. "In the restaurant we would be disturbed by as many as 40 calls a night. In the past week only one call has been considered important enough to disturb the guest while eating," Mr Weaving said.

Pagers are still allowed in the restaurant and the rule only applies to dinner, not breakfast or lunch.

Stirk House Hotel is a member of a consortium of private hotels and Mr Weaving is hoping that the system will soon be adopted in hotels across the country.