Last updated 09:03, Saturday, 22 November 2008

Coming as it does during yet more economic doom and gloom, the announcement that none other than Victoria Beckham has purchased material from Carlisle firm Linton Tweeds provides a welcome boost for the county.

Apparently the ex-Spice Girl turned designer and fashion icon ordered ten metres of black fabric, and a spokesperson for the star says it could be used in a forthcoming collection.

It is little wonder she has chosen Linton Tweeds; founded in 1912, the manufacturer was behind the original Chanel fabric, and is still held in high regard.

But the news is particularly uplifting during these turbulent times.

From Monday, employees at Pirelli tyre factory will have their working week reduced as a result of the collapse in the global sales market, and there will also be an extended Christmas and New Year shutdown due to a slump in demand.

And sadly the situation there has been echoed throughout the county in recent weeks; each closure or development suspension a sign of the times.

There is no doubt these are tough times, but Linton Tweed’s news allows a little room for optimism.

Because while an order of fabric might seem like a drop in the ocean financially, the wider picture shows there are few limits to Victoria Beckham’s cachet, which itself will bring the company, and Cumbria, international recognition.