That's a shame to hear. I learnt to fly at Carlisle in '91, but even then it wasn't very busy except for a couple of RAF birdstrike diversions and scheduled flights transporting spent nuclear fuel rods.
In fact that's probably the only reason it's still open - I know the RAF pay a proportion of its upkeep to use it as a diversion, and I wouldn't be surprised if THORP did too.
It has got good facilities and excellent runways - I have used it occasionally the last few years after some excellent 500' nav jollies through the lake district. It's in a beautiful part of the world, but with the terrain to the South and Danger Areas to the North I guess most GA are put off without having a specific reason to visit Carlisle. Also with few other GA airfields close by, a Saturday afternoon hamburger costs considerably more than $100!