A FORMER chef is hoping to tempt residents of a former mining town to try his homemade bread at a new artisan bakery.

Alex Lister, 34, has opened the Rise Artisan Bakehouse, on Mill Street, in Crook, County Durham.

Mr Lister, of Hamsterley, has been joined by his girlfriend Cat Brown, as manager, for the venture which opened yesterday. (Saturday, February 28)

He said: “We have been baking bread for a year and we wanted to get it right. I would put my bread head-to-head with anyone else’s in the area.

“I was terrified about doing this. It’s make or break for us now and it’s up to the community to come and support us. It seems to be going okay so far.”

If the Crook venture is a success then Mr Lister could open a second artisan bakery in Durham.

Mr Lister has sold his bread at farmers’ markets round the region and will continue to do so. He also stocks meats plus homemade jams and honey.