A NEW café has opened at a popular Richmond tourist spot after its previous restaurant closed last month.

Under new management of Gareth Bottomley, former head chef at the CB Inn, Arkengarthdale, The Station now has a café facility to serve coffee, cakes, sandwiches and salads.

The new café is a temporary solution while the kitchen and front of house area is renovated in order to relaunch with Mr Bottomley later in the year.

Eileen Halliday, manager at The Station, said: “The new menus are fabulous with lots of cakes, and fresh salads and sandwiches.

“We are limited to what we can do until the sale of the current kitchen equipment goes through, but we hope that this café will be successful and that Gareth can continue to grow the business later in the year.

“We are using bamboo disposable tableware to try to cut out plastic, and so far we have had very positive comments about the food and service.

“The Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust, which owns The Station, is still working on a long-term plan.”

Season’s Restaurant, run by husband and wife team Jane Gallogly and Ian Woodcock, was closed suddenly in April after a bailiff possession notice was served on the business.

It stated that the landlord had repossessed the premises, and that the lease or licence had been revoked.

Ongoing exhibitions at The Station include Stitch in 9, textile and mixed-media artwork by a North East based group; and the Nature of Art, and exhibition as part of the Swaledale Festival by Risedale Sport and Community College students Inspired by quotes from literature on themes relating to the natural world.