THE Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle has given its cafe a makeover.

The museum worked with Teesdale-based interior designers Helen Hawkins and Sam Gibbons of Brown & Baxter to refresh its Cafe Bowes.

They were inspired by photographs of the Museum’s past to create a French style and printed screens decorated with images of the museum entrance hall from the early 1900s now separate the window tables.

Designer, Helen Hawkins, said: “We really enjoyed working on such a lovely project with the operational team in such a prestigious, impressive and important building in Barnard Castle and it was important to us to reflect its heritage and history in the design.

"Café Bowes is Barnard Castle’s best kept secret, where you can enjoy a refreshing drink or delicious meal in such elegant surroundings – it really is a discerning destination and well worth a visit.” 

Head chef, Ben Parnaby, has been joined in the kitchen by second chef, Dawn Gibson, who headed the team at the Rose and Crown, at Romaldkirk, some years ago and between them they have more than 30 years of experience working in top hotels and restaurants.

Mr Parnaby said: “We are really fortunate to be surrounded by lots of amazing local suppliers, producing the best of flavours that we’ve incorporated into our new menu which will be updated every three months to ensure the very best tasting seasonal produce in our dishes.”

In the kitchen, Head Chef, Ben Parnaby, has been joined by Second Chef, Dawn Gibson, who headed the team at the Rose and Crown at Romaldkirk some years ago and between them they have more than 30 years of experience working in top hotels and restaurants.

Local produce includes meat from Peats’ Butchers in Barnard Castle, cheese from Cotherstone Cheese and Teesdale Cheesemakers and fish from Hodgson’s of Hartlepool, among others.

The new menu boasts dishes such as Bowes Rarebit, with ‘Old Peculiar’ Wensleydale cheese, Barnard Castle beer and bourbon and black treacle bacon; pasta bolognese made with both Teesdale fell lamb and rare breed pork; and not forgetting the ever-popular Smoked Haddock Chowder.

Drinks include a Bowes Special GnT featuring Durham gin, beers from Barnard Castle Brewery, just yards from the museum, or cider from Orchards of Husthwaite, in North Yorkshire.

Homemade cakes, biscuits and scones, a selection of teas, coffees, soft drinks and bubbly are also available.

Entry to Café Bowes is free and it opens daily 10am to 4pm.

To access it you go through the main entrance to the Museum, past the reception desk and follow the corridor to your right.

Customers are asked to sign in using the QR code after which the café team will show guests to their table and take their order.

At the end of the meal, a member of the team will take payment at the table.