An antique store, café and lounge bar will be opening inside a historic County Durham venue later this year after its new owners announced exciting plans for the facility in the future.

Blagraves, on The Bank in Barnard Castle, might date back to 1485 and include general Oliver Cromwell as its famous guests over the years, but later in 2022 – it will mix the classic and modern when an antique store and café arrives in town.

Historically, the Grade I listed building, which takes its name from the Blagrave family who was resident there in the 17th Century, boasts a colourful history after originally being gifted by Richard III to Joan Forest, the wife of the Keeper of the King's Wardrobe, Miles Forest, who was alleged to have disposed of the two young princes at the Tower of London, along with John Dighton.

Read more: Historic Barnard Castle restaurant announces closure

In more recent times, it has been a place that the Barnard Castle community has enjoyed visiting for meals after it opened as Blagraves House Restaurant.

However, after it was revealed on Tuesday (June 14) that the restaurant would be closing – it didn’t take long for an announcement to be made about its future use.

Taking to social media earlier this week, local interior design studio and property management company, Bleak Houses, confirmed that they had completed the purchase of the historic building and exciting plans were afoot.

The Northern Echo: Blagraves will become an antiques shop, café and lounge bar. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO Blagraves will become an antiques shop, café and lounge bar. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO

Within the post, it was confirmed that the venue would become a place selling “eccentric antiques”, gifts and interiors, as well as morphing into a café and lounge bar.

There were also suggestions that Blagraves could become a night-time restaurant and accommodation in the future, subject to planning permission.

The post, which was written by owners Eleanor and Louise Dinnes, reads: “It is with a huge amount of excitement that I can finally announce that our new project is Blagraves.

“We have just completed the purchase of this fantastic historic property. We have so many plans for this building starting with a fabulously eccentric antiques, gifts and interiors store, cafe and lounge bar opening later this summer with lots more in the pipeline.

The Northern Echo: An illustrative image of Blagrave that was shared by Bleak Houses. Picture: BLEAK HOUSESAn illustrative image of Blagrave that was shared by Bleak Houses. Picture: BLEAK HOUSES

“These include a further night-time restaurant element and accommodation so we can share in the history of the building as much as possible and bring the centuries this place has seen to life.

“Blagraves has such an amazing history; first referenced in 1485, having been visited by Oliver Cromwell and being the site of the ropemakers for the first UK expedition to Everest.

It continued: “I am just astonished that we get to own, run and be custodians of this incredible piece of local and national history.

“Stay tuned for all our redecoration and kitting out the first stage of this project that we are so excited about.”

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