Last week’s long awaited opening of Caldbeck’s Muddy Duck Cafe Bar would be enough to drive anyone quackers.
Husband and wife duo, Charles and Sara Deans, bought the cafe building almost four years ago and originally operated out of a small kiosk next to it.
They initially planned for this to only take place for about six months while work took place in the building.
However, six months turned into four years, as planning permissions were sought and the building needed more work than first anticipated, so they decided to give it a complete overhaul. “Our plans grew and we thought we may as well do it how we want it,” said Sara, who added that the building is now eco efficient.
They opened their doors last Wednesday (29th) and were rushed off their feet for the next few days. “From the moment we opened, it was mad. You just don’t know what to expect but it’s been good, a bit of a baptism of fire,” said Sara.
“It’s a relief to be finally open, but people say to Charles and I, because we’ve done most of the work ourselves over the last two years, ‘what are you going to do now’, well now we actually have to run it. There’s no rest in store yet.”
As well as Sara and Charles employing daughters Ebony Ridley and Lois Deans, the family run business has also taken on 10 members of staff.
They can seat 40 to 50 people inside and up to 100 outside, where they have a covered area with heaters, a decked area and are developing a seating area across the river which they hope to open in summer.
“Although we’re not a new business, we are sort of a new business because we’ve moved from one entity to another, which is completely different. The name’s the same but nothing else,” Sara added.
A new menu has been developed for the fully licensed cafe, serving breakfast and lunch, with hopes of opening for evening meals after Easter.
Sara said the cafe will continue to run the popular Christmas and Easter hunts in Caldbeck, where they hide seasonal characters around the village for families to find.
