An extension costing £750,000 is planned at a busy pub which has a new landlady in charge.
Sophie Mawdsley’s family owns a string of hotels and hospitality businesses in Keswick and the surrounding area, including the Middle Ruddings at Braithwaite.
Sophie is now manager there after Liz and Andy McMaster’s 15-year stint at the country inn and restaurant came to an end when their lease expired.
The popular couple have stepped down, but their son Alex still works at the Middle Ruddings, while other son Tom and his partner Beki have taken over the Drover’s Rest, at Monkhill, near Carlisle.
Sophie’s father Geoff is one of three brothers, along with Mike and Charlie, who operate as Mawdsley Bleachers Ltd.
They own the Coledale Inn at Braithwaite, as well as Ravenstone Manor at Bassenthwaite, the Mary Mount Hotel in Borrowdale and White Horse Inn at Scales.
Having leased out the Middle Ruddings since 2005, they have appointed Sophie as manager as the pub continues to re-emerge post-lockdown.
Takeaway meals have stopped, with normal service starting to resume and things look even brighter in the new year when an extension to the front and back of the building is planned.
“We have taken it back under our wing again,” said Geoff.
“We have had the Coledale Inn since 1989. We are originally from Lancashire but my father’s dream was to come up to the Lake District.
“He used to come here as a boy on family holidays. He went to school in Ambleside and fell in love with the Lakes.”
Three years ago, the brothers bought the £1.35 million valued Ravenstone Manor before refurbishing the 21-bedroom hotel.
They have had the Mary Mount since 1994 and the White Horse since 2011.
