A POPULAR cafe that was devastated by a fire looks set to rise from the ashes.

Hartside Cafe near Alston was a popular spot for bikers and other motorists for decades before it was destroyed by a blaze in March, 2018.

In November last year, previous owners Kathryn and Colin Renwick, who had run the business for 17 years, decided to retire in the wake of the fire, leaving the iconic cafe’s future uncertain.

The site, at the top of the A686 Penrith-Alston road, 1,903ft above sea level, was on the market for offers over £300,000.

Now, a Penrith-based property developer Dawn Dixon has bought the site and she has big plans for the future.

She said: “It’s an iconic location and an incredible opportunity to build a legacy.

“Since the cafe burnt down, this is very much a clean slate and an opportunity to bring the cafe up to the 21st century.

Mrs Dixon plans to knock down what is left of the building and build a new, environmentally-friendly steel and glass cafe.

“We’re trying to make the cafe as sustainable as possible with efficiency a priority,” she said.

She hopes to obtain planning permission from Eden District Council later this year, and if approved, aims to reopen the cafe in May 2020. She has also asked Hairy Biker chefs David Myers and Simon King to create a burger for the cafe menu.