THE owners of Tynedale’s newest bar raised a glass in celebration after a four-year project was realised.

Gary and Heather Scott, the owners of Matfen’s High House Farm Brewery, recently opened the doors of the Platform Bar, located within Hexham Railway Station’s former waiting rooms.

The couple, who have asked son Andrew to manage the bar, were first approached by the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership about opening a bar four years ago, but the process has been a painstakingly long one.

The area needed a complete overhaul after it had fallen into disrepair, with the floors unsafe to walk on after rotting away.

Heather said: “We are very pleased to have finally opened. Gary has done a brilliant job in renovating and fitting everything, and I have thought of an idea and Gary has put it into place.

“It’s come together very nicely and we have been receiving good feedback so far.

“This end of Hexham is a bit sparse so it is good to give the town an extra pub. But it’s also something for the commuters to give them somewhere nice and warm while they’re waiting for a train.”

The Platform Bar will stock a variety of real ale and cider, lager and other spirits, specialising in malt whisky. It will also stock soft drinks, hot drinks and sandwiches.

It will open six days a week, and the footfall has been promising in the early days of its opening.

Mrs Scott said: “We’re playing our opening times by ear, depending on demand, so we can gauge when our customers want it open.

“We hope to create more employment too and we currently are sharing staff with High House Farm, but we will be looking to employ more in the future which will be good for Hexham.”