A family run business in the Tyne Valley is delighted to see customers sitting outdoors again following the easing of lockdown.

Beano’s Sandwich Bar in Haltwhistle has been able to welcome customers back to sit outdoors since restrictions eased last month, much to the delight of Lindsey Graham, who runs the business with mum Claire Sloan.

“(We are) me, my mum, sister and a family friend who comes in one day a week to help out,” said Lindsey.

“It’s been busy - (During) the first two weeks, we couldn’t have asked for better weather.

“It was absolutely amazing and we had tourists which we weren’t expecting at all.

“Even though it hasn’t been the best weather (lately), the locals have all come and supported us which has been amazing.

“It’s just nice to see everyone else and other businesses do the same thing.

“We have been surprised by the number of tourists that we’ve had so far.

Beano’s is a popular location in the town, with an emphasis being on the amount of homemade food that is made every day as Lindsey went on to explain.

“We try to keep all of our food homemade as it’s what we do,” added Lindsey.

“For example (we have) homemade chips, pies, scones, quiches, rock buns - everything!

“We don’t buy anything in and its all baked here.

“We mix all of our sandwich fillings - none of it is pre bought and we do it all by hand and we have homemade coleslaw too.

“We make soup everyday and we have one hot daily every lunch time - a hot special which is (something like) pie, chips and gravy.

“(We) just try to keep things different that we make.

“We have a very popular Greek gyros meal we make and that seems to be doing really well - we do that once a week

“The cheese scones (are very popular). We can’t make enough of them!

“Pies and quiches (too) and the homemade chips - everyone loves them!”

Since the restrictions eased, the business has seen customers regularly sit outdoors and catch up with each other following the third national lockdown , and this is something Lindsey admitted she was pleased to see.

“I think people aren’t really bothered (about the weather),” she said.

“It’s good they will be able to come and have a coffee together.

“We’ve put blankets out and you see people with the blankets over them sitting chatting (together).

“In the summer season we might open longer - we have a alcohol license - so we might go back to the bistro route.”