An award-winning Haltwhistle cafe is celebrating 18 years in business after being named Best Cafe in Northumberland and Best Cafe in England last year.
Cheryl and Mattie Bone, owners of the Pillar Box Cafe in Haltwhistle, have thanked customers for their support as the business marks its anniversary.
The cafe, which opened in 2008, won Best Cafe in Northumberland and Best Cafe in England in 2025.
The Pillar Box Cafe offers sit-in service, takeaway, meal deliveries and catering for events, such as christenings and catering for Haltwhistle Town Twinning visits.
Cheryl said the cafe's success over the past 18 years has been 'worth all the early mornings and late nights'.
The Pillar Box Cafe celebrated its birthday on Tuesday, August 18.
"I am celebrating 18 years to the day since I first opened the cafe's doors," Cheryl said.
"I'm honestly so grateful and appreciative to every single person who has supported me over the years - it means the absolute world to me, and I couldn't do it without any of you.
"A lot of you I have adopted over the years, so thank you for being my bonus family and to the Haltwhistle shops that support us too.
"A special thank you to Mattie for helping me run the cafe and for putting up with me, going along with most of my ideas, for checking my spelling on all my posts," she added.
Cheryl also thanked her son, Tobin, for being her 'number one taste tester' and 'never complaining when he has to be at the cafe', along with her parents for helping with deliveries and washing.
She thanked the cafe's 'amazing staff who I'd be lost without'.
"It's honestly mental and very overwhelming. I do wonder how many milky coffees, scones and lemon drizzles have been made over the years, how many potatoes have been peeled and dishes washed, how many meals we've delivered, how many laps of the cafe we've all done and how many times we've washed our hands.
"In these 18 years we've catered some amazing events and unfortunately a fair few funerals, delivered meals here, there and everywhere - even delivered scones and cakes to people in Wales before - received a double Elite Hygiene award, been featured in newspapers and on Look North, and won Best Cafe in not just Northumberland, but in England, all thanks to our customers who voted for us," Cheryl said.
"I do have to say I'm a little proud of myself and my team - it's been worth all the early mornings and late nights."
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