The Cottage in the Wood restaurant in Whinlatter Forest is now under new ownership.

Jack and Beth Bond have taken over management of the property from retired owners, Liam and Kath Berney.

The Bond duo joined the team at The Cottage in the Wood in January 2024.

Outgoing owners, the Berneys, transformed the property, which was originally a 17th-century coaching inn, into a restaurant with rooms.

Their work paid off with the restaurant bagging a Michelin star in 2019, a status it has retained ever since, including this year under the watch of chef Mr Bond.

The new proprietors, Mr and Mrs Bond, look forward to building on Mr and Mrs Berney's efforts.

The culinary and management tasks of the property will be shared between the duo, with Mr Bond serving as the head chef and Mrs Bond taking on the role of the general manager and head sommelier.

The Bonds are no novices in the hospitality industry.

Mr Bond, a native of Southport, boasts a portfolio that includes working stints at renowned establishments such as Eleven Madison Park, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, Claridge’s, and The Berkeley.

His cooking preference centres around seasonal produce.

Mrs Bond will bring her organisational and management skills, sharpened during her stays at London's Tredwell’s Restaurant and Apricity, Mayfair.

The physics graduate from Imperial College began her career in Tredwell's restaurant in 2015 before rising to guest relations manager in 2018.

As they helm the new venture, the Bonds have promised exciting plans for The Cottage in the Wood, details of which will be revealed in due course.

However, they have already started to assert their influence on the business.

Mrs Bond was recently named in the 2024 Boutique Hotelier Power List and featured among the UK’s Top 100 Sommeliers 2024.

The duo said: "We are hugely excited to be taking over ownership of The Cottage in the Wood.

"It’s been a pleasure to work alongside Liam and Kath over the last few months as they’ve helped us settle in and gain invaluable insight into the business that they established in 2002.

"Like Liam and Kath, we both care deeply about how the business operates, and are fully committed to continuing to build on and evolve many of the sustainability initiatives already in place, as well as introducing several new ones.

"We’re looking forward to welcoming guests as we embark on this new chapter in The Cottage in the Wood’s future."