AN award winning Scottish chef has taken over the running of a much-loved former Workington pub,- turning the venue into a new gastropub which he says will have the locals at its heart.

Mark Greenaway has taken over The Briery in Stainburn, Workington - the once-loved pub and restaurant which has been closed for a year - re-opening the venue for customers on Wednesday evening, October 23.

Mark has been a chef for over 30 years and currently has restaurants in Edinburgh, London and at the Haweswater Hotel. He said he fell in love with the Briery after looking for a new venue to open a gastropub in Cumbria.

He said: "I was looking online because I wanted to open something else in Cumbria, and hoping to open a gastropub. I sort of off-speck just went to have a look at the Briery... it was obviously closed.

"But, as soon as I seen the building I just thought: 'I have got to do that, it would be such a shame to leave it closed', because it's such a stunning building."

Mark is hoping to provide 'great drinks, great food, great service' to customers at the gastropub.

He said: "It's really a place for the locals, that's what we are hoping to build. It's always had such a great reputation and hopefully we can continue that.

"It's been incredible (the reception). Between now and the end of the year, we have got already about 1,000 people booked and we haven't even really advertised.

"New Year's Eve is already about 75 per cent fully booked and again we haven't advertised, so the reception has been amazing and the support from the locals has been incredible.

"It's such a magnificent place that I think the locals have really missed it."

Work will start in January to convert the former bedrooms at the Briery into five en-suite bedrooms, with the accommodation looking set to open in Spring 2025.

Mark has taken on 17 new staff members at the Briery and is offering a number of promotions in the coming months, these include Sunday lunches for £15 a person and a steak and chip deal from Tuesday to Thursday every week in which customers can enjoy steak and chips from 12-6pm for £10.

"We want people to come along, try us and just become part of it again," he added.