A landmark cafe which was devastated by fire looks set to rise from the ashes.

And there are hopes that Hartside Cafe will once again become a mecca for petrolheads - particularly bikers taking on the remarkable pass on which the new building will stand.

Hartside Cafe was gutted by a blaze in March 2018 - an incident which led to an outpouring of support for the family who had run the venue, where cyclists and motorcyclists would regularly stop off on the high-rise and winding road between Penrith and Alston.

A plan revealed this week shows a vision for the state-of-the-art structure to stand on the site, which has new owners.

In November last year, previous owners Kathryn and Colin Renwick, who had run the business for 17 years, decided to retire in the wake of the fire, leaving the cafe’s future uncertain.

The site, at the top of the A686 Penrith-Alston road, 1,903ft above sea level, was on the market for offers of more than £300,000.

Now, a Penrith-based property developer, Dawn Dixon, has bought the site and she has big plans for the future.

She said: “It’s an iconic location and an incredible opportunity to build a legacy.

“Since the cafe burnt down, this is very much a clean slate and an opportunity to bring the cafe into the 21st century.”

Mrs Dixon plans to knock down what is left of the building and build a new, environmentally-friendly steel and glass cafe.

“We’re trying to make the cafe as sustainable as possible, with efficiency a priority,” she said.

She hopes to obtain planning permission from Eden Council later this year, and if approved, aims to reopen the cafe in May 2020.

She has also asked chefs David Myers and Simon King, more commonly known as the Hairy Bikers, to create a signature burger for the cafe menu.

David Myers is himself a Cumbrian, originally hailing from Barrow-in-Furness.

“I’m local, born and bred, and am keen that the cafe reopens, because it attracts thousands and thousands of visitors,” said Dawn.

“Weather-wise we are in the lap of the gods because the site is so high up, but it’s so popular because the views just literally blow you away.

“We are very excited and want the cafe to be a Mecca for petrol-heads once more. We are also planning to build an underground bunker at the site with a sauna and jacuzzi for travellers.”

No one was hurt in the March 2018 fire which gutted the popular cafe.

However the damage was significant, with a rapid response from the fire service hampered by the treacherous weather conditions on the fell road.

Firefighters from Alston, Brampton and Penrith were called to tackle the fire, with the Penrith crew needing to follow a snow plough in order to reach the scene.

The cafe’s roof completely collapsed in the fire and seriously damaged the interior of the building.