A well-known coffee shop and cafe has had a £40,000 makeover during the coronavirus shutdown.

John Watt & Son’s Bank Street site has been repainted and redecorated, had old flooring replaced and installed improved toilet facilities.

Screens and signage have also been put in place to help keep customers and staff safe as they return.

John Watt and Son’s four other cafes, which are at Blackfriars Street, Tullie House, and Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life have reopened and throughout lockdown the John Watt team have been supporting key workers by providing catering for Accord Healthcare.

Owner Carol Johnston said: “These past few months have been a difficult time for everyone at John Watt but the way people have continued to support us has been fantastic and we can’t thank them enough.

“With our branches being closed until last week we focused on the delivery side of the business and so many of our regular customers who would usually pop into the cafes have ordered their coffee and tea supplies via our website and over the phone.

“In fact, we saw a really big increase in online sales throughout the lockdown period which has been so important in helping us weather the pandemic.

“It’s great to now be able to welcome people back to our cafes though and I’m sure those coming to Bank Street will see that we’ve tried to strike a balance between giving our flagship site a bit more of an up-to-date feel while keeping the building’s longstanding John Watt tradition dating all the way back to 1897.”