Over the past months an art gallery and tearoom in the heart of the Lake District has been operating with new owners. 

Thornthwaite Galleries and Tea Rooms, near Keswick, offers a country retreat to visitors and guests where they can enjoy a range of arts and crafts and unwind in the tearoom area. 

The venue has been operating for 50 years but since October 2021 it has been under the management of Judith and Paul Green who recently moved to the area. 

The gallery showcases artwork from a range of local artists and gives visitors a chance to enjoy the talents of our county with the stunning backdrop of the Cumbrian countryside. 

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Judith Green who co-owns Thornthwaite Gallery explained to us about what they do and what the gallery offers. She said: "We're located three miles outside of Keswick, my husband and I moved up here in October last year which was a bit of a leap of faith because of Covid and other things. 

"We've made quite a few changes and here we are trying to make the business work. We've got a lot of original work by local artists, with some being limited editions. 

"The gallery itself is 50 years old and was an old farm property which was converted all those years ago into a gallery. 

"It's a very unique place here with a lot of specialised work, some of the art includes pieces from wood workers, pottery workers and glass workers. 

"The ethos of the gallery when it was first created was to support the local people and to try and give artists in the area some value for the money for the work they do. 

"The tearoom is also different to, when we took over it just did tea and cake. We now offer lunches too with vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options, all home cooked. 

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"My husband and I both absolutely loved Keswick and were looking for a change of pace, so we decided to relocate to the countryside. 

"We weren't quite ready to retire so to be able to find a place like this in somewhere we loved was amazing. It's as if it was meant to be. 

"It's swings and roundabouts, it can be really busy, or it can be really quiet. Because we're nestled in the hillside near Whinlatter forest we catch a lot of walkers who like to come and sit outside. 

"There's a lot of holiday makers around this area who'll often pay a visit and it's set in beautiful surroundings so lots of people enjoy it.

"The weather doesn't affect us either as we've even been known to be busy on a rainy day."