KENDAL'S Brewery Arts Centre's bar, car and restaurant are undergoing major refurbishment works in a bid to boost the venue's competitiveness.

The Warehouse Cafe, Grainstore Restaurant and Vats Bar are all included in the the improvement programme.

The centre's management believes that the four-week refurbishment will reveal a 'brand new, open and welcoming space that will offer a social experience unlike any other in Kendal'.

The new Vats Bar will celebrate local breweries as part of its varied drinks menu and diners will be able to enjoy freshly prepared bar snacks and food, including sharing platters.

The menu in the Grainstore Restaurant will also be refreshed and offer a mix of classic and contemporary dishes, focusing on local, seasonal produce where possible.

The refurbishment programme is the result of a new partnership between The Brewery Arts Centre and its new caterers, CH&Co Group Catering.

CH&Co Group Catering has extensive experience providing the catering for visitor attractions and arts venues across the UK including Kew Gardens, The Tower of London, Manchester’s People’s History Museum and Hull Truck Theatre.

Brewery chief executive Richard Foster said: “This is a very exciting time for us. The renovation marks significant financial investment into our catering offer and will provide a more spacious layout, more seating, fresh décor and an enhanced drinks menu with an emphasis on great local beer and an outstanding selection of gins.

“The Brewery relies on its catering outlets to generate income which is then used to support our arts and creative learning programmes. We are sure that this new refurb will have the twofold benefits of boosting our competitiveness in Kendal’s night time economy and enable us to create even more memorable experiences for the people of the South Lakes and beyond.”

And Sean Ritson, the operations director for CH&Co, who also hails from Cumbria, added that the refurbishment would 'cement' the venue’s standing as the heart of the community.

“The Brewery Arts Centre is a truly unique venue and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with such an iconic Kendal landmark," he said. "From the outset, it was clear that we shared the same vision and aspirations. Our respective areas of expertise provide the perfect recipe to deliver something very special for the people of Kendal and its many visitors."

The refurbishment and refreshed food and drink offer will be revealed to customers from April 14.