A NEW £380,000 pub and restaurant aims to champion Lake District ales when it throws open its doors next week.

The Flying Pig, on the site of the former Sutherlands restaurant in Bowness, is being transformed by new owners Colin Monk and Alex Mauro.

The pair, who are creating 20 jobs, say their aim is to showcase the 'very best' of local ales – including the pub's own very own special signature beers Pigs Will Fly and the Golden Pig- .

Mr Monk said they wanted to put ‘good old-fashioned’ pub grub on the table and make sure locals 'don’t pay higher-end tourist prices'.

“We know that drink and food prices can be quite high in Bowness in comparison to less busy parts of Cumbria," said Mr Monk, who owns the award-winning Howbeck Retreat and Caffe Riva in Windermere. “So, instead we want to thank local residents in the LA23 postcode for their support and custom, so as well as our food and drink being very competitive, locals will be given a discount card to get an extra 15 per cent off."

The pair decided to buy the former restaurant in Rayrigg Road and transform it into a free of tie pub in the top tourist hot-spot because they felt Bowness needed a 'great British pub' and to prove that pubs can be great places to dine.

“We called it the Flying Pig because the general consensus is that pub food isn’t fantastic, generally microwaved and poor quality, so we say, pigs will fly and British pub food can be great,” said Mr Monk.

The Flying Pig menu will revive well-loved British classic dishes such as homemade pies.

And, the pumps will be lined up with great ales from Cumbrian Breweries and microbreweries, including The Watermill Brewery and Coniston Brewery and some smaller less known brewers.

“While we will specialise in the best of British, it is also important to us that we keep everything as local as we can and support other Cumbrian businesses to make the Flying Pig a great British pub,” added Mr Monk, who is no stranger to running award winning businesses, having recently secured Cumbria Tourism’s New Tourism Business Award 2015.

The pub has been completely redesigned, revamped and given a new lease of life by award-winning interior designer Alison Tordoff, of Fidget Design.

With open fires and original sanded floorboards, Mr Monk reckons customers will find it a comfortable place to enjoy a drink or a meal with friends and family.

“The major structural challenge was opening up the existing space and creating a bar fit to house and serve our unique beer offering. But, beyond this the refurb has focused on remaining sympathetic to the original building whilst creating a more comfortable and appealing space for our customers to enjoy.”

Mr Monk, a former award-winning furniture designer and cabinet maker, moved to the Lakes in 2000 after he sold his business to a major competitor and purchased his first hotel.

After opening his third hotel - The Howbeck Retreat – he opened Caffe Riva in June 2014 along with Alex Mauro his long standing friend, who has owned and operated many successful restaurants and bars in Manchester and Cheshire.

“We love the Lake District and so we felt it important to do more for the local economy and people. We will create 20 jobs – and some will be part-time posts too for those who need to fit their lifestyle around young children or those they care for.

“We are looking for gifted happy people to join our restaurants in Bowness both front of house and back of house.

“But, we don’t plan to stop when the Flying Pig is open. We want to keep on bucking the trend and are actively on the acquisition trail for more venues to establish more businesses in the Bowness, Windermere and Ambleside area to continue investing to benefit local people and tourists alike.”

The Flying Pig will open on December 15.

Pigs Will Fly and the Golden Pig