AN Ingleton food hall celebrated its 25th anniversary at the weekend by sharing a giant birthday cake with its customers.

Country Harvest owner Mike Clark wheeled the cake into the packed coffee shop on Saturday and to a round of applause announced that everyone was to be given a slice.

“It’s a real credit to the staff who work for me that we are more successful than ever 25 years on and I want to thank all our customers, particularly our loyal regulars, for ensuring this business has gone from strength to strength,” he told the crowd.

The two-tier cake, filled with vanilla sponge, salted carame, Swiss meringue buttercream and coated in ganache was made by Louise Chaplow, of Kendal. She won Country Harvest’s Bake Off competition during the summer when the food hall team asked 25 bakers to make 25 cakes for its silver anniversary.

Louise’s cake won the competition which was judged by former Great British Bake Off winner Nancy Birtwhistle alongside Country Harvest owners Mike Clark and Gay Penn.

The business on the A65 was created on the site of a disused garage. Over the years it has grown into a thriving food hall/coffee shop and gift hall and now boasts a Christmas Cabin which opened for the first time last year.

Mr Clark and Mr Penn took over the business ten years ago.

“The past 10 years have been some of the best of my working life," said Mr Clark. "We continue to develop and build the business and there are some exciting events being planned for 2019 – we never rest on our laurels and are always looking at ways to ensure we keep our customers happy and that they have a reason to return.”