Grasmere Gingerbread has opened a second store in the Lake District after 196 years of having only one shop.

Sarah Nelson, the creator of the gingerbread, first sold her world-famous sweet treat from her Church Cottage home in 1854 – which is now the Grasmere Gingerbread shop – in the village of Grasmere.

The new shop has opened in Hawkshead at Corner Shop, on Main Street, and is open to the public seven days a week from 10am to 4.30pm.

It is selling freshly baked gingerbread alongside takeaway coffee supplied by artisan roaster Duffin’s Coffee of Staveley, gingerbread ice cream and other gifts from Cumbrian businesses.

Andrew Hunter, co-director of the business, said the response from customers had been overwhelming.

He added: “Our Hawkshead shop does not simply replicate the Grasmere Gingerbread shop experience in Grasmere; it provides terrific takeaway coffee and consciously showcases lots of great products made by other small and family Cumbrian businesses.

“Many of whom we have been working with for years but whose products we may have only sold online due to a lack of space in our original shop. Duffin’s Coffee provided all the barista training for our staff and they have been a joy to work with.”