The Whitfield Village Pantry is a gem. Nestled at the bottom of a hill in the Northumberland village of Whitfield, The Pantry provides a warm community hub in this otherwise quiet idyll. With shelves of essentials; marmite, mustard, an array of Heinz and every Sunday paper, local and national, that a girl could want, The Whitfield Village Pantry was opened by David and Ed back last April, in an effort to provide a stylish and welcoming place to eat, drink and socialise for the local community. Locals have indeed taken warmly to the arrival, and as word has spread, business has grown, and even on a damp and misty Sunday morning in January, the tables are full of families enjoying a coffee or a fry-up.
The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and for my two-year-old niece, the puppy, Pippa, adds an extra air of excitement to a Sunday morning hot chocolate.
It was lovely to discover the shop and cafe this weekend, down the road from my sister's new home. What was even more exciting, was to discover that David and Ed have been joined in their venture by Katie, owner of the creative workshop company, MAKE Recycled. Having been based in nearby Allendale for a while, Katie has begun 2012 by moving premises, to the spacious room above the cafe.
Climbing up the stairs to the workshop was like stepping into a grotto: I didn't know where to look, so full was the beautiful upstairs room with pots and baskets of buttons, ribbons, fabric and papers. The walls were lined with shelves and cabinets, stacked high with projects from workshops and Katie's own work (a rather intriguing collection of paper horses caught my eye) - it is a dreamy and inspiring place, home to workshops and creative gatherings throughout the week. Katie runs all sorts of courses herself, and invites her talented friends to teach their skills as well. Catering for children and adults, at birthday parties, hen dos and weekend courses, the space offers the local and not-so-local community a place to indulge their passion for all things crafty. As I explored the workshop space, camera in hand, I couldn't decide where to look, so beautiful were the treasures in every corner. If ever you find yourself Northumberland way, I highly recommend you stop by, for a coffee or some crafting, it won't disappoint.
