Bolton: New Bake and Roast tearoom comes to Smithills Hall

Bake and Roast is set to open at Smithills Hall, which has been without an inside place  to eat  since the pandemic hit nearly three years ago, in a matter of weeks.

Husband-and-wife team Tim and Anna Worthington are behind the new tearoom.

They have run independent artisan food producer Bake and Roast together since 2018 and say they are looking forward to taking their business to the next level at such a historic site.

Mrs Worthington said: “We have been lucky enough to develop a fantastic and very loyal customer base who genuinely blew us away over the pandemic and lockdowns.

Brownies, cakes and cookies will be on the menu (Image: Bolton Council)

“The support they showed us was amazing and we can’t wait to be able to offer them an even bigger and better range of our food and drinks.

“To be able to do this through our shop and at Smithills Hall is incredible.

“We feel privileged to be part of such a fantastic venue and one of the true cultural and historic gems of Bolton.”

The tearoom will be run by Bolton-based Bake and Roast (Image: Bolton Council)

The couple started out by out by baking small batches from home and selling at local farmers markets at Heaton Fold Garden Centre, at the Bolton Town Hall Christmas Markets and further afield at Cuerden Valley in Bamber Bridge.

After proving to be a big hit with customers, Mr and Mrs Worthington were then able to open their shop on Chorley Old Road in November 2019.

Brownies, cakes and cookies will be on the menu (Image: Bolton Council)

The menu will offer a range of soups, sausage rolls, pies and sandwiches filled with home roasted meats on speciality bread from a local Smithills bakery.

There will also be a range of sharing platters and homemade cakes, brownies, tray bakes and cookies.

Along with the tea-room itself, Mr and Mrs Worthington will also cater for functions, events and meetings booked at Smithills Hall through Bolton Council's library and museum services department.

The menu will be prepared by Bolton based Bake and Roast (Image: Bolton Council)

The new tearoom will provide  a boost to the already popular historic hall.

At more than 800 years old, Smithills Hall is one of the oldest and best preserved manor houses in the North West with architecture spanning from Medieval to Tudor to Victorian times.

the tearoom should be up and running in a matter of weeks (Image: Bolton Council)

In recent years it has become particularly well-known for stories of ghostly encounters, with special ghost investigations run throughout the year especially at Halloween.

Bolton Council has been trying to revive the tearoom at Smithills hall since the end of lockdown restrictions.

In July this year the authority appealed for businesses to come forward to get the attraction up and running again.

Now, with Bake and Roast getting ready to welcome visitors by late November or early December, council leaders say this should prove to be huge boost to the area’s economy.

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Deputy leader Cllr Hilary Fairclough said: “It’s fantastic to see a local independent business thriving and they will be a great addition to Smithills Hall and the community.”    

The tearoom at Smithills Hall will open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm.