A cafe which opened in a popular beauty spot during the Covid lockdown has received national recognition in a walking guide.
The Rivington Pike Snack Shack, on Georges Lane, which has views of the Pike, was never apart of the plan for owners and soon-to-be married Leonie Smethurst and Andy Ehrhart.
After the couple moved into their house on Georges Lane, Horwich, in 2019, lockdowns forced them to rethink their respective careers.
Leonie, a dog groomer, and security firm owner Andy were struggling to make ends meet, so decided to start the small side-venture. They soon discovered it came with the added bonus of bringing joy to the local community.
'Bolton born-and-bred' Leonie says that they had bought a coffee machine so that her customers could enjoy a brew while watching their dogs being groomed via CCTV, but when she was not allowed to trade, the two came up with another idea.
“We started selling hot drinks to walkers and bikers,” Leonie said. “Kids wanted ice creams. Bikers wanted barms.
“It’s an organic business plan based on the requests of the customers.
“Covid was horrendous for so many people but with a bit of adjustment and adaptation we found a silver lining.
“It became a community thing. It was lovely.”
During those lonely periods, people could come out for some company and refreshments outside, and the star of the show quickly became the couple’s dog, Dudley.
Leonie said: “People would come for a drink just to sit with Dudley for an hour.”
Soon they were being approached by companies to stock their products, which gave them the opportunity to start selling local goods - something the pair are particularly proud of.
“We wanted to help people in the same boat as us,” Leonie said.
In a recent edition of the Sunday Times, the Pike Snack Shack got a mention in a series on good walks. This particular piece focused on Winter Hill and Rivington Pike and the cafe was named as the place to have lunch.
Andy said: “It took a lot of hard work in something that was completely new to us.
“In just a couple of years, from serving people in our garage, to go from that to being featured in a national paper is amazing.”
The café is open from 8.30am until 4.30pm every day, except Christmas day. Even when the door is closed, passers-by are encouraged to ring the doorbell on the house next door, and someone will come out to serve them.
Customers can expect hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, paninis, ice creams, snacks, and local cakes.
If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at lewis.finney@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @lewisfinney18
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here