Kevin and Nicola Tickle call in pals to help get Heft open

The line up at Heft - a former pub in the Lake District village of Newton-in-Cartmel that the pair acquired late last year​​ - features Mark Birchall, Alex Bond, Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Adam Reid and Steven Smith. 

Starting in June and running until the end of the year, the special nights will soon be bookable on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter and will see the guest chefs work alongside Tickle. 

Alongside this, the Tickles will also be offering foraging experiences and producer masterclasses with dinner or lunch thrown in. 

"We’ve worked really hard since August last year to make our dream come to life and we’re nearly there,” says Kevin.

“To help push us over the line we’ve joined forces with some friends who just happen to be some of the UK’s top chefs to create a series of unique dining experiences, which people will be able to enjoy with us at Heft.”

“It’s really important to me to support friends, which is why I’m collaborating with Kevin and Nicola Tickle to help them get the project finished in the way they want to."

"We’re all involved because despite everything that’s been thrown at them by Covid and a really old building, Kevin and Nicola are determined to realise their dream, which is something that we can all appreciate."

Tickle stepped down from his role as head chef at The Forest Side in nearby Grasmere in 2019 having won a Michelin star for the venue eight months after opening.

Heft will have six bedrooms and two distinct dining offers: a relaxed pub area offering small plates alongside locally brewed beers and fine wines alongside a more ambitious restaurant that will offer a tasting menu.

An opening date for Heft as yet to be set but the pair hope to launch soon after lockdown ends.