Real nice place, it had an inviting atmosphere, got to view some interesting pieces of art there whilst at a show. I also enjoyed the food, even if it was veggie. Top place in Cumbria, highly recommend!
Great spot check it out.. Amazing vegetarian food, puppet theatre, art gallery space, music venue.. Plus the coffee is exceptional
Very special, unique and great quality puppet theatre. Kids loved the Pied Piper of Hamlyn show, especially talking to John the puppeteer afterwards.
Fantastic performances at the puppet theatre and incredible food at the cafe!
The Fitzgerald concert was wonderful. It's great to have such a stimulating venue so close to Penrith with a mix of puppetry, drama, exhibitions and a whole range of live music. Always a great evening out. Always interesting crafts on sale and excellent coffee, lovely restaurant with mostly vegetarian dishes, including sticky toffee pudding and my personal favourite potato, leek and watercress soup!
I have seen many puppetry performances in my time but Upfront are truly enchanting. Fabulous set design and puppets and a great place to eat too. What more could you want!
Love Upfront. Been visiting for years and attended music events, art exhibitions, theatre and just for food or a coffee. Great selection of gift choices too. Can't be beaten in terms of a dedicated team working tirelessly to provide a great eclectic mix of entertainment, arts and cultural events. One of our favourite venues in Cumbria and the North.
Excellent venue. Delicious lunch, fabulous puppet show, interesting exhibits, friendly staff. and whoever chooses stock for the shop has great taste!
What an amazing concert by the Fitzgeralds last night at this fabulous venue. Wonderful food before the concert too. This is a perfect setting for an intimate musical event. Please give us more!
I visited this lovely light and airy gallery today to see the current exhibition. Excellent and varied pieces and subjects well displayed. I specifically was looking for a friends piece and Holly kindly allowed me to take photos of it to pass on as she couldn't,t be there in person. Thank you 😊. Our lunch in your cafe area finished off our visit splendidly.
Great arts venue,cafe & Puppet theatre with super staff and something for all.
We had a wonderful afternoon, watching Aladdin. My four year old was completely spell bound; as were the adults. A great experience.
We love this place! It's our absolute favourite.
Another brilliant Christmas show. One for all ages. Our age group ranged from 5 years to 80 years. A real Christmas treat
Loved the puppet show 'jack and the beanstalk '.
We've been coming to see John and Elaines magical puppet shows for 12 years. Hansel and Gretal was amazing, thank you! 👏
Upfront lodges - a wonderful place to stay in the Northern Lake District. Elaine & John are wonderfully friendly and caring hosts.
The lodge I stayed in was well laid out, inviting and spotlessly clean.
Unfortunately there is little or no cell coverage however with a smartphone that has the WiFi calling feature calls can be made and received over the in-house free WiFi which has been installed to give good coverage in all of the lodges as well as the main house.
Easy to recommend this accomodation.
Great place ..
Will have to try a lunch next time .
Just popped in for a coffee and cake.
Great service and fantastic varieties of cakes.
Caters well for vegans and people with dietary needs .
The Birds & The Bees - Celebrant, Cumbria
+5
I have a little crush on this place. Hidden away in a beautiful part of Cumbria, you won’t be disappointed by the staff, the food and whatever quirky exhibition they are showing. I’m yet to experience the magic of their puppetry but I think it could be a fab venue for a small, intimate symbolic ceremony ❤️
Lovely food, paintings, open and sunny and very very clean. They have a programme of music and puppet theatre too. Came to a couple of musical events and they were brilliant! Great arts venue and cafe.
Lovely place to call in, admire the art for sale and enjoy great food. Excellent lunches, cakes and coffee. Very good for gluten free.
Lovely friendly Coffee Shop which is attached to a Gallery which was nice to have a browse around after we'd had lunch. The Coffee Shop served freshly prepared food, made to order, we just had Sandwiches, which were served with lovely homemade coleslaw, salad & crisps - yummy 😋 The Cakes looked delicious, but we didn't have room.
Well worth a visit if you're in the area - a hidden gem.
I meet members of my family here on a reasonably regular basis and it never fails to impress. The food is always of good quality and the service friendly and efficient. I’ve also attended music events here on an evening and had a cracking time then as well.
Had a delicious lunch, the food was so good and staff are lovely. Lots to choose from on the menu, along with cakes and slices. Can't wait to go back soon.
Lovely place! Homemade lunches amazing afternoon teas served by friendly staff. Browse the paintings and the gift area too. There is a puppet theatre but I've not been there so I can't comment. Well worth a visit!
Very, very good coffee, and the food is healthy. Thank you. Please keep up the quality of ingredients, of food preparation and presentation. We also very much appreciated the lovely member of staff who was actually enjoying serving and caring for her customers. We wanted to know about the coffee used because it really tasted different, proper taste of coffee. This lady knew a little about the product but went to find out even more in order to let us know in turn, but also so that she would be better informed for later opportunities to talk about the origin of their coffee served. Brilliant. It is so nice to see someone taking pride in their work.
Our visit was on the Thursday 25th of November 2021.
1st time there, great selection of food for a vegetarian, even meat eaters would love it, staff were very friendly, and there were some lovely things in the shop, can't wait to go back
Wonderful atmosphere - food and drink at tabkes amongst great local art, jewellery, cards and gifts. Food - vegetarian, gf, vegan options - and home baked/ cooked. A great place!
Great place for a coffee and a warm cheese scone although other options are available including lovely vegetarian lunch menu. Lots of art work on display and lots of quirky things to buy in the shop
Hommity pie, 3 types of salad, fabulous desserts, friendly, efficient staff, great ambiance--paintings, a stylish shop & puppet shows for kids--its a masterpiece. But come early as it's so popular the best bites may have gone--fresh, home-made vegetarian food-- definitely not one to miss!
Enjoyed a delicious lunch today with a friend. Clean and tidy and very busy, which is always a good sign. A good selection of food on the menu and specials board with options for vegan and gluten free diets. Would definitely recommend.
Love this place. The food is delicious but better still the lovely staff actually listen to your requests &go out of their way to fulfill them. For people like me on a very restrictive diet this is wonderful. We will be back soon
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