A HUGELY popular Kendal eatery is to welcome diners for the first time this year following a hiatus and a change of location.

The owners of Method diversified the business during the third national lockdown, focusing on meal preparation and homemade cakes.

But Becks Newton and partner Scarlett Meyer have now moved their business to a new home in Stramongate and will again be serving the brunch-style daytime meals that the eatery is known for.

"Our menu will change regularly," said Miss Newton, 36.

"We just like being creative with food.

"It will just be a case of when an idea comes to mind and inspires us, we'll take it from there."

Miss Newton and Miss Meyer, 29, changed the direction of the business, which was formerly based at Beezon Road trading estate, earlier this year.

"Our food didn't really translate that well to takeaway," said Miss Newton.

"The lockdown in January, we decided to try something else that couldn't be shut down, so we started doing meal prep."

They produced healthy ready meals and also focused more attention on their homemade cakes, supplying Ambleside's Rattle Ghyll Deli with sweet treats.

When cafés and restaurants were able to open again, the couple chose not to return to accepting sit-in diners.

"We were doing the meal prep, it was going well and we actually quite enjoyed it, and we decided to stick with it for the time being," said Miss Newton.

"Since we have been in here [Stramongate], everything's kind of returned back to normal.

"It just became apparent that we missed the café and we missed cooking that style of food."

At the beginning of September, the pair took a holiday and considered the future of the business.

They then set about updating the site at 37 Stramongate, which was formerly occupied by Neko Sushi, and turning it into a café.

They will keep selling cakes but plan to shelve ready-meal preparation until next year.

Method will welcome customers for the first time on Saturday, November 20 at 10am, with final preparations, including painting, taking place in the meantime.

"We are very excited, obviously nervous," said Miss Newton, of Kendal.

"I love cooking, Scarlett loves baking.

"We like chatting with people as well."