A new Peter Rabbit-themed café has opened its doors in the Lake District.
Opened and run on-site by the World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere – it is the first official Peter Rabbit-themed café to open in Europe.
The eatery has been extensively decorated and boasts stained glass windows illustrating Mr McGregor’s chase through the garden after Peter Rabbit, a giant vegetable chandelier and 12 models of variations of the character, each standing at 50 centimetres high.
Watering cans suspended from ivy also spill light down over the cake counter and a rotating stage also features a watercolour scene from the books with projections and animations to entertain diners.
Music played in the background at the venue has also been specially chosen and composed exclusively for the café.
Visitors can also choose from a fully themed menu that makes reference to characters from the Peter Rabbit and friends universe.
Options range from Tom Kitten’s Hot Dog, to Mr McGregor’s bacon and egg sandwich, a Peter Rabbit pizza and Pigling Blank pancake stack.
Themed afternoon tea options are also available and vary from Mrs Tiggywinkle’s afternoon tea to Beatrix Potter’s High Tea and feature multiple themed sweet treats including Peter Rabbit carrot cake and Victoria sponge as well as Peter Rabbit shaped shortbreads.
All hot drinks are also Peter Rabbit themed and make use of Cumbrian coffee roasters.
A children’s menu is also available alongside activities like colouring to keep children entertained at the table. Placemats are also themed and feature facts about Beatrix Potter.
The café has been designed by international theatre set designer Roger Glossop with artist in residence Caroline Dalton who designed the interior and Tony nominated lighting designer Jason Taylor.
It is open every day from 10.30am until 4pm for brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, coffee and cakes. No booking is required.
Beatrix Potter’s The Tale of Peter Rabbit has been translated into 36 languages and over 45 million copies of the book have sold worldwide.
The story has an international fanbase – so much so, the popular rabbit was once used as a bank mascot in Japan. Another Peter Rabbit café also recently opened its doors in Singapore.
Beatrix Potter, who died in 1943, is widely considered a pioneer in licencing and merchandising and in 1903, she made Peter Rabbit the first literary character in the world to be licensed and turned into a doll.
In later years she went on to invent various merchandise including a Peter Rabbit board game and painting books featuring her characters.
Beatrix Potter also left over 4,000 acres of land and 15 farms to the National Trust and her books and illustrations are widely believed to have had a profound impact on the Lake District’s tourism and economic growth.
The World of Beatrix Potter attraction in Bowness first opened its doors in 1991 and draws in thousands of visitors from across the world every year.
