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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Helena Vesty

Ramsbottom's Chocolate Cafe has had a makeover - complete with a cocoa tree and children's play area

The Chocolate Cafe has been a hit for more than 10 years, serving up Instagram-worthy sweet treats to dessert lovers in the quaint setting of a former pub in Ramsbottom.

Now under completely new ownership, the cafe has had a makeover - sporting a huge cocoa tree in the middle of the cafe.

Along with the design changes, the cafe will even be getting a menu featuring chocolate tapas and chocolate gin.

With sleek new decor, including exposed brick, wooden storage and Victorian-era furniture, the transformation of the cafe has been inspired by Ramsbottom's industrial heritage.

The new decor is inspired by Ramsbottom's heritage (Manchester Evening News)

The big relaunch is scheduled to happen on Tuesday. The man behind the changes is incoming owner Philip Hargreaves, 43, who bought the business back in August.

Mr Hargreaves is a local to Ramsbottom, living in Tottington, and has been a customer of The Chocolate Cafe for years.

He gave up his job as a travel boss at Booking.com to give the Bury cafe a new lease of life.

There is a brand new dining area for adults (Manchester Evening News)

Mr Hargreaves, who has also run restaurants at Debenhams, told the MEN: "The cafe has been very close to the community and was quite famous when it first opened in 2008. Everyone was so proud of it, I want to bring that back.

"We're dog friendly, but they'll have to be careful of the tree!" (Manchester Evening News)

"I saw it as a really good opportunity, I really wanted to reinvigorate the cafe. I felt like the cafe deserved that.

"It's got untapped potential."

The Chocolate Cafe is prepping for Easter (Manchester Evening News)

The first floor of the cafe now has a dedicated children's play area which is already open for business.

The ground floor of the cafe is now aimed at adults, in the hope of giving stressed out parents a much-needed break.

Mr Hargreaves said: "We renovated the upstairs as soon as we got the cafe.

"The second part of the plan was to create a more adult environment downstairs.

"We have been popular with mums and they need some time off. The kids can play in the children's area while the parents can get a coffee.

The selection of treats is huge (Manchester Evening News)

"We have got a responsibility to the community. That is why we put the kids space upstairs. It can be really difficult to have time to yourself.

"It's also important because elderly people can't get up the stairs. We are an old pub and we don't have a lift so we have created this space downstairs.

"We are dog friendly as well, but they might have to be careful around the new tree!"

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