Kevin Tickle reveals details of Cumbria restaurant ahead of opening

Chef Kevin Tickle has revealed his new inn with rooms in Cumbria will be called Heft, in recognition of his family’s ties to the area.

Kevin and wife Nicola collected the keys to 17th-century inn in Newton-in-Cartmel in August and are planning a complete refurbishment, which will include the site's six guest bedrooms.

The name of the inn is taken from the phenomenon of hefted sheep, which roam around Cartmel Fell and have, over successive generations, learned to graze in their own areas throughout the year, without the need for boundaries.

The homing instinct of the hefted sheep resonated with the couple, who both grew up in the area and are now raising their own family there.

They said: “We wanted to make it ours and create an identity for the inn that meant something specifically to us and in turn would come to mean something to the people who visit and stay with us.

“We chose to use the farming term ‘heft’, because it refers to a place that keeps being returned to time and time again by successive generations.

“That’s exactly what we want to see happen here. We are in this for the long haul and want to be able to pass a legacy onto our two kids. Hopefully, people will understand what we are trying to achieve here and will approve of the name we’ve chosen and why we’ve chosen it.’’

Kevin previously spent nine years working with Simon Rogan before moving on to take the position of head chef at the Forest Side in Grasmere, where he won a Michelin star within eight months of opening.

The chef has been refining his menus for Heft, which he describes as “modern British”, showcasing the finest produce from Cumbria and beyond. As well as a fine dining restaurant, the inn will incorporate a bar serving local beers, as well as old and new world wines, accompanied by a menu of seasonal small plates.