The Running Fox welcomes customers after a successful opening day in Powburn

Kris Blackburn, who owns The Running Fox café chain, is working as part of a 50/50 collaboration to operate the pub and café from one building.

Staff welcomed first time customers yesterday with a reduced menu to start off with as the team gets used to their new layout.

The Powburn site follows the closure of the Shilbottle Fox, which Kris decided to close after she was unable to renew a viable lease for the property, and the whole Shilbottle team relocated to Powburn or one of the other Foxes.

After a busy first day, customers were eager to leave their feedback on Facebook, with one user saying: "My dad had a bacon sandwich and coffee this morning and declared it first rate.”

Another wrote: “We went today it was good, the food the atmosphere and the staff. Highly recommended.”

Speaking on their opening, Kris said: "I was very sad to let Shilbottle go but that was purely a business decision that I had to make. Powburn is a very prominent site and another lovely Northumbrian village. The pub is doing really well and there seems to be a bit of a buzz in the air about the coffee shop.

"It is always nerve wracking and I guess you're never really sure how things are going to go. But I'm just really hopeful that people will come and visit. Everybody seems to be very fond of the Running Fox now so I really hope that they'll come and see what a lovely site this is.”

By day, The Plough Inn operates as ‘The Running Fox at The Plough’, the same as the other five Running Fox outlets in Felton, Longframlington, Longhoughton and Kirharle, but with some new ideas.

By night, it reverts to its traditional pub role under publicans Paul and Sarah, who also operate The Ale Gate in Alnwick.