Tapas bar to open in Carnforth hotel

The latest development in a million pound refurbishment of a Carnforth hotel is the opening of a tapas bar.
Chef Pablo Marcelo Vignolo, from Alicante in Spain.Chef Pablo Marcelo Vignolo, from Alicante in Spain.
Chef Pablo Marcelo Vignolo, from Alicante in Spain.

For the past two-and-a-half years the Royal Station Hotel has been gradually brought back to life after being left to fall into ruin.

Owners Glen Pearson and Maggie Dainty have been completing one project after another in a bid to transform the landmark hotel into an establishment that caters for all.

The new tapas restaurant.The new tapas restaurant.
The new tapas restaurant.
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The latest project they are proud to announce is the transformation of the hotel bar into a tapas restaurant, which will be called Estacion de Tapas.

Mr Pearson said: ”We have known for a while that we have wanted to open a tapas bar in Carnforth and once we started talking about it we knew it was something that would be popular because it started to gain a lot of interest.”

Work on Estacion de Tapas began six months ago and during this time Mr Pearson and Miss Dainty have also been on the hunt for a Spanish chef to ensure the cuisine they would be serving would be traditional in every way.

Miss Dainty said: “We had a very clear vision in mind and as the pieces started falling together we realised that for the food to be excellent and to be at a high standard we needed someone who could design the menu as well as cook it so we started contacting agencies in Spain.”

Some of the food on offer.Some of the food on offer.
Some of the food on offer.
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Their hunt led them to chef Pablo Marcelo Vignolo, from Alicante in Spain. Pablo arrived in the UK on Tuesday January 8 and since then has been fine-tuning the menu alongside head chef Brian Maidment, in anticipation for the grand opening on Friday January 25.

Pablo has worked in restaurants all over the world with his career taking him to Switzerland, San Francisco and Brazil.

Mr Vignolo said: “I was made to feel at home from my very first day here and have enjoyed creating the menu for Estacion de Tapas.

“There is so much creative freedom with Tapas that it gives you the opportunity to try new things. I love cooking and I love mixing things up but most of all I love it when people enjoy the food I have prepared – it makes you strive to be the best.”

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Work on the Royal Station Hotel has so far seen all 18 bedrooms renovated, the restaurant, the ballroom and the bar refurbished, the front entrance modernized and an outdoor area overlooking the railway station being built - which is due to reach completion soon.

Upcoming projects will include a brand new kitchen, toilet block and the instalment of a lift.