A pop up bar in a rural Cumbrian community could be set to become a permanent fixture after going from strength to strength.

The new local at Nicholforest Village Hall, north of Longtown, was set up by 24-year-old Becky Housden when the nearby Bridge Inn at Penton closed to undergo a major renovation in January.

Six months on, Becky's Pop Up Bar, which opens from 5pm on Thursdays and Fridays, now sees about 60 people every week make the most of what it has to offer.

"For just a small community, it's absolutely brilliant," said Becky, who was surprised at how it has taken off.

Initially she planned to close the temporary bar when the pub reopened.

But after being asked by a few people to keep it open, it is something she is considering.

"If they will still come I will still open it," she said. "I'm not really doing it for the hours, I'm doing it for the people really.

"I'm just going to see how it goes."

Realising there was a need for it, Becky, who worked at the Bridge Inn for four years and works at Rowbeck Equines, took it upon herself to set something up at the hall.

"The locals were worried about losing the pub," she said.

"There are a lot of people in the area who wouldn't normally mix if it wasn't for a pub.

"We get such a range of people coming in. There are people who come who didn't come to the pub.

"There's quite a lot of new faces."

She added that the pop-up bar has attracted more women than she ever saw in the pub.

Ian Hunt, 48, of Catlowdy, said: "It's a community thing. You get a chance to get together and have a chat with folk.

"We have still got a general meeting place. In a way it's not like a pub.

"We thought it was a needed thing to have in the community."

He added: "It started in the long, dark winter nights.

"It's a really good community asset and it seems to work quite well.

"The regular showing of people shows there is a need for it."

Becky's bar has also brought benefits to the hall itself, with it brought into use two nights a week.

Anne Carlyle, an active member of the village hall committee, said: "Our area is a very scattered rural area and over the years having had the closure of the school, village shop and post office, the only meeting place left in the community was the pub.

"When it closed at the beginning of January, we all talked about getting together in the hall, but it was Becky who took it upon herself to open up Becky's Pop up Bar.

"The pop up bar is well supported by the locals, with everybody being ready for a drink by Thursday night and to catch up on the weekly gossip.

"All in all, very well done to Becky and the locals for their continued support."

Anne added that it was a great asset for the community in helping reduce rural isolation the same way the monthly soup kitchen does.

A number of local events have been arranged as a result of the pop up bar, including a quad bike competition which raised £500 for the hall and is now set to become an annual event.

The pop up bar, supported by CAMRA, serves a selection of local ales from Corby Brewery - and Becky is looking to source some cider from Langholm.

Meanwhile Becky has established a portable bar which can be set up for local events.

Food is also available on Friday nights.

Reverting back to it's former name, the Pentonbridge Inn is set to reopen following an extensive refurbishment in September.

It is being run by husband and wife chef duo Jake and Cassie White, who headed one of celebrity chef Marcus Wareing's London restaurants.

The couple, who worked as head chef and pastry chef at Marcus at The Berkeley Hotel in London, want to shake up Cumbria's dining scene by bringing an exciting new dining experience to this rural area.

It will comprise a main dining room with 45 covers, along with a separate pub area and conservatory.

Meat will be locally sourced and fruit and veg will come from a Victorian kitchen garden at nearby Netherby Hall, which, along with the pub, is owned by Gerald and Margo Smith.

A dog-friendly bar will serve local ales and offer a more informal menu of classic pub dishes.