Whilst there are numerous positives about The Rheged Centre we were very disappointed to encounter no means for visitors to recycle their packaging after purchasing from The Deli. An extensive array of drinks in glass bottles and aluminium cans to buy but no means to separate these receptacles for recycling. These materials are prime for recycling - food on the go needs to be more sustainable - recycling provision is a key part of that. Visitors, particularly on their way to the enjoy the outdoor natural joys that the Lake District offer, want to look after that environment and do the right thing. I’d suggest introducing recycling provision for glass and cans - easily separable and understood by visitors. I hope you do. In the meantime we will take our glass bottles home for the bottle bank.

We called on the way home from a short break in Bassenthwaite with 7yr old Grandson. Breakfast stop he saw Pizza on menu so happy boy once ordered he watched it being made very chatty assistant. Adults breakfasts where very nice sausage bap & bacon bun very fresh & tasty. Pleasant friendly staff. Lots of different things to view.

We popped here after attending Potfest 2023. The centre is so cool, tucked away and concealed underground. Had a lovely meal at the café and had a bit of an explore. It only has a couple of shops, an art gallery and a cinema. Nice place to relax and take a break. If it were up to me I would have more shops and forego the (slightly pretentious) gallery/cinema (all kids films as it was half-term) but it's a nice venue.

Popped in on way back from a wee break in Cheshire for a light lunch and coffee. Order taken by Friendly and courteous staff and didn't have to wait too long for our freshly cooked meal which was brought to our table. Would've been 5 star review but disabled toilet was very tight for maneuvering a wheelchair

Stopped to use facilities and as usual wowed by the whole experience, lovely shops, ambience, deli and gorgeous food in the cafe. Judith in particular took time to help us to choose from the menu and was attentive and helpful. A great place to stop and take time to browse, eat or even catch a film!

This is a great place on the outskirts of Stainton village and is entered via the fuel station entrance on a small roundabout. The parking has recently become camera controlled and free for a more sensible 5 hours (it was only 3 hours until last week). A private parking company may sting you with a large speculative charge, aka a fine, beyond that. You can avoid that upset by registering your car number with them indoors. Instead of getting tethered outside, dogs are now allowed inside and when I was there owners were taking full advantage, some with several dogs each (great if you like dogs - not everyone does of course). The cinema consists of two screens - little and large. The much larger screen 1 is a joy to experience and so much nicer than the town cinema. I should mention the staff here too - a great friendly bunch, young and old alike. They seem to stay a long time too, which is not always the way in the hospitality industry. The staff are their best asset. There is an art gallery which is usually, but not always, free to enter. Artistic prints were on display this week. There is a downstairs cafe and kiddies play centre with a cafe upstairs, plus a self serve seating area with wifi and power points at the top of the escalator. Various gift shops and an outdoor shops are worth a wander in. Oh and did I mention the coffee's good?

We are sometimes drawn to the Rheged Cinema specifically for the good organic wine and large screen. The viewing time of 6.15pm brought us to the restaurant for an early and relatively healthy dinner and to really enjoy the experience as a family. We assumed 5.15pm on a Saturday was a safe bet for a restaurant to be opening! There were a few families with the same idea. The restaurant had closed at 5pm. We were encouraged to get fast food and little screw top bottles of wine from the shop, but decided to eat at home after the film. Just very disappointing. We were told that this was a triall run. I can see that it was probably done to reduce employment costs. Could the cafe at least be open for an extra hour, until 6pm? Or could there be healthier options and their range of wines be offered by the glass at the shop? ... where long queues were not encouraging.

We loved it here. Free parking and lots to see (our quick pitstop took a lot longer than expected!) The art exhibition was wonderful and we had a lovely tea. Shops great for a potter round.

There’s plenty of choice at the Rheged Centre from a superb deli, cafes, shops and an exhibition centre plus the possibility of various streamings so best to look online before visiting. Located just off the A66 and close to the M6 motorway, there’s a very large car park( free) and a nearby petrol station. We actually visited twice as our first visit coincided with a farmers market so everywhere was very busy and to a certain extent, staff in the cafe seemed overwhelmed at times. Having said that the cafe’s products are very good with hot or cold food available as well as a range of bakery items. Prices are reasonable and about average for the Lake District. There are several shops…clothes, gifts and children’s toys but prices seemed high. On the ground floor is an outdoor clothing etc shop but again prices seemed above average compared to shops in Keswick. On our visit there was a superb art exhibition which was well worth visiting. For future exhibitions, best to check out the website. For us, the stand out shop was the Deli…not to be missed! We believe people in Cumbria are extremely lucky to have such a facility. Highly recommended.

This has to be one of the most imaginative reworkings of an old quarry. We love the quality of the light from the high ceilings and the high standard of furnishings. The food shop was having a revamp when we visited but we usually buy a few things to take home. Very good coffee and cakes (a couple GF) and tempting-looking fresh scones. There's a good choice of hot dishes too. Friendly service, but they get understandably frustrated with visitors who just wander up to the counter without having first chosen a table.