AN artisan café that was closed for refurbishment has officially reopened.

The Chocolate Room in Dalton, which was closed for the entire month, reopened on Wednesday, January 24, after replacing the roof and the floor in the upstairs area. A new staircase was also added to the inside of the building.

The establishment was meant to open on January 19 but the roof repairs were behind schedule due to the bad weather conditions. 

Suzy Bennett, owner of the Chocolate Room, said: "It is a really old building. The roof has been leaking and we have not been able to do the work inside that we wanted to do because we needed to get the roof done, but now it is finished."

The Mail: New floor upstairs.New floor upstairs. (Image: Submitted)

The owner said she was looking forward to seeing customers' reactions to the change and hopes they like it.

She added: "The way we are trying to refurbish the building, we are trying to keep some of the character and obviously modernise it at the same time, so the things we choose we hope they reflect that. Hopefully, we got it right, and people will like it."

The Chocolate Room and Kitchen in Station Road, Dalton, was launched in May 2017 under the expertise of fine-dining chef Anthony Bennett and wife Suzie.

Commenting on The Chocolate Room's social media, Facebook users have already expressed their excitement about seeing the renovations.

One follower said: "Looking forward to seeing it. The pop-up nights are fabulous."

Another said: "It's so nice to see people investing and making the town a better place. Well done, see you soon."

"Great job. The decor looks top-notch and is an ideal place to meet and chat. Authentic on the outside and modern on the inside," said one of the page followers.

The Chocolate Room offers tea, coffee, homemade cakes, breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes.