Volunteers at a West Cumbrian gallery are set to welcome customers to a renovated studio after taking the opportunity to spruce up their area during lockdown.

The Lowes Court Gallery on Main Street, Egremont, will reopen this week, after months of renovation work that has been carried out by volunteers.

Displays have been refreshed ready for its reopening.

Gareth Harrison, from the gallery said: “Lowes Court are very pleased to be able to reopen following the recent lockdown.

“However, it has given the gallery an opportunity to finish much needed repairs and maintenance to the Grade 2 listed property.

“This includes a complete new roof, the fixing of several leaks in the structure, and new paintwork both inside and out.”

Roof repairs are now complete, along with a lime rendered chimney, new back door and rear window, at a joint cost of just under £16,000.

Inside, the ceiling and rafters have been repaired and repainted, along with other painting and repair jobs by volunteers Sheila Moffat, chairman at Lowes Court Gallery and her husband John, assisted by director Tim Barlow, and his wife Lesley.

Gallery staff have refreshed the craft displays and artwork ready for Spring, including a whole upstairs room now devoted to artworks on a Cumbrian theme.

Sue Cole, from the gallery said: “We could not carry on without the help of our volunteers, helping both behind the scenes and manning the gallery itself.

“It is our mission to keep the building going, all money generated from the gallery goes into the building itself. Crofters and artists from Cumbria can exhibit for a fee.

“We are all volunteers and just exist to fulfil the role to display and keep the building going.”

The gallery is reopening on Tuesday April 13, with the first feature wall display opening on April 27.

The feature wall will display the work of artist Ellen Phillips, who is from the Millom area. Ellen is an illustrative painter who works mainly in watercolour and gouache, and is inspired by a love of nature, classical music and literature.

There will be plenty of new art and craft work to see in the gallery.

Gallery opening times will be Tuesdays to Saturdays inclusively from 10am until 1.30pm initially.

Full Covid regulations will apply, so use of face masks, social distancing, use of hand sanitizer and so on will take place.

The gallery is still selling goods via its facebook page and are delivering locally for products costing £20 and more, see their Facebook page for more details.