The Rheged Centre

The Rheged Centre

The Rheged Centre
3.5
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Monday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Tuesday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Wednesday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Thursday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Friday
8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
8:30 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
About
Housed under a unique grass roof with a diverse programme of exhibitions, live streaming, film, family entertainment with a mix of shopping and dining experiences.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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  • Wildeurope
    Penrith, United Kingdom67 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Disappointing Cinema Trip
    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.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written March 10, 2024
  • happyseasidegirl
    359 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A lovely centre for art, coffee, shopping and cinema!
    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.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 23, 2024
  • Suratrichard
    Surat Thani, Thailand2,677 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cafes a deli and exhibitions
    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.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 20, 2024
  • Walking_Scot
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom249 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An excellent pit stop when travelling to or from the north Lakes
    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.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 23, 2024
  • Kathryn
    United Kingdom177 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place
    We have drove by so many times and never stopped in before but we did this time and what a great wee place. It is dog friendly mostly inside bar the cafe and a gallery but the shops and deli were fab. Also there is a cinema in there too!!
    Visited July 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written July 5, 2024
  • JBjor
    Nottingham, United Kingdom7 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Did not leave immediately
    A review to dispel the negative reviews. No pool of dog wee in entrance or anywhere else. No donkey tethering. No distressed children, most really happy. No spicy chilli soup served to toddlers. Plenty of staff in sight. House lights up. Cakes had domes. We are repeat customers. Did not leave immediately. Did not go to VUE in Carlisle.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written August 24, 2024
  • The Durham Traveller
    Durham, United Kingdom38 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lunch Pitstop
    Stopped with family for lunch today 1st September. I have to say the soup was lovely (Pea and Mint) and the selection of herbal teas was also very good. Toilet facilities were clean and fresh and parking was ample, my only observation would be more disabled bays would be ideal. Finally your serving colleagues were effective, efficient and friendly and would certainly recommend RHEGED as a pitstop enrolee to or from the National Park.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written September 1, 2024
  • Christine C
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cafe ok but attention to detail needed.
    Was meeting friends for lunch. It was a Tuesday and busier than expected. You choose a table then go to the tills to order and pay for your meal. The meal is brought to the table when ready. 1) First we had to hunt down a clean table so maybe more staff on at peak times? 2) Sitting down at a freshly cleared table, it was still wet. I had visions of it being wiped down with a grubby rag and was reluctant to put anything on it. 3) The menus were a bit worn and grubby. Not surprising as some diners take the menus to the tills for reference when ordering. It just added an unhygienic feel to the experience. Just a couple of changes such as laminated menus or (if the menus are changed frequently) a perspex cover and more attention to table cleaning would dramatically improve the dining experience..
    Visited October 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written October 9, 2024
  • Naomi E
    Carrbridge, United Kingdom33 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Could be better
    The food is delicious, as you would expect from the Westmorland chain. But the set up is not family friendly. The cafe by the soft play doesn’t serve lunch. We were told we could bring food up from downstairs, but then told we couldn’t take food out of the cafe. And the deli doesn’t have a kids menu - “try the petrol station”. Except all the sandwiches are made with butter, and my daughter is dairy allergic. Seriously, who puts butter in a tuna mayo sandwich? Fortunately the soup was dairy free. But I don’t think we’ll be stopping here on our way home.
    Visited December 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written December 28, 2024
  • angelawA6201UJ
    487 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great centre
    We visited here between Christmas and New Year to see The Everest Exhibition. It was excellent - ÂŁ5 each, U16 free. We had a drink and a snack from the deli which was delicious. This centre has clean, accessible toilets. There are also a few shops.
    Visited December 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written December 30, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles1,052 reviews
Excellent
351
Very good
304
Average
187
Poor
110
Terrible
100

Englishlakedistrict
Lake District, UK413 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
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?
Written December 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sally G
166 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Family
We came for the Great Print exhibition and stayed for lunch. The exhibition was interesting in that it included videos and explanations of how the various prints were made. It was also free. The lunch menu was reasonably priced and there was a children's menu (though we didn't use it) A neighbouring table mentioned to the waiter that their coffees were cool and they were immediately replaced. I always think that how a place deals with complaints says a lot. Not our first visit and won't be our last.
Written April 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

amdgriggs
Sheffield, UK1,690 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022 • Couples
This was our first time at Rheged to see a film and it’s a great venue. The big screen and steeply tiered seats give everyone an excellent view and the seats are spacious and comfortable too. Particularly good for watching a film as visually arresting and powerful as Kenneth Branagh’s semi autobiographical film Belfast - it made me want to applaud loudly at the end though I regret didn’t do so quickly enough before people started to leave. Reasonable prices too, booked seats still reasonably well spaced to reduce infection risks, and convenient parking outside. It’s an attractive alternative to the small cinema in Penrith or the cinema attached to Zeffirelli’s in Ambleside. We’re very happy to recommend it.
Written February 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback. We are pleased to hear you enjoyed your recent visit to Rheged. We do look forward to welcoming you back to enjoy another film in our cinema when you are next visiting. Many thanks, Glenn
Written February 22, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Alex H
14 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
This is a review of two halves. It was a rainy day and we decided to come here to the cinema. Really good value for four of us to go to the cinema and we enjoyed the film.
The cafe on the other hand was really poor, we found a table and were told that food would be 40 minutes. When we got through the queue to order we were told that they were “taking a break from doing food” as they were busy. It was 13:10, so lunch time. A ridiculous scenario, if you can’t service the number of tables you have then don’t do food. It is expensive but for a day out you can maybe accept it.
So in summary the Cinema is great, the cafe is a shocker.
Written August 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Neil C
Carlisle, UK117 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
Describing the Rheged Centre is difficult, since it comprises so many different elements (soft play, cinema, shops, art gallery, filling station, etc). Individually, each of these elements is impressive, and collectively it's become one of our favourite places to visit. It's spotlessly clean and full of character, with a spectacular subterranean setting in a cave, and lovely food served in the ground floor cafe. Prices are extremely high - you'll pay ÂŁ5 for a loaf of artisan bread or ÂŁ11 to decoupage a cardboard cat - and we were turned away from the soft play on our last visit because it was full, so book activities in advance. Also register with the WiFi as soon as you arrive, because there's no phone signal once you're underground.

A word of caution regarding the car park: the upper areas have blind bends which are taken at inappropriate speed by motorists unfamiliar with all the twists and turns. It's too easy to pull out in front of an approaching vehicle obscured by soft landscaping and sharp corners, and there are no pavements for pedestrians, so be hyper-vigilant behind the wheel.
Written September 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rhys T
Hexham, UK11 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Confusing for dog owners! No signs explain the rules. One very friendly staff member at the gallery was helpful. One staff member at the cafe was rude, argumentative and unhelpful.

You can’t eat at the cafe with a dog (fair enough but no signs), can’t take cafe food to the dog area. You can take deli food to dog area, but they’d sold out of warm food. Can’t take dogs to gallery area (fair enough, but no signs). Can take dogs in some shops not all shops but no signs!

Such a missed opportunity for this high-end cafe come gallery for the Radio 4 audience/ Waitrose shopper clientele.
Written July 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sally N
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
Very much enjoyed the super exhibition of "Forty Farms" currently being displayed. We thought it would be good to round off with a lunch in the cafe. We ordered soup and 2 meals but after waiting 40 minutes, seeing people immediately before us in the queue and those behind us and even a lady who arrived 10-15 minutes after us being served we asked a waitress where our 2 soups were. She checked but nothing. We explained about the people we had seen served, as before, and she disagreed and said that all orders were taken in order. Obviously they were not and our order must have been lost. We got a refund but "sorry about that" was the indifferent apology and no explanation or attempt to placate us or put things right. Needless to say, we won't be eating there again.
Written October 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

neenardeedar
County Durham, UK28 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Family
Arrived to have lunch with friends and use soft play. Surprised to see the whole area remodelled. Now an art gallery and expensive pottery shop, new, small, bland play area which was fully booked for the next 2 sessions. Not many children in it so numbers to fill must be very limited. So then looked at the long queue for lunch and decided to grab a packet of crisps and go elsewhere. Cheapest small packet was ÂŁ1.10 but after 10 minutes in the queue, we gave up and left. Goodness knows how the place manages in the busy summer period. Avoid unless you want a painting or a bit of pottery!
Written October 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Many thanks for taking the time to leave your honest feedback. Rheged has been open 20 plus years now and was in need of a facelift so when we closed due to COVID-19 we took the opportunity to do this. Since re-opening this year we have seen unprecedent visitor numbers, coupled with the most acute hospitality staff shortages; something we know is an issue throughout the country. This does unfortunately mean that we've seen bigger queues than we'd like; though we do still endeavour to move people through the building as quickly as we can. We are still currently running with a limit on the number of children who can use Indoor Play so we can clean the space in between sessions; its something we introduced amidst the pandemic and something we want to continue with for the time being. Regarding things to do at Rheged we do have a number of shops other than our gallery and pottery. Our Toy shop is still with us along with our Clothing & Wellbeing shop, our outdoor shop and not forgetting our giant Cinema screen showing the latest releases. To keep up to date with our latest events at please visit Rheged.com We do hope to welcome you back in the future. Many thanks, Glenn
Written November 8, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

rekso
35 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2021 • Family
Had to write a review as if I had just gone off the older reviews I wouldn't have taken my 3 and 5 yr olds.
We hadn't planned to go here but seeing storm Arwen had hit it Limited us to our normal places in the Lakes.
Firstly the soft play was immaculate. The girl working was sanitising everything between sessions and each session was bookable online to limit numbers. There was enough to keep my two occupied for the hour (and that is saying something). There were safety gates so the children couldn't just come out and a lovely little cafe that was right outside the play area but open so you could see and speak to your child.
All in all one of the better soft play areas for cleanliness, safety and being able to keep a watchful eye open !!
Parking was free and generous and another lovely, bigger cafe downstairs.
Written November 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write us your lovely review. We're really pleased to hear that you and your family enjoyed your visit, and that we could provide some shelter from the storm! I hope you'll come back again soon, to discover even more of our offer. Many thanks, Rachel.
Written December 7, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MikeTCumbria
Cumbria, UK219 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Solo
Interesting Everest exhibition in a good gallery space. Live relays of opera are always enjoyable. Decent cafe which served me a good cappuccino and a good soup, marred only by a dry and mediocre cheese scone
Written January 23, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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