A LITTLE bit of Switzerland has come to East Lancashire with the opening of a new café bistro.

Around £700,000 has been invested in the development of a cafe and rooftop terrace at Ski Rossendale, in Rawtenstall.

The development at the former council-owned slope will offer seating for 94 people with stunning views of the slopes and surrounding hills. The café will open from Sunday, February 17, with the specialist bistro set to open in March.

One of the directors, Sue Foulkes, said: “The Hill is one of the biggest and best dry ski slopes in England and now we have facilities that the public expect, and we feel it is a worthwhile investment.”

The new building has been sympathetically clad in wood so it complements the existing buildings and creates an Alpine feel, bosses say.

It has also created a new and much larger ski hire area including changing rooms, with a larger reception area to allow visitors to get kitted out in comfort with direct access to the slopes.

The total cost, including improvements to the beginner and improver slopes, will be more than £700,000, with the majority of money provided by a Sport England grant in partnership with Rossendale Council.

Two of the directors of The Hill, Sue and Steve Foulkes, have invested £275,000 since 2011.

Sue added: “The new building has been in the planning since 2014 and it was the first-ever time that Sport England had provided a grant to refurbish facilities.”

Rossendale Council leader Alyson Barnes said: “This development means The Hill is able to offer even more to people who live in the valley and around Lancashire and makes visiting Rossendale even more exciting.”

Rick Madden, from Ramsbottom, visits The Hill every week with his children Max, six, and Cooper, seven..

He said: “The new bistro is outstanding and adds to the experience. I always like that it looks like a ski resort because of the buildings."