Unpretentious but forward-reaching, which is a little scarce in Cumbria
The first fact you need to know about Lounge on the Green at Houghton, on the outskirts of Carlisle, is that it is very much in England. It’s a full eight miles from the “Welcome to Scotland” sign. “So, you’re being petty,” you may be thinking. “It’s basically a Scottish restaurant near Gretna Green, right?” To which I say, “You fundamentally misunderstand Border people.”
Carlisle is fiercely English. And no, this is not petty at all. We are still in deep umbrage with Gretna over Malcolm III’s invasion in 1061. Meanwhile, Gretna is still livid over multiple historical slights, not least of which is a period circa 1982 when Russ Abbot’s CU Jimmy character led to coachloads of English tourists at Gretna Services, bleating unintelligible faux-Scots and wearing ginger wigs attached to tartan bonnets.
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