The opening of a new restaurant at Kendal's K-Village shopping centre has been described as "the first step in the centre's regeneration".
The shopping centre had been struggling in recent years, was bought out of administration four months ago.
The opening of the Mediterranean-themed Terrazzo restaurant a has already been credited for the recent upturn in visitor numbers.
Dozens of invited guests turned out for the launch of Terrazzo, including Mayor of Kendal Chriss Hogg, chairman of Kendal Futures Peter Hensman and Derek Armstrong, South Cumbria director of Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
Also present at the launch on October 14th, was Miles Allen, director of Lou Kendal, which bought K Village out of administration.
The restaurant is run by Grange-based catering specialists Karen and Phil Rhodes, and has created 22 new jobs.
Karen said: “We expected several months of hard graft before the restaurant became viable, but it has been an immediate success, attracting office workers, mums with their children and diners all day long.
“We had been in talks for a couple of years with the administrators, but when Lou Kendal bought the complex, things moved really fast.
“I thought we would make a go of it, but we never expected to be so busy. Everyone has been really supportive, with lots of locals saying it is just what this end of town needed.”
Centre Manager Mandy Dixon, said: “A catering offer was seen as absolutely vital to improving footfall to the centre as well as the time they spent shopping here. It is an essential part of marketing to the group travel trade.”