A first look inside has revealed what one of County Durham's newest venues looks like - and what you can expect.

El Castillo in Bishop Auckland opened earlier this month bringing a flavour of the Iberian peninsula to the historic market town.

Owners say they combine the rich flavours of Spanish cuisine with the best our region has to offer.

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The former Bishop Barrington School building has been stylishly decked out with tasteful tiles that, after a recent visit, Northern Echo reviewer Chris Lloyd, said ‘might have come from the palace at Alhambra in Andalusia’.

El Castillo offers four meat plates, four fish plates and six potato and vegetable dishes, which range in price from £6.50 to £9.

A family party of four diners might be advised to order between eight and ten plates, which equates to about £15 each for a main course.

Diners can expect a changing menu of ‘unfussy, flavourful small plates celebrating seasonal ingredients’.

The restaurant’s website says: “Our chefs cook with the freshest produce, much of which is grown in the 17th-century Walled Garden at Auckland Castle.”

We took a look inside

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

The Northern Echo: Picture: SARAH CALDECOTTPicture: SARAH CALDECOTT

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