A lounge bar on Cheshire West’s coastline has added to a chain’s accolades for excellence.

Elephant Lounge and Bar in Parkgate has been chosen by Boughton’s Coffee House magazine, said to be probably the leading magazine in the business, for inclusion in a list of the top 21 coffee houses in the UK.

According to the magazine, there are around 16,000 coffee outlets in the country, many of which are worthy of recognition.

For their 100th edition they put together an expert panel to select those which deserved recognition for outstanding achievements.

Owners Emma and Adam Mitchell, both coffee-loving and self-confessed foodies, were commended for their espressos, made from a unique coffee bean blend with a hint of cinnamon and spice and their specially created cocktails, beers and wine from around the world.

The Elephant Coffee Shop and Bar in Parkgate which is shortlisted for a top national design award

The premises, occupying the ground floor of a three-storey listed building, also serve food.

Speaking after the magazine’s publication, Emma Mitchell told Neston’s About My Area website: “We are over the moon and very flattered to be included within the top 21 out of 16,000 in the country.

“It’s great to have all of our hard work recognised and I would like to congratulate the Elephant Team for making it all possible.”

The growing Elephant chain started life as a single coffee shop on Neston High Street in 2013 with Emma and Adam, an unlikely combination of an honours graduate in Spanish and a building services engineer, describing the atmosphere there as ‘a key part of Elephant Coffee’.

They added: “We love the ‘theatre’ involved in making espresso-based drinks, the sounds of a traditional espresso machine, the aroma of the coffee, the hustle and bustle of the morning rush and the sweet smell of freshly baked pastries.”

The Elephant Lounge and Bar in Parkgate on Cheshire Wests coastline has added to the chain's accolades for excellence

The Parkgate outlet in the village’s conservation area opened in August 2014 and The Bank, a pizza restaurant and bar, is due to open in the former Natwest Bank branch at The Cross in Neston this Autumn.

Elephant has previously gained a Café Society award for best independent coffee shop for the High Street branch with Parkgate shortlisted for best design in the newly-named Café Life awards where it is already one of only six finalists in the UK.