BACON-flavoured milkshake anyone? If it's pure food and drink indulgence in some wacky combinations and a quirky cafe setting you're after, then Richard Wilson and Neil Senior are confident they've got it covered.

Since opening The Cake 'Ole in Skipton's Craven Court Shopping Centre in May, the pair have created a major buzz in just a few weeks as word of their creative combinations has spread.

Richard and Neil both previously worked in finance, but had no hesitation in following their instincts and starting their business in Skipton.

Says Neil: "We did a lot of market research before choosing here and we looked at opening in several other towns. But we definitely got it right with Skipton. There's a very real community spirit here and the four market days certainly help to bring people into the town. We had outstanding help from our landlords to get everything up and running in just three weeks. And it couldn't have gone better so far - we're already seeing regular customers coming in."

Neil puts down the cafe's rapid success to offering "something very different" in a town that is well-served with tea rooms and food retailers. And you only have to step through the door to see how different it is, with its restored furniture, unusual decor and deliberately mismatched china. Or if you fancy afternoon tea at 9.30 in the morning.

Richard explains: "We want the Cake 'Ole to be all about indulging yourself, about it being a real a treat. Some customers tell us they have travelled in from some distance to see what we're about. That's good for us, and it's good for other retailers too. Everything is sourced locally - we use chutneys and pickles from Relish in Skipton on our paninis , for example, as well as local butchers and bakers."

As well as savoury paninis, The Cake 'Ole goes in for sweet paninis too, with peanut butter and jam or double chocolate apparently particular favourites. And the cafe's most popular seller in its first few weeks has been Rainbow Cake, which with six layers seems to be indulgent enough for anyone!

Neil says: "Customers have been coming in first thing in the morning to try it, just in case we sell out later. It's been wildly popular and seems to have captured people's imagination. As have some of our 'twisted' milkshakes - the Jammie Dodger and 'Squealer' bacon flavours have really intrigued people."

Intriguing too is the range of teas and coffees, and other drinks, including Blue Lady tea (scented with grapefruit) or Formosa Gunpowder green tea, or coffees flavoured with gingerbread, vanilla or green mint. The Cake 'Ole has also revived memories with some of highly nostalgic classic drinks brought in - Bovril, Ovaltine and hot Vimto.

Neil adds: "I think we're the only cafe in Skipton that offers loose leaf tea, certainly in mismatched china cups. We are trying to bring in some originality and some creative thinking, but above all we want people coming to the Cake 'Ole to have an enjoyable - and indulgent - experience."