Gosberton family's dream of opening a tea room is taking shape
A family’s dream of opening a tea room for the community in Gosberton is really beginning to take shape.
Sapphira Waterson and husband Paul have been granted planning permission to turn the downstairs of their home, a 200-year-old former bakery in Wargate Way, into the tea room.
They hope to be able to open Victoria House Tearoom in the spring if COVID restrictions allow, offering freshly baked confectionery and light meals, speciality teas and fresh coffee.
“We’ve got the planning permission and have started taking the plaster off inside,” Sapphira explained. “We originally did a survey to see if anybody in the village would like a tea shop. We have lived here for three years and there is nothing.”
The response to the survey was an overwhelming ‘yes’.
“It used to be a bakery and I really feel like I am inside a shop when I am sitting in my living room,” she added. “My daughter will be joining us as the baker and will manage the tea shop.”
Daughter Jade Connolly-Beever set up her own business ‘Pretty Baked’ in Bourne after being made redundant due to the impact of the pandemic. Her bakes are available for delivery, along with afternoon teas, now available from Victoria House.
Sapphira, who has worked for the Armed Forces charity SSAFA , wants to turn the tea room into a community hub for groups and individuals, including military wives, and former military wives.
“We have applied for some funding to make sure we can put in some special facilities for groups. We also want to put in disabled toilets and make sure we have some really nice facilities for mums with prams,” she added.
Jade Connolly-Beever with her husband James and two children Bradley and Daisy. Jade will be cake maker and manager at the new Gosberton tea room. (44187015)
“We are hoping to open whenever we are allowed, possibly early or late spring, but we won’t do it until it is safe. People have been hit hard by this (the pandemic) so we want to support local growers and suppliers who can sell stuff inside.
“I think there are a lot of lonely people in the village and we will continue to deliver to people who cannot get out,” she added.
And the family hopes to be able to offer local job opportunities and an apprenticeship.