Popular cafe with hundreds of teapots gets a new look

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

The Tea Pot Cafe in Plowright Place, Swaffham, has just reopened following a refurbishment that saw the whole look of the business completely change.

The new cafe now features a brand-new serving counter complete with perspex screens to keep staff and customers safe, fresh paint, new blinds, and a mural painted by a local artist.

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Owner Sandra Berryman Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

Owner of the cafe, Sandra Berryman, 50, said the work made the cafe feel more “warm and homely”, with customers giving lots of compliments.

“People are loving it,” said Mrs Berryman, who has been running the cafe for five years. “We have had lots of compliments from all of out customers, especially on the new mural that was painted by Rachel Haistead.

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. (Left) Trisha Barrett, Sandra Berryman and Denise Exley. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

“Everything was looking a little bit sorry for itself so we decided to have some work done as we had been working so hard through lockdown.

“We reinvested money into the business and it looks brilliant.”

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

Mrs Berryman, who lives in mid Norfolk, bought the cafe back in February 2015 after working in the catering industry for many years.

When she bought the premises she also inherited around 400 teapots, something the 50-year-old was unsure about at first.

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

“The teapots have grown on me over my years here, it’s something that attracts people to coming here,” she said.

“Customers often bring us teapots to put in the shop but we have ran out of room!”

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

During coronavirus lockdown the team at the cafe offered an afternoon tea takeaway service along with its normal takeaway options.

Since restrictions were lifted by the government and children went back to school, the business has seen a decline in footfall.

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

Mrs Berryman said: “It has been very hard for us as a business over the last few months, I don’t know what exactly has caused it but I think it’s a mix of people going back to work, children going back to school and people being too scared to leave their homes.

“I have had to reduce the hours of all my staff to part-time just so we can keep them all.

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)

“I can’t thank our customers both loyal and new enough for helping us over the last few months, it’s so important for people to support independent businesses.”

Tea Pot Cafe in Swaffham has just just finished a refurbishment of their Grade II Listed building. They completed the work during lock down. Tea Pot's famous scones. Pictures: BRITTANY WOODMAN (Image: Archant)