Martha’s Vintage Tea Room is Café of the Year 2014!

The tea room, situated on the High Street in Shefford, has been open for just one year as originally it was opened as a gift shop.

Sisters Caroline Grieg and Jackie Cook who own the tea room were delighted with winning the coveted prize.

Jackie said: “It’s absolutely fantastic for us. We actually started as a gift shop two years ago and people kept saying to us ‘why don’t you add a vintage tea room to the shop?’

“We’d never done anything like this before but we added the tea room and it has been absolutely incredible. People just love it so now it is a bit of a merging and the tea room is taking over half of the shop.

“It is amazing that we have suddenly won an award!”

The Tea Room beat Bar Salento, Café 8, Café Kidz, Café Mocha, Chunky’s, Coffee Licious, Gunn’s Bakery Tea Room, Mama’s Coffee Shop, Siggy’s Café, Southill Tea Rooms & Village Stores and Surfin’ Café to take the award.

When asked why the Tea Rooms were so popular, owner Jackie said: “It has a quirky personality, just the way we have pulled it together and because it has the shop it makes it even more quirky.

“Obviously I have to say the excellent food and the excellent service from our staff are what sets us apart as well!”

The popularity of the café was clear to see as visitors came and went during my short time at the tea room and were delighted with the service they received.

From teas and coffees, to jacket potatoes and sandwiches, everyone left happy with the polite and relaxed service they received.

Owner Jackie expressed her gratitude to those who voted for them to win the Cafe of the Year 2014 and couldn’t help but show off the framed certificate to her guests.

She said: “I would very much like to thank the people that voted for taking the time to support us. We are only as good as the people coming in the door so a huge thank you to everybody that’s supported us.”

She also thanked her sister Caroline: “She was the one who said we should do the Tea Room because she could cook and I have to say I was unsure about moving into catering but the risk has most definitely paid off.”

On leaving the café I came away with the impression that this is just the start of the journey for Martha’s Vintage Tea Room.