A TEAROOM and quirky antiques shop set to open at Eggleston Hall will create “the perfect trio of attractions” says café owner.
Mum-of-one Laura Lambert is busy putting the finishing touches to the Coach House Antiques and Tearoom located in the grounds of the 19th century country home at Eggleston, ready for the grand opening on Sunday (March 16).
Originally from Darlington, Ms Lambert had been living and working at Ellerton Abbey, near Richmond for the last eight years.
It is not her first venture in hospitality. Six years ago, she set up Mrs Pomfrey’s Tearoom, at Ellerton Abbey, named after a character from the James Herriott books and television series.
She said: “We opened Mrs Pomfrey’s in 2019. I called it that as they used to film James Herriott at the Abbey and everything about her fitted what I wanted to do – olde world crockery, great homemade food and just a fun place to visit. Then covid happened. But we got up and running afterwards and we were a big pull and very popular. Our social media page had more than 4,500 followers.
“We were open three days a week and it was a beautiful destination for people to come to.
“My whole family lived and worked there. We had different businesses, but the trust that owns the Abbey decided to sell, so we were not only out of our homes but our businesses as well.”
Since closing the business in September, Ms Lambert had been working at The Witham café in Barnard Castle, but after learning the Coach House at Eggleston Hall, which closed two years ago, she jumped at the opportunity.
She said: “How we see it now is that was our practise run, and the Coach House will be our future.”
Similar to her original tearoom, food will be served on quirky crockery reminiscent of a bygone era and there will be a delectable selection of cakes, freshly baked scones as well as sharing platters on the menu.
Ms Lambert said: “We will be doing afternoon teas, all day breakfasts using freshly sourced meat, but we will also do vegan specials as well.
“When the weather gets nicer, we plan on doing a range of milkshakes and smoothies as well with a few little events, but at the moment we are just concentrating on getting everything ready to be open – we have some painting to finish and stuff to move over but there will be lots of home cooked food and that’s when I will be in my happy place.”
While Ms Lambert will concentrate on the tearoom her father Mick will run the antiques side of the business.
She said: “We are a nice trio of businesses at the Hall now – the antiques, the tearoom and the gardens. They all work well together and since we have been here getting things ready, we have got to know a lot of the customers that come to the gardens, and they are really looking forward to us being open.
“My daughter Lyra who is four and a half years old is really looking forward to the tearoom being open and she is desperate to do some waitressing, but I have three ladies from the village who are coming to work with me.”
The Coach House Antiques and Tearoom grand opening will take place on Sunday, March 16, when there will be face painting.
Opening hours after that will be Wednesday to Sunday from 10am until 4pm.
