The new owner of a popular Kenilworth craft and gift boutique is set to reopen the renovated shop next week with a new tea room.

Now named The Farthing Gallery and Tea Room, the High Street shop was taken over by Kate Greevy at the start of May.

Having been on the lookout for a shop of her own in the area, Kate said the unit was exactly what she was looking for.

"I didn't see it up for sale but I actually went in and asked on the off chance that they were selling it and then it turned out it had been on the market for a couple of years," she explained.

"I wanted something in Kenilworth, I wanted something local to me and something that was quite community based.

"The gallery is perfect for me because I thought I can merge the crafty side and then people can have a piece of cake at the same time!

"So, it was perfect and all fit together."

Mother-of-three Kate used to be a teacher before launching her own wedding decor business to fit around her young family.

With the business folding due to the pandemic she started looking to open her own venue last September.

What is New?

At the gallery she will now open a tea room in the front of the shop, with the gifts and artwork now being sold from a renovated and redecorated room at the back.

The cafe will sell light bites, freshly made cakes, and even premade picnic baskets to take over to Abbey Fields.

She added: "We stayed open for two weeks to meet the locals and the residents who were really keen to come in and say hello.

"And a lot of people thought it was closing altogether, so I reassured people that it was staying open but I was adding another aspect to it as well."

She then closed to begin the renovations which will see new flooring, electrics, kitchen, tables and chairs and decorations put in place.

But one thing she said she didn't want to change was the range of gifts and crafts on offer, and the name of the business.

"It has got such a good reputation and Helen has built up such a good business and the community support for it was overwhelming, the people were very strong about it staying, so I thought changing the name would be a big mistake," she said.

"It is a well known shop now, people know where it is and what it's about.

"So I thought I'd keep the name but change the logo a bit to make it my own by just adding 'tea room' to the end."

Eco-friendly

Kate, who also thanked previous owner Helen Clues for being "incredibly supportive" and a "fantastic mentor", said she also wanted to promote the environmental side of the business.

"I am trying to be as eco-friendly as I possibly can," she said.

"I am trying as hard as I can in every aspect to be as environmentally conscious as possible with the business - well I am trying anyway!"

As well as using eco-conscious tea brand The True Tea Company, biodegradable disposable cups and even a renewable energy company, Kate is also looking to get on board an artist who turns rubbish into artwork.

"I just think that is amazing, reusing something that is somebody else's trash is amazing.

"So we are really trying to go down the environmentally conscious road where we can."

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