NEWS
10 May 2011 (251 reads)
Hello - it has been a quiet Winter with not much action to report.
Mary has a new job in the cafe on Minehead station. Not only is it only a 5 minute walk from our home she has views of steam trains all day and welcomes people straight off the trains who come into the cafe. We see many friends who travel on the trains from Midsomer Norton & Radstock area and some are even volunteers on the railway! One person from Midsomer Norton even helps out in the cafe every Monday as a volunteer. (its a small world.)
Read More |   |
|
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
14 December 2010 (369 reads)
HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR FRIENDS AND PAST CUSTOMERS.
MAY YOU BE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE AND HAVE GREAT HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
Read More | |
|
Update - 3
28 October 2010 (454 reads)
UPDATE -3
Cafe at Blue Anchor has been busy this week as it is half term. We have prepared Christmas hampers and done up 240 bags of sweets and Mary has made lots of Christmas cakes to sell. Not sure what the next 2 months will bring when it goes quieter - we shall see.
We are still enjoying visitors from our friends from our old Tea & Trade Tea rooms.
mary & dave
Read More | |
|
UPDATE OCTOBER - 2
10 October 2010 (514 reads)
UPDATE NO. 2 OCTOBER
It has been a good week in Blue Anchor Cafe, a slight increase in customers probably due to the good weather. Mary has started making Christmas cakes as we have been asked for them. We hope to have a Christmas market next month.
The highlight of the week was when a customer asked Mary to cook his dog a breakfast! Also lovely to see Ann & Derek Button pop in to see us!
Weather has been very good.
Mary & Dave
Read More | |
|
UPDATE - OCTOBER
04 October 2010 (513 reads)
UPDATE OCTOBER 2010
Hello, life is wonderful here in Minehead! Mary is enjoying her job at Blue Anchor Cafe (on sea front, in caravan site) very much. It is nice to see so many friends from Radstock/Midsomer Norton visiting us - yesterday we had a visit from Colin & Vicki (Colin was our Rector at St Nicholas church before retiring). We are keeping our caravan on for next season at Blue Anchor as this gives us a opportunity to keep in touch with many friends. We are still getting lots of praises from ex Tea & Trade customers saying how they miss us - we recd. this one only this morning:-
I only found out this weekend that you've closed down as we were infrequent visitors (my Mum lives in Midsomer Norton). It's really sad that you've closed.
When we discovered you I immediately felt that Tea and Trade embodied an ideal model of what an ethical cafe with a Christian basis should be.
I hope that things go well for you in the future.
- Paul
Blessings to you all - we will keep in touch and we will get Sue Matthews to post some comments as she is enjoying her 'new life' too!
Mary & dave
Read More | |
|
Sue's News
04 October 2010 (488 reads)
Sue's News
I am currently working at Farrington Farm Shop in their Home Made Produce Kitchens and having a great time. I really enjoy the job and work with a great bunch of people, however I am missing all of our customers from Tea and Trade.
I'm having my kitchen redone at home and will be doing catering from home so if you need to contact me regarding any catering then send me an email : suzanna@teaandtrade.co.uk.
Read More | |
|
update
26 September 2010 (514 reads)
UPDATE
Mary enjoying her job at BLUE ANCHOR CAFE (in Hoburne Caravan Site) - she has just be taught how to cook Fish & Chips making there own batter - really delicious! She has introduced roast dinners on Sundays and this has proved very popular with not only the holidaymakers but with the locals! The cafe is always fully booked on a Sunday. We have permission to open all year round despite the caravan site closing for December and January - we shall have to see how that goes. We do well with the Steam Galas, supplying Blue Anchor Station with all there refreshments. It is lovely to see lots of our friends from Radstock & Midsomer Norton area while staying in our caravan (taking bookings now for next year!). Also we see a lot of ex customers from Tea & Trade down here!
We have found a lovely church down here that was recommended to us. So different from the Church of England - very refreshing, just hymns, lots of prayer and teaching on a Bible passage. Wonderful!
We are pleased that Louise (our daughter) has got a job at the Centurion.
Read More | |
|
update
20 September 2010 (535 reads)
Just to update you:
Sue has a job at Farringdons and is enjoying it and is also doing outside catering.
Mary has been working in Blue Anchor Cafe (in caravan site) for some time now and is enjoying it very much.
Mary & Dave have moved to Minehead and have a apartment on the sea front and have settled in well. The move happened so quick - all in about 4 weeks! They have found a wonderful evangelic church with a Pastor who teaches the Word! (something they haven't experienced for a long time).
God has opened amazing new doors for all of us.
Read More | |
|
LAST VISIT TO TEA ROOMS 23RD JULY
23 July 2010 (239 reads)
TEA ROOMS NOW CLOSED! THANK GOD FOR A WONDERFUL 3.5 YEARS AND WE THANK HIM FOR NEW DOORS OPENED UP FOR US, LIKE WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE! - WE HAVE STEPPED UP INTO NEW LEVELS IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIVES. THANK YOU LORD, IT IS EXCITING AND REWARDING.
PSALM 118:8 (NOT MAN CONTROLLED ANYMORE!)
| |
|
FAREWELL TO TEA & TRADE
12 July 2010 (247 reads)
THE TEA ROOMS WERE PACKED ON TEA AND TRADES FINAL DAY OF TRADING! CUSTOMERS FLOCKED TO SAY THANKS AND GOOD WISHES.
| |
|
FROM ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS
12 July 2010 (245 reads)
Well. That's it. The Tea & Trade is no more. It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, it rests in peace! It's tea making processes are now history! It's off the twig! It's kicked the bucket, It's shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the "Closed" sign, shut off the expresso machine and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-CAFE!!
(NO ONE will ever replace it! NO - ONE!!!!)
| |
|
SOMER VALLEY WHEELS - PARTY
10 July 2010 (252 reads)
PARTY!
Thanks to everyone who laid on the party Friday evening. When we walked in the tea rooms everyone stood up and clapped! Very emotional evening. And a lovely buffet too not to mention the drinks! Even entertainment, speeches and presentations.
THANK YOU SOMER VALLEY WHEELS!
We shall miss you all but hope to see some of you at some time.
| |
|
POEM FROM HELEN
08 July 2010 (256 reads)
Our Lost Haven
To Dave and Mary,
And to Tea and Trade,
Thank you so much for the efforts you made.
The atmosphere so good,
And each time we went
We came out smiling and feeling content.
Oh Dave and Mary,
Such a shameful waste,
The friendship and food were just to our taste.
So whatever you do,
And wherever you go,
Radstock will miss you more than you know.
| |
|
LETTER FROM SOMER VALLEY WHEELS
07 July 2010 (252 reads)
Chris Revill, Project Officer
|
Your ref. :
|
|
|
Bath & North East Somerset Council, Sport & Active Lifestyles Team,
Trimbridge House, Trim St. Bath, BA1 2DP
|
Our ref. :
|
As date
|
|
Telephone : (01225) 396433 Facsimile : (01225) 396459
|
Date : 06/07/2010
|
|
|
E Mail : chris_revill@bathnes.gov.uk
|
|
|
Ref: Good bye and a truly massive thank-you!
It’s with much sadness and some incredulity that we find ourselves about to say goodbye to you and contemplate the future of Somer Valley Wheels without Tea and Trade. In 3 years of running - literally – side by side – it’s a significant fact that many people in the community see our two ventures as being very closely linked. Indeed, they are of coarse quite right. We feel very much that the success of Somer Valley Wheels owes a considerable amount to your business which is essentially due to the commitment and dedication of you and your staff over the last 3 and half years.
Being at the heart of the community and providing it with a project that would enhance health and well being and yet offer a strong social dimension was always an objective of Somer Wheels. We have been so fortunate to have had the perfect partner to enable us to achieve this. But of coarse we couldn’t have possibly failed because I believe that this was an objective that we shared with you and is something that you believed in and have truly excelled in.
In my seven plus years with the Council I can’t think of another venture that has demonstrated so well the benefits of genuine partnership-working to each organisation’s mutual benefits. Nor have I have been so fortunate to have enjoyed a work project so much either as a result of just such a partnership! That’s not to mention the warmth, enthusiasm and friendly atmosphere that you and your team have fostered with all our staff and riders and which will provide us and them a with a legacy of happy memories of Somer Valley Wheels at Tea & Trade.
We wish you all the very best of success for your future and for your future ventures.
All best wishes
Chris Revill and all the Somer Valley Wheels team.
| |
|
TRIBUTES ROLLING IN
01 July 2010 (265 reads)
Local people have paid tribute to a popular Radstock cafe that will close next week.
Tea and Trade, located off Kilmersdon Road, has been a big hit with residents since it opened three and half years ago. Winning a number of awards, in recognition for its work in the community, the Tea and Trade cafe has been a key part of life in the town.
Local campaigners Simon Allen and Cllr Nathan Hartley visited the management and staff last week to thank them for their dedication and service to the community.
Simon Allen commented:
“I’ve taken my young children to Tea and Trade many times because the staff are so friendly, and the food is delicious.
The management have worked very hard to provide a place where everyone feels welcome, and where there is something on offer for all age groups.
Tea and Trade has played an important part in the life of our town. I wish the staff and management the best of luck in the future.”
The cafe is closing following a disagreement with its landlord, St Nicholas Church, over rent and the renewal of a future lease.
Senior Lib Dem Councillor Nathan Hartley (Peasedown) added:
“Mary and Sue, who ran Tea and Trade, have built themselves a strong reputation which will be very difficult to follow.
Any plans the church has for opening a new cafe in the future will have a lot to live up to.”
Tea and Trade will be holding a Thank You Party for all their staff and customers over the years on
Saturday 10th July, 3pm-5pm in the cafe. Everyone is welcome.
| |
|
JULY 10TH
24 June 2010 (257 reads)
LAST DAY OF TRADING
Our last day of trading is on Saturday 10th July. We hope to see many of our customers as possible on that day to celebrate the wonderful 3.5 years we enjoyed SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY! We even had two local ministers say that despite wedding commitments on that day they will be coming to say a big thank you to us! They wouldn't miss coming! (different view from St Nicholas church who have arranged a day out to Longleat on the same day - I let you draw your own conclusions on that one!) We look forward to sharing fellowship with all of our friends on the 10th July. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.
| |
|
UPDATE
21 June 2010 (266 reads)
UPDATE
Things going well.
Sold all our kitchen equipment - (offered it to the church but they didn't want it! - no surprises there then!). At least we offered! Most of the Chairs and tables still available. All the sofas sold. Local Christian place is buying all the Fairtrade stuff that is over and other bits and pieces. Hopefully we shall have a empty building by the end of July - just as we found it! (It fact it will be in a better state than we found it!) More news soon about our last day of trading on 10th July.
| |
|
RADSTOCK COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
15 June 2010 (271 reads)
RADSTOCK COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
The second edition now out! Copies from our Tea Rooms and usual outlets. Lots of interesting local community notes - i.e. :- Radstock In Bloom, New Skate Park, Bike Week, Community Speed Watch, Two Tunnels Project, Diamond Travel Card and more.
| |
|
BANK HOLIDAY SUCCESS
31 May 2010 (278 reads)
OUR LAST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY WAS A HUGE SUCCESS!
We had a wonderful fellowship with our 'community' customers today at our tea rooms.
We were packed in the afternoon and we even had a whole church congregation turn up (outside the area) as they felt they wanted to come and support us because they heard about our trials! BLESS THEM!
| |
|
RADSTOCK COMMUNITY MAGAZINE
28 May 2010 (231 reads)
NEW RADSTOCK COMMUNITY MAGAZINE - MAY COPY
Sorry we have run out of copies (after the 4th re-print as well!) This has been so popular, more than anticipated! I am working on the June issue now and thanks to many new advertisers I can add new pages. Thanks for your good comments and encouragement - the next issue will be out about the middle of June. Dave (Editor)
| |
|
LAST DAY OF TRADING
27 May 2010 (286 reads)
LAST DAY OF TRADING - SATURDAY 10TH JULY & SALE AFTER
We will open as normal on this day but with a limited menu.
Free drinks for all our customers from 3 - 5 p.m.
The following weeks we will be selling off many items equipment, cutlery, drinks, furniture, fairtrade food, etc. etc. POP IN FOR A BARGAIN OR TWO!
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.
WE OFFICIALLY LEAVE THE PREMISE AT THE END OF JULY.
| |
|
STATEMENT
24 May 2010 (296 reads)
STATEMENT ON CLOSING
We are disappointment in the statement issued by St Nicholas Church regarding our reason for closing. They state that the lease offered was 'favourable'. This was far from 'favourable' in our opinion (If it had been 'favourable' we would have been happy to accept it!).
Our solicitor and accountant advised us not to sign the 'lease' under any circumstances because they considered the Lease to be a 'license' and not a proper lease. We went back to the church (P.C.C.) with a 6 page reply pointing out our concerns with the proposal and we received a reply stating that the P.C.C. would not budge on the main items and said "If you are unable to accept the terms of the new lease, then under the existing lease you will be required to give 3 months notice" - we took this to be 'take it or leave it'. We had no choice but to leave.
Despite the comments from church that we had 'failed in the community' - we were proud in our 3.5 years to have served our community (up to 100 customers a day) and received 4 community awards to prove it!
We understand the church wish to re-open the tea rooms as a 'Church Tea Rooms' - we wish them well!
Keep in touch with this website - we are in negotiations with the possibility of moving to a new premise in the near future!
| |
|
CUSTOMER NOTICE
21 April 2010 (313 reads)
TEA & TRADE TEA ROOMS will be leaving its present location in Radstock from Saturday 10th July 2010.
Directors Sue & Mary said:-
“ It is with very much regret & sadness to have to leave after building up a wonderful relationship with many of our friends from schools, college, disabled groups, Somer Valley Wheels, businesses and many more. In over 3 years we have been proud to receive 4 community awards for our work in the community. We have been overwhelmed with the reaction and support from our customers over the news.
Unfortunately we could not agree to the terms offered to us in a new lease from St Nicholas Church which we believe to be ‘unworkable’ as a business.
We do not want to leave Radstock and we know by speaking to other people that Radstock needs a business like ours and If we had another premise to go to we would love dearly to stay.
We would like to thank all our loyal customers (more like friends) for the support from them all and hope we can meet up again in the near future.
Keep in touch with our website for any further news: www.teaandtrade.co.uk”
| |
|
ANOTHER AWARD!
26 March 2010 (350 reads)
Chairman’s Business Awards – Winners announced
Bath and North East Somerset Council recognised the contribution that businesses make to creating more sustainable communities at the Chairman’s Business Awards held last night (24 March).
The Chairman’s Business Awards highlight the great work done by businesses who work alongside their local communities for a common cause. For example, businesses that help the local community by supporting events and activities, by having a volunteering scheme or using local suppliers.
Councillor Bryan Chalker, Chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Council said:
"I was delighted to be able to invite so many business from across the authority to the presentation evening. The Business Awards are a great opportunity for Bath and North East Somerset Council to recognise the valuable contribution that many business in the area make towards community life.
“We had a great response from local people, keen to nominate local businesses and are very grateful to the members of the public who took the time to nominate someone.”
Nominations were invited for both not-for profit and profit making businesses who make a positive contribution to community life for example by supporting local activities, volunteering and purchasing from local suppliers. At the Awards Ceremony held last night, the winners were each presented with £250 each towards a charity of their choice.
The Winners are:
Business Awards – Profit making category
Winner - The Framing Workshop, Walcot St, Bath
Highly commended - Tea and Trade Tea Rooms
Tea and Trade Tea Rooms have been highly commended for its contribution to the local community which has been shown in its collaboration with public sector agencies to deal with local issues.
Since opening in 2007, Tea and Trade Tea Rooms have been such a lynch-pin of the Radstock community. The business opened with the aim of serving home cooked food using organic, local and Fairtrade items where possible. The proprietors are all volunteer members of the Somer Valley Fairtrade group and give their time freely and their premises to hold meetings, organise activities and donate prizes. They also give talks to local groups and schools about Fairtrade. They have collaborated with the local Police to provide a provision for a Night Café for local teenagers at the Tea Rooms. They also provide work placements for young people with special needs from Fosseway School and Norton Radstock College.
(this was from a press release by BANES and has been shortened.)
| |
|
ANOTHER AWARD
22 January 2010 (402 reads)
HEALTHY OPTION AWARD
WITH 18 OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES WE HAVE RECEIVED A 'HEALTHY OPTIONS AWARD' FROM B.A.N.E.S.
| |
|