Help Our Hospitality: Well-renowned cake baker says ‘going the extra mile’ is key to being successful

Speaking to this newspaper for the Help Our Hospitality campaign, a well-renowned Northampton cake baker shared her belief that “going the extra mile” is key to being successful.

Emily Armstrong’s journey into the hospitality industry began five years ago, which she described as “out of the blue”.

After starting to bake her now-sought-after cakes, Emily opened the Mill House from her home in Wootton – where she would welcome customers for a tearoom-like experience.

“There have been ups and downs,” she said. “I progressed from there and my cake skills have gotten better.”

Earlier this year, at Easter time, Emily was asked to take over the all new vintage tearoom at Holdenby House.

The stableyard at Holdenby House was transformed into The Old Stableyard Tearoom, a retro eatery with lots of vintage furniture and old-worldly items for customers to enjoy.

Everything sold at the tearoom is homemade, including Emily’s popular cakes and the sausage rolls, pastries and pies supplied by Sauls of Spratton.

Though Emily no longer ran the tearoom from her home when she took over The Old Stableyard, she continued accepting cake orders and saw a “massive influx”.

Alongside making cake orders from her home, she opened the garden when the weather was nice and anything left over was sold as a ‘cakeaway’ for pick up.

The Old Stableyard Tearoom has now closed for the winter, but Emily will be returning to pick up where she left off next Easter.

She said: “It has really grown in popularity. Hospitality has always been a hard business to be in, but it’s worth it if you really have a go.”

Off the back of the demand from The Old Stableyard customers, Emily will be opening the Mill House as a pop-up once a week.

The pop-up cake shop will run until Emily’s return to Holdenby House next Easter, as she does not want to take too much on.

The first opportunity to visit Emily’s home, in 67 High Street, Wootton, is Friday, October 13.

“If you’re having a bad day, pop in and have some cake,” Emily joked.

The ambitious cake maker would also like to take on another tearoom next year, with the hope of it being as successful as The Old Stableyard.

The next few months are stacking up to be busy for Emily, as she is also catering for a Halloween event at Abington Park and other events on the horizon.

Having been in the industry for half a decade, Emily was asked how she believes hospitality has evolved during that time.

“It’s always been a hard business,” she said. “The rise in food costs, it’s just crazy. People don’t realise you’re not being greedy when you increase prices. Chains are so easily accessible and it makes it difficult.

“If you’re good at and passionate about something, you’ll give better quality – and we get that a lot with our independent suppliers. They are far superior than mass chains.”

Like the last time she spoke to the Chronicle & Echo, Emily praised just how much quality is on offer in the hospitality industry across Northampton.

She said that although it is hard to get yourself out there, your passion will carry you through. Emily hopes she is living proof of that.

When asked what she believes is the key to running a successful hospitality business, Emily said: “Passion. This industry isn’t going to make you a millionaire.

“It’s about customer service. When I get the chance, I interact with customers and find out how their day is going.

“We go the extra mile with birthdays and dietary requirements. If customers let me know a couple of days before they visit, we can and will make that cake for them.

“Make sure everybody’s happy and that you give good quality.”

Emily believes it is the whole experience that keeps customers coming back to The Old Stableyard time and time again – including the quirky surroundings, quality of food, and the customer service.

“You don’t get better cakes and service,” she said. “We do everything we can to make customers happy.”

Last time, Emily also spoke of the importance of giving customers a slab rather than a slither of cake.

When asked about maximising what visitors get for their money, Emily questioned: “Who wants a tiny afternoon tea?

“No one has ever finished one of our afternoon teas, but they can take it home. There’s no point going out and coming home hungry. We provide a hearty meal.”

Emily described businesses and individuals coming together to support one another as “really important”.

With how many “amazing businesses” there are in Northampton, she would love to see everyone come together under one roof and shout about what they have to offer.

“It’s a minefield getting yourself known and we could help each other,” said Emily.

To keep up to date with the Mill House and the opening of its pop-up shop from October 13, check out their Facebook page here.