Popular Northants village tea room to close on Easter Monday after 12 years of service

A well-known tea room in Northamptonshire is due to close this year as the owner is planning to retire.

The Paddocks tea room in Bliss Lane, Flore is set to close its doors for the final time on Easter Monday after 12 years of trading.

The owner, Geoffrey Littlewood, who will turn 70 this year, has decided it is time to take retirement.

Geof said: “The tea room has been open for 12 years and I have run it for that amount of time.

“It’s seven days a week. We’re only open for six but we’re baking on the other day for our homemade cakes.”

Before running the tea room, Geof sold fish around Northamptonshire villages for 26 years and then moved into catering.

He has decided it is finally time to retire, although he is not too happy about it.

Geof added: “I think it’s the same for every person who runs a place like this, I haven’t done it for the money.

“The passing trade is dropping off but I have kept my regulars so it’s sad for them not to have somewhere to go.

“I’m past retirement age now. It’s not that I want to retire, but I feel like it’s time to retire and have some time to do what I want to do.”

When the tea room was opened 12 years ago it was converted from a farmhouse.

Geof’s step-daughter, her husband and two grown-up children are now moving to the farm and will convert the tea shop back to a house to live in.

The farm shop, the land that is open for people to see and the petting corner will all still be open.

Geof will continue to welcome customers to the Bliss Lane tea room until the closing date of Easter Monday (April 13).