For ALL further updates please head on over to the BLOG

Wed 2nd June 2010

Well I have finally published the New Official Blog for The Tally Ho Tearooms, and, more importantly, linked to it from this website!

There will be News and Updates of Specials, Events, and my Craft Workshops on there as soon as I can.

We have been wrapping up a lot more Vintage Tea Cup and Saucer Sets and the prices start at £4.50. Also I have just started Gift wrapping some Vintage Glass Cake/Sweets/Petit Four stands - prices start at £6.50.

Saturday 29th May 2010

We have had a fantastic couple of months here at the The Tally Ho Tearooms! We have taken on more staff members, with yet another starting next week! They are a great group of ladies and have worked hard with my husband and myself to make the Tearooms the success it has been already.

I still have a long list of things I need to do... not least of which is to set up the blog for this website so that I can update you all regularly on such things as "What's on our Specials Board" and any news we may have for you.

We have set up three sets of tables and chairs outside on our terrace, but I haven't managed to take a photograph of them yet! I am hoping to plant up some hanging baskets this weekend too.

The photograph above, by the way, is a Tea Cup and Saucer Gift Set which I made for the Gift Shop area. This one has actually been sold now, but I am making new ones all the time. Certainly a unique gift, as I am hand wrapping them all myself. They include various combinations of Teas, some herbal and others traditional, such as Lady Grey, Earl Grey and Assam.

Saturday 8th May 2010

I am pleased to say that we have had a great first month here at the Tearooms. So much so that I have already taken on some more staff and am still looking for more. See Here for more information.

We finally managed to replace the "swinging pub sign" with our own logo and here is a picture!

Saturday 17th April 2010

We have had a Fantastic couple of weeks since we opened the doors of The Tally Ho Tearooms to the public!

All I can say is THANK YOU to all the lovely people who have come to see us, enjoyed spending time with us (especially on our comfy sofas!) and given generously in their compliments and congratulations as to the transformation of the pub to a Tearooms, our friendly staff and great food. A number of people have returned 2-3 times already and many more have come on recommendation from friends and relations.

I am so delighted (and relieved) that my notion of the need for a Tearooms in this area has been confirmed by actual customers (local community and visitors).

Anyway, I finally managed to take a few pictures of the Tearooms before the beginning of another busy day and I include them here. Later I hope to include a copy of the menu on this site along with some comments from customers.

Above is a photograph of the front of the Tearooms.

Here you can see the side area showing the bar on which we place all the cakes on show, (see below for older pictures to get an idea of the transformation of decor, etc)

One of our sofas on offer for extra comfort!

I have plans to expand the items in the gift shop area - however, currently there are lots of Jams, Honey, old fashioned Sweets in jars and ribbon tied bags, hand made Chocolate Truffles, Scrumptious Fudge... beautiful hand made, unique Greetings Cards, fruit/herbal Teas and locally produced Apple Juices.

A close-up of the goodies!

An even closer look... Hand Made Chocolate Truffles - Milk, White & Dark Chocolate - I made the labels myself!

A Note from the Owners (Saturday 3rd April 2010)

Hello Everyone!

We are very pleased to say that we are now Officially Open for business! It's been hard work, and there is still much more we want to do, but we have already served some lovely customers who enjoyed relaxing in our new Tearooms! If you knew the Pub before, you will probably be surprised (as everyone so far has been) as to how different it is inside!

With regard to what else we have planned... we will be re-opening the garden at the front in the warmer months for customers to enjoy, we want to have the whole place repainted externally, find lots of lovely plants and flowers for the patio and garden, and so on... long term projects I know, but we will get the old place looking lovely once again!

Anyone who fancies giving us a hand, let me know....!!

Anyway, below are the pictures of the internal refurbishment and (when I have some time, I hope to add some more pictures of how it looks now). But in the meantime, We look forward to welcoming you for Tea at the Tally Ho!

Warm Wishes
Sunday & Miles Lamdin

As "The Tally Ho" has been a Pub for (possibly) over 220 years, this is the first time that the premises will have been anything else!

It's been extended a number of times over the years and the theme of the interior of the pub was "Ye Olde" style with some real beams and some "mock" beams.

Trouble is, it was a bit gloomy inside, so we're on a mission to lighten, brighten and generally make it a lovely, warm and inviting place to take Lunch and Tea as "The Tally Ho Tearooms"

So here are some pictures of our progress!

I will add to this page as we go along - And I will add the most recent to the top of this page, so as you scroll down you will see how it used to look!

22 March 2010
We have a sizeable number of sets of crockery now with some more to come. The picture shows just some of it!

15th March 2010
Snazzy coffee (and hot chocolate) machine arrives!!

3rd March 2010
We finally organised the trimming of the huge hedge in the main car park by tractor hedge cutter - you know those things that chomp and chew at the hedges! And with the same tractor provided by a local farmer, Miles was lifted up to a suitable height where the swinging pub sign could finally be removed. So with some help, he managed to push, shove and hammer the wrought iron fixings free.

There will be some repair work to do as the hoops at the top of the sign had almost worn through... it was probably only a matter of time before it brought itself down, lucky we got there first!

2nd March 2010
I took this photograph on my way back from walking the dogs. The sun was shining (a rare thing lately!) and The Tally Ho looked quite nice highlighted against the dark storm clouds beyond. And you can just make out the cylindrical tower of the church behind.

The vans? It was the day the carpet fitters came!

2nd March 2010
So here is another shot of the side area of the Tearooms with the carpet all in now! Looks nice don't you think?

And all 17 of the double wall lights have been fitted and are looking quite smart!

28th February 2010
Just going back a few days into February this was the seen on the 28th! The front entrance driveway was awash with overflow rainwater!

2nd March 2010
Miles has been painting for months! The Tearoom area painting is basically finished now and yesterday and today the carpets went down in the whole area. Above is the gift shop area with a couple of pieces of furniture so far.

25th February 2010
This will be the gift area - it used to be the front bar! We, or should I say Miles and my sledge hammer wielding daughter (!), demolished this section of the bar to make an open selling space. The rest of the bar carries on around the corner (at the back of this photograph). Lots of holes were filled with cement!

22nd February 2010
This is a picture of what used to be the front bar area. When we had the bare brick of the walls plastered at the back, we also had the chinmey breast plastered too, and took out the bare brick surround of the archway (just out of shot). This means that even someone around 6ft, 2in can walk through the arch without have to duck!

12th February 2010
Miles taking down the existing signs to make way for the new ones, currently being designed by 'yours truly' with a little help from a EPS Transfers! It was easier to measure the panels once they were off the wall.

30th January 2010
Miles is having to use a paint scraper to get the dried on grease off the cooker. However, we are not cleaning it properly until a professional gas installer has confirmed we can use it!

12th Feb
Edit Update:

We are not keeping the cooker or the canopy above it, as the rules and regulations for gas appliances are too much and the cooker was a bit of "overkill" for a Victorian Tearooms anyway! Electric it is then!

29th January 2010 (above)
Notice anything different? We've taken out the 3 supports. We did wait till a surveyor confirmed that they were not holding up the roof, and then Miles basically "pushed them out", as they were only really wedged in! There is a very shallow cupboard going to be placed where the beare brick is on the back wall.

25th January 2010 (above)
Miles just finishing up for the night... as you can see the walls above the panelling have been plastered over to create a smooth finish, which has been painted in a skim coat of white (ultimately to be in Jasmine White!) to create as much light reflective surface as possible. Also, to the left of the picture is the first set of panelling painted in "Willow Tree" green.

15th January 2010 (above)
All the built it seating has been taken out along with the carpeting, both of which were mouldy! After all this property had been left empty for a year. The next step was to get rid of the bare brickwork which looks great in an "Olde Worlde" pub, but not for a Bright Tearoom. Note that this is only half the seating area, there is more area at the front of the property for table and chairs and an area to relax on sofas! However, as that's still piled high with "stuff" I'll show you that bit when we get to it!

(above) This is a photograph of the side and back area of the Restaurant Bar (as was). I actually took this photograph when we looked over the property, before we actually bought it, the date of the picture is 16th September 09... proves how long this transaction took! Actually there is exactly 3 calendar months between this photo and the one below!

16th December 2009 (above)
This is the Property on the day after we took possession! There were workmen everywhere... putting in double glazing, and recommissioning the boiler and replacing most of the radiators!