Hospitality hub brings its community spirit to awards

HOSPITALITY is not just a transactional business serving up food and drink, it can provide a focus for a busy and changing part of town, according to one Southborough trader who has entered the Best In Food and Drink category to prove the point.

As the location for weekly gatherings of ‘Chatty Cafés’ as well as Southborough SOS (Save Our Streets) meetings, The Earl Grey Tea Rooms are essential ‘to the story as well as being part of the scenery’, according to owner Roz Bambling.

Friends

“We’re in here from 9am to 4pm every day except Sunday, and it’s a place where people meet friends and family, and new people, especially if they’ve just moved here.

“There are quite a lot of people moving into the area, particularly older people, especially with the new developments. People often come here to meet, in groups,” she said.

“These are people who can be quite isolated, and quite often they come here to be part of things in Southborough.

“We are always getting new and old faces, and it keeps things moving on.”

All generations enjoy the roses-and-vintagechina haven of the tea room, said Roz.

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“After school, parents and kids come in around 3.15pm. They’re coming in for treats, like milkshakes and cakes.”

Meanwhile, although the tea room hasn’t signed up to the Warm Rooms Scheme – a network of places for people to stay warm, get hot drinks and even charge their phones – it is nevertheless a hub.

“We do other things as well, but it’s part of our ethos to be here. For example, if someone from the local assisted living just wants to get out of the house, we give them a tea or coffee on the house.

“It’s not a formal thing,” she added. Meanwhile, the Earl Grey Tea Rooms also occasionally provides ‘on the house’ tea or coffee to Southborough SOS litter-pickers, but do not go so far as risking its precious vintage china, said Roz. “They get takeaway cups for that!”

Best in Food & Drink is just one category in the Times Business Awards. Entry forms are available at timesbusinessawards.co.uk and the deadline for entries is February 20.

ANOTHER big boost this week for the Times Business Awards with the news that Berkeley Homes, one of the leading builders in the South East, has signed up to be the headline sponsor of the flagship event.

“This is a real endorsement of the quality and standing of our annual awards and we are delighted to welcome Berkeley aboard,” said Times Editor Richard Moore.

“It yet again highlights the way that, over the years, the awards ceremony has grown to become not just a great networking event, but also a gala dinner that recognises the excellence of the many local businesses that help make Tunbridge Wells tick.”

Following a two-year Covid-driven hiatus, last year’s awards saw businesses and organisations return in numbers, to re-establish their brands

‘This is a real endorsement of the quality and standing of our annual awards and we are delighted to welcome Berkeley aboard’ and rediscover the benefits of meeting others face to face. This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Peter Smith, Managing Director of Berkeley Homes Southern Counties, said: “Berkeley Homes are delighted to sponsor the prestigious Times Business Awards ceremony which also happens to be a major social and networking event for Tunbridge Wells.

“As a local business providing much needed homes and placemaking communities throughout the borough, we are pleased to support the wider business communities at this event.”

Berkeley Homes’ two developments in the area are Hollyfields in Hawkhurst and Foal Hurst Green in Paddock Wood.

The Times Business Awards were launched in 2016, with former minister Edwina Currie at the podium, handing out the prizes.

At the time, she told this newspaper: “Business people in Tunbridge Wells should be very proud of what they are doing.”

She added: “Business involves risk and sometimes you win some and you lose some. Sometimes that’s through bad luck, incompetence or bad practice.

Proud

“But most people running their own companies are absolutely doing their best. We have a long history in this country of being a trading nation and we should be proud of that. We should be encouraging our brightest young people to take the plunge.”

A local awards ceremony would be a ‘great way