Onwards and upwards for cherished Northampton tea room after booming first year since takeover

Since The Buttery tea room’s forced closure in Castle Ashby at the end of 2021, it has changed ownership, moved to Grendon and then Billing in Northampton, where it has thrived ever since.

Staff and regular customers at the Buttery Restaurant and Tearoom at Castle Ashby’s Rural Shopping Yard were devastated when the business was forced to close at short notice after 20 years back in November 2021.

Married couple, Polly and Kacey Chadwick rescued the much loved business and its devoted staff by buying it in January last year and then moving into the Half Moon pub in Grendon. There, they opened to the public on February 1, 2022.

One year on, The Buttery Tea room found a new home at the former premises of Frank’s burger restaurant in Billing, where the business continues to flourish.

Polly said: “It has been a journey and a half - 2022 was probably, for me and Kacey, the biggest year ever. There was a lot to do and put into place. It was all stressful. It has always been a risk but it is paying off so that’s good - relief, relief.

“We are a little happy bunch at the moment. It has just been really nice to see continued support.”

The Buttery has since gone from strength to strength, seeing streams of loyal customers - old faces and new - flooding in every day, tucking into their all-day breakfasts, Ploughman’s lunches, high teas and their famous shepherd’s pie.

Given the tea room’s success under Polly and Kacey, both owners are looking forward to expanding other areas of their business - specifically, events and their engagement with the community.

The Buttery’s marquee, which can accommodate up to 200 people, is available to hire free of charge with the condition that the tea room is paid for catering - from barbecue feasts to buffets or afternoon teas. It is decorated according to the season - with a whimsical woodland theme for the winter.

The Billing-based eatery has already accommodated a host of baby showers and milestone birthdays. They have even started receiving bookings for spring and summer this year.

Polly said: “Moving here was our biggest hip-hip-hooray type thing. Birthdays and celebrations have just taken off. When you see a new customer and you see them come back. That, to me, makes me smile; it makes me really happy.”

Kacey, who has a strong background in social services, is particularly keen to focus on building relationships in the community and making the tea room an inclusive safe space for people with physical and learning disabilities.

The Buttery has recently been working with local special schools to enable students to come to work at the tea room and build on their skills.

Kacey said: “It is great really to get the kids engaged. The more I can do for the community, the better for me. It is about The Buttery being like a hub where people can come and be a part of something.”

The business is additionally looking into hosting poetry and spoken word events that people would ordinarily have to travel out of the county for.