New Wiltshire tea rooms venue set to open on High Street

Lally’s Tea Rooms is due to officially open on May 30 in Malmesbury High Street, after owner Sheila Edwards took over the vacant unit previously occupied by The Cake Tin.

The new venue will also hold an open event on Saturday, May 25, between noon and 3pm, during which customers will be able to try bite-size cakes, scones, tea, and Prosecco.

The town centre premises had been occupied by popular bakery The Cake Tin until January this year, when the business left the High Street due to rising running costs.

But now the unit is undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment to transform it into a “quirky” tea room.

Mrs Edwards said: “We’re at the beginning of a full-on refurbishment now so hopefully it can only look better from here, it’s already such a cute building.

“It’s a really good position on the High Street and when it came up, I thought it would be perfect for a tea room.

“It’s a quirky old building and quite small, but that’s all part of the charm, it will be really pretty and have a vintage tea room look.”

The new Lally's Tea Rooms premises, currently under renovation ahead of opening (Image: Sheila Edwards)

The ongoing renovations include alterations to the shopfront, as well as internal work to revamp the walls and floor and add a kitchen and chandelier.

The name Lally’s comes from the nickname that Mrs Edwards’ grandmother gave her when she was a little girl.

Once open, it will be serving traditional, classic afternoon tea and cream teas, including scones and cakes.

The top floor of the tea room will be able to seat around 10 people, to offer customers an “intimate experience”, and will be available for hire.

For Mrs Edwards, starting the business is an opportunity to combine her passion for baking and her love of Malmesbury.

She and her husband first moved to the town around a year ago and it quickly became home for them.

The new Lally's Tea Rooms premises, currently under renovation ahead of opening (Image: Sheila Edwards)

“We really love it here”, she said.

“The people are so lovely and friendly, I want to turn it into something a bit different and we’ve had such a positive response so I’m really excited.

“I’ve got experience running a business but not this kind so it’s completely new for me, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about doing for a few years.

“I just love baking and I love Malmesbury.”