Come to the Cozy Kitchen

The blind has lifted to reveal the latest shop in the High Street. The Cozy Kitchen has opened its doors in the old sweet shop, in all its glory! The café has been set up by three former workers at Poppies, which local people will remember was located in the closed Rye Bakery, now occupied by Plaristo, the candle and wool shop.

Sandy Ayres, who is front of house as she was at Poppies, found that she was really missing the community feel of the shop and cafe, with local people popping in to have a chat and pick up their goodies or have a coffee, so she, Mia Cooper and Rebecca Croucher decided to rent an empty shop and produce the same range of food and drinks as before, only on a smaller scale.

Setting up the premises proved harder work than Sandy had expected and, as with all these things, took longer. However, all is revealed, a neat little café with tables and chairs and a counter with the latest expresso and coffee machine behind, as well as the cabinets for homemade cakes, biscuits and fresh rolls and sandwiches, just like we used to buy.

Sandy is helped by Rebecca in the front of the shop, and all the homemade goodies are the work of Mia, tucked away in the kitchen behind.

Already, local people are finding out who has opened this new place and are making their way to it. When I visited on Tuesday around about 3:30pm, the cabinets had been emptied and Sandy was apologising to a customer, telling him she had almost sold out.

The picture shows two ladies enjoying their refreshments, one from Rye itself and the other from a little further afield, and earlier I had seen another former Poppies customer come in to get a takeaway coffee and a “rocky road” cake. Someone else that Sandy knew peered in and said they would be back. I don’t think it will be long before Mia is having a problem keeping up with demand! The very best of luck to them all, the local community is so very important to the town’s success.

Photos: Gillian Roder