Ramsgate mum-of-two Amy Bridgewater has swapped pint pulling for tea pouring with the opening of her café Rosie Lea’s at Hartsdown Park in Margate.
Amy, who also runs a massage and holistic therapy business at Second Nature in Ramsgate, says the new venture has been “a bit of a whirlwind.”
She enquired about the empty café building in the park at the end of March and was in, fitted out and open for tea, coffee, sandwiches and more by May 18.
The former Ellington girl said: “I saw the premises was not being used and just thought every park needs a café and this was an opportunity.
“It’s been empty for a couple of years. There was a little café after lockdown but that closed. I just thought I would give it a go and jumped in with both feet.
“I gave it a few tweaks to make it my own but did it quite fast. I thought if I was going to do it then it needed to be now so it could be open for the summer.”
Rosie Lea’s will be a family affair with Amy and her daughter Marcia at the helm.
Amy said: “My daughter is leaving school in a couple of weeks so will be working with me, it is going to be a local family run business.”
The 39-year-old has plenty of hospitality experience having worked in pubs including The Oxford in Margate and heading up her holistic business.
She said: “For a few years I’ve just been more interested in my health and wellbeing and the massage business has been going really well.
“I’ve always thought I’d love a small cafe or coffee shop. I love to chat and love the old school community spirit so when I saw this was empty it ended up being a good opportunity for me to pursue my little dream.
“I’ve worked so hard and didn’t see a light at the end of the tunnel but it’s finally arrived and I made it to the end!”
Amy used her savings to get started and says she is now “officially poor” but believes it is “money well spent.”
Rosie Lea’s serves everything from slush puppies and ice creams to local made herbal teas, coffee, paninis, cakes and more.
Amy said: “I am trying to locally source as much as I can.”
Rosie Lea’s is open seven days a week, 7am to 4pm.
