High quality licensed coffee shop and tea room
Living and working where many would see as idyllic, would describe the working lifestyle of Julia Mumford and Richard Gaywood. Living close to the beach in Goa and running a highly successful accommodation and catering business, is the story behind the new owners of Selly’s coffee shop and tea room in Sidmouth.
Having owned and run a successful beachside hotel and restaurant in Goa for a number of years, Julia Mumford and Richard Gaywood decided to return to the UK for their son’s education and whilst perusing the internet they found Selly’s in Sidmouth, on catering property specialists Stonesmith’s of Exeter’s website. Immediately drawn to the property they made their first visit to the area, fell in love with it and after some careful consideration bought the business and moved to East Devon. Selly’s had been on the market for less than a week when Richard and Julia came to view and completion took place 8 weeks later.
Having taken on Selly’s in one of the busiest times, Julia and Richard have carried on with the good work of the previous owners though they have plans for the future to add their own mark and identity. The Selly’s name is staying but the business is being rebranded with new signage, interior decoration, refurbishment etc. They intend to keep the core coffee shop tea room business going whilst adding their own style of catering. Richard has a passion for baking cakes and their style of food lends itself to more Mediterranean and vegetarian dishes. The end result being good quality and good value food.
Selly’s is a long established daytime business set in a lucrative town centre trading position within Libra Court, just off the seafront and Sidmouth’s main shopping streets. The premises are quite unique, being part of a courtyard development, but attract trade from the surrounding businesses as well as locals, tourists and holiday makers. Selly’s briefly provides 12 seats internally and 32 in the courtyard, which has retractable canopies allowing customers to sit outside when the weather is inclement. There is also a catering kitchen with ancillary areas and customer welfare facilities.
A leasehold business the sale of Selly’s by Stonesmith follows the successful sales of other catering businesses in Sidmouth including The Chattery and The Loft.
