To those living in the vicinity of Dartford - would you visit my healthy tea room?

[jessica3692]

Hello all,

I've posted this in a few forums in order to get a good response.

At some point within the next 5 years I would like to start a small business. I live in Dartford so I am looking to start this business in the vicinity of Dartford.

My question to those in Dartford and surrounding areas is would you visit my small healthy tea room? Please read on.

I have a very strong interest in healthy completely natural food and I would like to offer sweet treats and slices of cake alongside various teas and coffee (without the added refined sugar syrups) to you so you can love healthy and natural food too.

Alongside these natural but divine beverages will be a variety of cakes and sweet treats made from wholesome ingredients such as spelt, buckwheat and almond flour to name a few and natural sugars such as coconut sugar, maple syrup and so on.

With a healthy tea room like this my customers can enjoy tea and cake without the guilt so it is ideal for those who care about eating wholesome, those losing weight and equally those involved in fitness, those who are concerned about what their children eat and many more.

There will also be plenty of choices for vegans, or customers with food intolerances such as lactose and gluten plus many nut free alternatives.

If business goes well I will expand with treats high in protein for gym bunnies, selling lactation cookies for breastfeeding mums and possibly holding mum get togethers where they can bring their children and all have a natter with a hot drink and a wholesome cake. My expansion list is endless!

I would like to know, if you live in the area, would you think Dartford is a good place to start a business like this? There are many in London but not in the vicinity of Dartford (I believe but I am still researching).

Please let me know what you think. Your honesty is valued.

Thank you all in advance.

Hmmm - not sure I or my mum friends wod. Sorry but it sounds a bit worthy. When we go out for cake (occasionally) it's a treat and we want the real thing. I'm sure others might feel differently - it's just my own view.

I would love to see more places selling healthy savoury food. It's not hard to find a healthy snack- peppermint tea and an apple or a small slice of something. But finding something more substantial is impossible.
Dartford is probably not the best demographic, but I understand why you want to start it there.
As with all start ups the very best preparation you can do is to work in similar places.
And never mention lactation cookies again!

Wtf is a lactation cookie??
The cakes sounds expensive.....might go down well. In Islington

Wholesome and cake don't mix really. If I go out for a treat I want a good one, sorry

is there actual science behind a 'lactation cookie'?

I wouldn't go to Dartford full stop. For that kind of place you would be better off in a more affluent area. Maybe Sevenoaks? I really don't think it would go down well in Dartford.

My first thought was exactly what highlove said. Very worthy. My second was pretentious and twatty. Do these places/cookies really exist? I'd avoid like the plague. Oh, and stop trying to place the thought that there should be 'guilt' when having a piece of cake.

There's a place a bit like this where I live and it seems to be very popular. However, it mixes wholesome food, some 'good for you' cakes but also sells really lovely proper treat cakes too.

It's always rammed

I don't think Dartford is the right place either, sorry.

I would advise looking in more middle class areas as previously suggested.

Plus, I would do as suggested and offer healthy foods alongside those deemed "naughty". I have a small baby and often meet for lunch/ coffee with my ante natal group, some of whom are trying to lose the baby weight and others who definitely prefer the cake option

Good luck!

Agree Dartford probably isn't the right demographic and I think if you want to go down this route you'd be better off in a more affluent area. Sorry.

Not my thing and I agree, Dartford is not the right place. What about the new Royal Arsenal development in Woolwich? There are a few posh wanky food places opening up there.

I am a baker by trade, so I may be biased, but I find when people want cake, they want cake.

That said I didn't think it sounded particularly twatty. I'd probably visit if I was on a health kick. Don't know anything about dartford though.

It would appeal to me if there were savoury options on the menu as well as cake-type things. Where I live, there are lots of greasy spoons and coffee shops but nothing selling home-made decent savoury food. I also think Dartford may not be the best place to start your business. It might be better to at least be in one of the London travel zones.

It sounds great to me... but I live in basically the opposite of Dartford (affluent part of Central London) so I agree with others that the location is key.