Cromer café Hatters Tea Shop seeks new owners after 6 years

Co-owners Susan Cross and her sister-in-law Carol McNarry-Cross gave up their careers to achieve their dream of running a café six years ago. 

Hatters Tea Shop when it first opened in 2018 (Image: Archant)Since then, Hatters Tea Shop has become a local institution, attracting loyal locals and tourists alike, doing good trade all year round. 

Susan Cross said: "It was absolutely empty when we took it over, it used to be a clothes shop.

"We renovated it, the whole place and turned it into Hatters.

"We created it from nothing.

"We want to make it clear that we are not closing, we are testing the waters and trying to find the right person.

"We made it as far as we want to go, it could be bigger and we had thought about franchising, but running the café is a lot to manage. 

"We had a dream and now we have achieved it. 

"We would both like to move into other things, for example I do the baking here and I would like to pursue that further.

"Perhaps set up a bakery business.

"I don't think we would sell it if we did not find the right person to take it on."

"We owe it to our staff, who are amazing, to find someone great to take the place over.
Hatters Tea Shop (Image: Susan Cross)The owners say that the opportunity is aimed at those who want to buy a well-established, profitable business.

They said: "There is huge potential to expand opening hours and, if planning allows, turn the business into a bistro."

Hatters Tea Shop is situated in an historic Victorian building on Prince of Wales Road.