A village café and craft shop which has been shut since March has been named among the best in the country in national awards.
Judith Nudd runs Prima Rosa tearoom, on Lower Street in Salhouse, and had hoped to use the news of her Good Food Award 2021 win to let customers know that she would be reopening for the first since lockdown in just a matter of days.
But the second national lockdown was announced before she could, and the café owner, who has run the business since 2015, is now waiting until December to finally open the doors again.
Mrs Nudd, who runs the café alongside husband Martin, has been given the body’s gold seal, after winning the award for five consecutive years in the café category.
She said she is raring to get back to business.
“With all the crafts I couldn’t fit everything in socially distanced,” she said, “but it’s now ready to go. I had a major clear out and now it is socially distanced and I can’t wait until we can reopen.
“Hopefully December 2 will be the day because we always have the famous turkey, stuffing and cranberry baguettes and I’d love to open with that.”
She said she still visits the café most days, but said people’s health had been her overriding concern in not rushing to reopen.
Describing the café as her “dream”, she said the award win - which sees customers vote for their favourite businesses - was welcome news, and that it was nice to see people appreciative of what they do.
Founded in 2002, the Good Food Awards divide places to eat and drink into categories including gastropubs and takeaways.
A spokesperson for the awards said they are “founded upon independence and integrity and every award issued is based on a strict policy scorecard”.
Businesses which put themselves forward are visited by judges to choose who is shortlisted, and customers can cast votes for their favourites.
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