Marie Antoinette-inspired tea room comes to Kendal store (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Marie Antoinette-inspired tea room comes to Kendal store

6:40pm Tuesday 18th October 2011 in Business By Kate Proctor, Reporter

THE famous phrase ‘Let Them Eat Cake’ takes on a new meaning at the new tea room that has opened in Kendal lifestyle shop Armstrong Ward.

Named after French Queen Marie Antoinette’s well-known remark, the quaint country style cafe in Wainwright’s Yard is the latest addition to the ever-expanding store.

Joint owner Jaqueline Ward said: “Customers have always said to us they would like to see somewhere to have a drink as they browse or wait for a partner to finish shopping.

"We had the space so thought that we’d try it out and I think it gives the place a real atmosphere and buzz. It’s a bit different and a great addition to the shop.”

Let Them Eat Cake sits in the newly extended lower ground floor of the interiors and homeware shop which celebrates its sixth anniversary later this year.

It serves Yorkshire teas and coffee and homemade cakes created by the region’s finest bakers and scones made by Kendal’s Staff of Life bakery.

The mother of two said: “We wanted to start in a neat way with focus so that’s why we’re starting with cakes and drinks. Let Them Eat Cake is about indulgence and giving yourself that little treat so our range of cakes have been carefully selected with that in mind.”

Raspberry lemon drizzle to vanilla slices and apple and ginger cake are among the cafe’s delicious selection but there’s also a nod to the retro-baker with giant jammy dodger biscuits for children.

Mrs Ward and her husband Andrew’s eye for style has clearly been extended into the cafe with a utilitarian country style, neutral colours and paintings of cakes adorning the walls.

Even their tea cups cannot escape a trendy edge and were designed especially for the shop by Stoke-on-Trent based ceramics company Tea With Bea.

Yet the couple’s foray into catering is not an entirely surprising departure as both Mr and Mrs Ward have food based backgrounds before opening their shop.

“Andrew was a hotel manager and I used to work in product development in food manufacturing. I do love to bake as well and make jam and had lots of cake recipes in mind which we’ve tweaked,” said Mrs Ward.

With almost double the floor space, three staff have been taken on to run the shop’s lower ground floor and cafe – Melanie Mayho, Ellen Funning and Clare Taylor.