Curiously Wicked Prepare to Serve up a Little Slice of Downton Abbey in Morpeth
2 July 2012
The award winning Morpeth chocolatier Curiously Wicked is stepping back in time with some Upstairs Downstairs expansion plans to bring a unique Edwardian experience to the town.
Already hugely popular at Sanderson Arcade the chocolatier and patissiere is now branching out with plans for a fabulous new tea room offering customers a little bit of theatre and a step back in time to the Edwardian era.
Work has already started on the ambitious £180,000 transformation of a 1,450 sq ft space above the present chocolate shop along Sanderson Arcade’s gallery ready for a September opening.
Over the next 12 weeks it will be turned into a sumptuous tea room with oak panelled walls, window seats, elegant chandeliers and beautiful period furniture - all aimed at transporting customers into a bygone era.
Delicious morning coffee and afternoon tea will be served and customers will be greeted by curtsying staff wearing traditional Downton Abbey style dress - laptops will be banned and mobile phones strongly discouraged!
Krystyna Dodds from Curiously Wicked is promising the food as well as the setting will be fit for a Queen. They’ve just appointed chef David Hall – who has cooked for Royalty and joins the new tea room from Derwent Manor Hotel.
The family firm started out at farmers markets across the North East before opening a shop last November at Sanderson Arcade. Since then the company has built up its reputation for a mouth watering array of connoisseur chocolates, cakes, and desserts as well as fantastic chocolate sculptures.
Curiously Wicked was the first chocolatier in England to become a full member of the Guild of Master Craftsmen and last year won an award from the Academy of Chocolate. The team is now turning its keen attention to detail to produce fabulous afternoon teas with a real elegant edge.
11 new members of staff are being taken on by the company and customers will also be able to hire an elegant private Chocolate Snug for special occasions.
Krystyna, said: “We are so excited about opening the Curiously Wicked tea rooms, the Edwardian era was all about opulence and elegance and we want people to feel transported to those times and to feel they can escape reality for a short time. Everyone will be addressed as Sir or Madam – it really will be a little slice of Downton Abbey.
“That era really was the pinnacle of Edwardian elegance and we want the experience people have when they come here to really reflect that, we are already planning to put a sign above the door telling people they are going back into the 21st century when they leave here.
“It really is fantastic to have the opportunity to expand here at Sanderson Arcade just eight months after we first opened our first shop in the UK, the response from our customers really has been fantastic and everyone keeps asking when we are opening upstairs. We are also extremely blessed to have such fantastic support from our landlords Dransfield Properties who have been on this journey every step of the way to bring as much authenticity as possible to this wonderful project,” she added.
Curiously Wicked are already planning tastings and VIP events and can’t wait to unveil the new tea room in September.
Centre Manager at Sanderson Arcade, Medi Parry said: “Krystyna and her team really are bringing something completely different to the area which will be a great visitor attraction for Morpeth. Their attention to detail and passion for what they do is fantastic and we can’t wait to see the new tea rooms.”
For further information about event and offers at Sanderson Arcade visit www.sandersonarcade.co.uk
Picture shows Medi Parry from Sanderson Arcade with Krystyna as well as Steffi Dodds and Chris Smith
For further information, contact:-
Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: admin@dransfield.co.uk
