North East Derbyshire District Council is continuing its support for local and independent businesses to help them recover from the pandemic and Cup and Saucer in Clay Cross is one such business who is finding success in these difficult times.
Cup and Saucer is based in Clay Cross and is selling loose tea and tea-related vintage china and had just moved her business from Bolsover to Clay Cross only one month before the pandemic hit.
However, business has been booming thanks to joining forces with local producers*, Gail Hannan – owner of Cup & Saucer, Clay Cross – is now producing gift hampers, a new business venture which is not only benefitting her, but other local independent traders too.
Winner of Food Producer of the Year at the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards 2018, Gail said: “I could have gone home and thrown my dummy out of the pram, or thought of some other way to keep going. “So, I got in touch with other producers to produce gift hampers. All are Derbyshire based businesses within ten miles of the shop - apart from one from Derby.”
She now spends her mornings making up the hampers and afternoons delivering them, with word-of-mouth keeping her business buoyant. There are various sizes and types available to buy, including Derbyshire Producers Gift Hampers, Tea and Sweet Treats Hamper and a Chocoholics Dream Hamper.
Councillor Carolyn Renwick, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth said, “It is amazing to see Gail’s business doing so well amidst the difficult times many of us have been facing. It is so important to support our local businesses who live and work in our district to come out of this pandemic with support, enabling them to prosper.
“Shopping locally in unique businesses such as Gail’s, offers a personal experience that money can’t buy. It is so important we are all in this together to be stronger together and supportive of each other”.
Products are available to order via Gail’s website www.cupandsauceronline.co.uk on Etsy and via Facebook (search for cupandsaucertea). Delivery is free within Chesterfield, for orders over £10.
As well as everything tea, visitors to the shop (which re-opened last month) will soon be able to buy items from some of the Derbyshire producers Gail has been working with.
*Derbyshire companies who have their goodies in Gail’s hampers: Rate Good Brownies (handmade brownies), Liza Bakes (traybakes), Petit Pithivier (handmade Macarons), Ashgate Preserves (handmade fruit vinegars and seasonal preserves), Homemade at Haselmere (jams and chutneys), Jade’s Delights (fudge), Curry on Cooking (cooking spice kits), Cacoa Elora (craft chocolates) and Bear Cool Honey.