Saturday June 27th and the temperature is 29 degrees. Who wants to go out for coffee or tea? Not me, but I had a deadline looming for the magazine.

I spoke to my favourite person, Alex, lounging in front of the fan in his boxers.

“Alex, will you take me out this afternoon?”

“Where?”

“I need to go to the coffee shop so I can write my article for the magazine.”

“When and where?” My angel replied.

We stepped down the stairs of the Bridewell’s Tea Room at three o’clock. We enter through a side door and the stairs have railings on both sides. This afternoon, there were two women there already being served coffee and cake.

The temperature is a few degrees cooler because the building is below ground level. There is a sky light allowing sunshine to stream through a window, providing lots of natural light. Debbie is the volunteer staff member this afternoon, one of fifteen on a rota to work in the café 3 or 4 hours each day.

I don’t know anywhere else where a pot of tea or a mug of coffee can be bought for £1.50! Or a milkshake for £1.00!

The cakes, brownies, scones, and other delicious morsels are all made by their volunteers. And also sell for a very reasonable price of £2.50. Alex and I shared a piece of delicious coffee cake with thick frosting in the middle. Debbie cut the piece and gave us each our half slice on a fancy plate with a serviette and dessert fork. For our drink, we chose iced coffee served with a taste of caramel syrup and ice. Perfectly satisfying on this hot afternoon. The tea room also has canned drinks and crisps for sale, as well as a delicious-looking variety of homemade cakes.

The tea room has seating for twenty with tables and wooden chairs as well as a strategically placed armchair, below the window in the ceiling. Here one could comfortably relax with a coffee and a book. Two more ladies came in whilst we were savouring our iced coffee and cake. There were several paintings from local artists displayed on the walls.

Jaybee, a friendly volunteer who works at the front desk in the museum, gave us the history of the place. You can read all about it in Neil’s latest. In one corner of the tea room is an original covered well, where you can make a wish and toss a coin down the well.

You may or may not want to toss coins down the well, but you will save more than a few coins when you stop here for a coffee, hot or cold, with a scone or slice of cake.

Debbie welcomed us with her friendly personality and warm smile. There was a certain casual friendliness here that reminded me of days gone by. It is a great place to take anyone, young or old, for a seriously reasonable cost. After tea and cake, go for a tour in the museum and expand your mind with a history lesson. Convenient country calm in our Wymondham town.