Ludlow favourite De Grey's set to reopen under new management
Friday will see the return of Ludlow's 90-year-old tearoom, De Grey's – six months after the celebrity-endorsed institution closed its doors.
The loss of De Grey's tearoom, cafe and bakery in January was a blow to the town and its visitors, and it was feared that it would never return.
But after a long and uncertain wait the tearoom, which was known across the world and had celebrity fans such as Keira Knightley, Stephen Fry and Robert Plant, will officially reopen its doors under new management, days after building work has been completed.
It has been taken over by Tasty Plc, which runs Wildwood Restaurants.
In an unprecedented move, the company has decided to keep not just the name, but the tearooms and bakery at the front of the building.
Despite the final fixtures and fittings still being put in place, staff at the tearoom – now going under the official title of Wildwood at De Grey's – have held sessions giving out a sample of what will be sold.
The bakery and deli had a test run yesterday and the newly done-out front-of-house was filled with curious customers.
James Warr, De Grey's new general manager, said: "There has been so much interest in the place, we've had so many people standing outside looking through the windows, that we thought we had to do something.
"It's all going very well," he said.
