CLAIRE Cant’s two daughters inspired her when it came to choosing a name for her business venture - a tea room and fancy goods shop in the centre of Grantham.
The entrepreneur has named the tea room Liberty Rose and the first floor fancy goods shop Maison du Maddie after her daughters, aged four and 10 respectively.
Liberty Rose and Maison du Maddie have opened in Butchers Row, in premises which had stood empty for many years.
Claire said: “This is new to me, I’ve not done anything like this before.
“I like tea and I like cakes, so it’s perfect! I love visiting tea rooms and when I’ve looked around them I’ve thought how I’d love to do something like it.
“I’m pleased with the way the tea room looks. It’s lovely to be surrounded by lovely things.”
After months of planning, Claire opened the doors to the public on Saturday - and she was astounded by the response.
She said: “It was fantastic. We were so busy, we didn’t stop all day. If we’d had any more people come in we wouldn’t have coped.”
The business extends over three floors, and Claire hopes to use the second floor space as a meeting venue for groups and clubs, to help forge close links with the community.
Each floor is beautifully decorated in “girly” patterns, which create a relaxed and cosy atmosphere.
Families with young children are encouraged to pay Liberty Rose a visit.
Claire said: “We welcome children. It’s a real struggle to find places to go with a pushchair and sometimes a place can be a little bit precious about children running around but we’re not.
“There’s plenty of space for pushchairs and we’ve a dedicated play area.”
To discuss using the second floor space to hold gatherings, call Claire on 07796 650843.