THE new owner of one of Helston's oldest coffee shops has complimented the welcoming community after re-opening the shop this week.

Louise Shephard has moved to Cornwall from Reading to re-open Ruth's Tea Shop on Meneage Street.

Louise, with the help of her son, reopened the cafe and takeaway on October 3. 

She said: "Since we have arrived, we have been welcomed by the community.
"It's completely different to Reading, and people here are so welcoming and friendly."

Falmouth Packet: Louise has complimented the community of Helston for making her feel so welcome Louise has complimented the community of Helston for making her feel so welcome (Image: Kate Lockett)Opening a café was something Louise had wanted to do for many years. Before moving to Cornwall to re-open Ruth's, Louise launched her own mobile sandwich delivery service in Reading.

However, after the death of her partner, international reggae singer, Michael Prophet in 2017, she decided that she wanted to open a small café. She originally looked at shops in the Lake District and Weymouth but eventually found Ruth's online. 

"When I walked into the shop, it was a lot bigger than I expected," Louise explained. "It was very cluttered, but we had a really good sort out, and freshened the place up, and were ready to go."

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Since the shop reopened last week, Louise has already served plenty of customers, including the daughter of Ruth Williams who first opened the shop in the 1960s, Joan Williams.

Joan was visiting the café with a friend on Saturday. She told the Packet: "It's lovely to see the shop open again.

"It's nice that the café will remain being called Ruth's. Everyone who has owned the business has kept it at Ruth's Tea Shop.

"It is so good the name is being carried on."

The café and takeaway business offer hot and cold food including jacket potatoes, salad bowls and hot and cold sandwiches as well as cooked breakfasts, omelettes, a selection of cakes and hot and cold drinks.

Over the years, Ruth's has been one of the places to buy cake decorations, especially for Christmas cakes during the festive season. However, these have been removed temporarily but will be bought back out in the lead-up to Christmas and placed in a special cabinet.