Hartlepool business Glady’s Vintage Tea Room welcomes customers back after changing owners

Glady’s Vintage Tea Room, at The Front, in Seaton Carew, welcomed customers once again as it reopened on Tuesday, September 5, following a brief closure.

New owner Diane Hay, who took over from Jacky Sullivan at the end of August, told the Mail she is “excited, but nervous” to reopen the tea room.

"I hope there’s going to be a booming and that everyone’s going to love coming here and it’s going to be a really friendly atmosphere,” Diane said.

"It’s just going to be a nice place for people to meet and enjoy some good food.”

She continued: "We’ve made changes to the menu. We are going back to being a bit more traditional.

"We’ve got traditional bubble and squeak in our breakfasts, we’ve got traditional jam roly-polies, crumbles.”

"It’s all the good old-fashioned favourites."

Customers were left “sad” and “gutted” when former owner Jacky Sullivan, 55, took the decision to close Glady’s last month after struggling with health issues since the start of the year.

Emma Stewart, 42, and her daughter Alisha, 18, were among the tea room’s first customers when it opened its doors again on Tuesday.

Emma, who had been to Glady’s several times before, said: "We were sad to see that it was closing, so we’re really happy to see someone took it over and it was reopening again.

"It gets quite a few people in and it’s quite good business for the town. Hopefully it does well and takes off.”

Glady’s will be open seven days a week from 8.30am until 4pm.

New owner Diane has had a number of jobs in the past including her working as a hairdresser, owning a cleaning business and helping her son run a hotel in Durham.

She is now embracing her new role as she dons Glady’s signature 1940s costume.

"It’s a bit strange. It’s the first time I’ve ever dressed up in costume,” Diane said.

"Never been to a fancy dress party, but I’m just getting into my new persona.”

She added: “ Come on in. We’ll meet again.”