Sweet Little Things in Madeley
A new bakery and tea room has opened in Madeley thanks to a business start-up grant from Telford & Wrekin Council’s Pride in Our High Street programme.
Sweet Little Things Bakery & Tea Room is the first business of its kind to open on the high street in Madeley – offering homemade cakes, a homely place to sit and eat and takeaway drinks and lunches.
The business, which has moved into a unit at Madeley Malls, Russell Square is also a permanent base where bespoke celebration cakes can be ordered.
Owner Leanne Humphries, who has a strong background in the hospitality industry, is well known in Madeley after selling homemade celebration cakes at Madeley Market since 2022.
Sweet Little Things Bakery & Tea Room offers a unique menu, focusing on cake sales to begin but will develop to offer afternoon teas, light lunches and take away breakfast menus – with a constant changing selection of foods depending on the seasons.
A fabulous selection of coffees, hot chocolates and mega milk shakes, afternoon treat deals, vegan and gluten free menus will also be available.
Parents and baby sessions, where new mums can meet, will be hosted at the tearooms in the future and free Wi-Fi is available for people wanting to work away from their desks or a change from their home work environment.
Pop up events including school holiday activities, ‘knit and natter’ evenings and wreath making workshops will also be offered from the unit.
Sweet Little Things Bakery & Tea Room is open on Tuesdays to Saturdays (9am-4.30pm) initially with extra opening hours added for pop up events.
Councillor Ollie Vickers (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for the Economy, said: “We’re delighted to support Sweet Little Things Bakery & Tea Room in Madeley – a business which brings something completely new to the town.
“Our business start-up grants can really help businesses to set up on the high street and the support for this business is a great example of that.
“As well as having a fantastic selection of cakes and menu to choose from, the additional sessions and activities on offer cater for the wider community as a whole.
“Leanne is a local lady with an amazing talent for celebration cakes and we are sure that this tearoom will be a fantastic new addition to Madeley. We look forward to seeing it grow and flourish.”
Leanne has received a five star food hygiene rating for the last five years and her latest inspection in August also took into account her corporate buffet catering and ready-meals.
Leanne said: “I’d outgrown the space at the market stall and the tea rooms will allow me to grow the business – catering for existing customers but welcoming new ones as well.
“I want Sweet Little Things Bakery & Tea Room to become the place to go – whether you’re a parent waiting to pick up a child from a dance class, elderly or lonely and just want a chat, or a home worker who wants a nice space to have a meeting with Wi-Fi.
“The tea room will be inviting and welcoming to all and I’m really grateful for the support I’ve received from the Council’s Pride in Our High Street programme to make this move possible – giving me the chance to have a permanent base in Madeley.”
Investing in the regeneration of the borough’s high streets and increasing the diversity of independent shops is part of Telford & Wrekin Council’s ‘20 pledges in 20 weeks’ campaign.
The campaign is seeing the local authority deliver 20 actions on the things that matter most to local people during the first 20 weeks following Councillor Lee’s Carter’s appointment as Leader on 18 July.
The pledges reinforce the Council’s ongoing commitment to protect, care and invest to create a better borough.
You can find out more about the Pride in Our High Street programme and funding which is available for businesses here: Pride in our high street – Telford & Wrekin Council
Pic: The Sweet Little Things Bakery & Tea Room team Kerry Brownhill, Sue Price, Leanne Humphries, Karen Heath with Councillor Paul Watling at the opening.
