Cousins embark on a new business journey as they open new tea rooms

Edwina said: “Considering we have been robbed of our pensions as it’s changed for us to 66, we have decided to spend our last years doing something different.

“From scratch and having no knowledge of hospitality we have embarked on this new venture.”

Edwina and Anita opened the doors to Lazy Daze Vintage Tea Rooms in Ropery Road, Gainsborough, on August 13.

Edwina said: “The reviews have been great and we have had fabulous customer feedback.”

Before taking on this new business Anita had been a barber for 25 years and ran the Trim Inn in Ropery Road, Gainsborough, and Edwina ran her own boutique in Scunthorpe.

Edwina said: “Previous to that I worked in the diet industry for more than 20 years.

“After a holiday earlier this year and a few glasses of wine our idea for Lazy Daze tea room was born and we opened after taking one month to do the refit.

“We both decided on a change of career which was a massive risk for us.

“The challenges are learning new skills at our age and the rewards will be making it a success.”

This new business came as a total surprise to them both, as well as their friends and family.

Edwina said: “This wasn’t anything either of us had ever thought about or dreamed about. We just said let’s try something different.

“It is very hard work. People don’t realise how hard it will be but we’re enjoying it and I’ve met some lovely people.

“That is one of the reasons I wanted to do something new when I moved to the area after living in Scunthorpe.

“Me and my husband were well known in Scunthorpe as I was also a Slimming World consultant and I went from not being able to walk down the street without someone recognising me to not knowing anyone.

“It’s nice to meet new people while you’re at work. You can drink coffee while getting to know everyone.

“It’s a really relaxing atmosphere and we are seeing new people coming in every day.”

Edwina has been married to her husband Matt for 28 years and they have a daughter Grace, aged 27, and a son Jak, aged 22.

Edwina said: “Grace is a professional singer and Jak works as an engineer for Eden Mobility.

“Matt and I relocated to Gainsborough in November 2015 from Scunthorpe for semi-retirement, which seems to have gone on the back burner, for me at least.

“Matt has been a jeweller since the age of 18 and we have run successful fine jewellery shops and also I have had a fashion boutique for the last nine years.”

Anita has been married to her husband Aidrian for 34 years and they have two sons, Mark, aged 30, and Sam, aged 25.

Mark is a building surveyor and Sam works for golf company Ping. Aidrian paints aircrafts full time and spent about 10 years painting the Red Arrows aircraft.

Edwina said: “He has been an asset for the signwriting and paint features. Everyone in our family has been behind us but they are missing us.

“We have gone from working three days a week to six but it is going to get easier and hopefully further down the line we will be able to take more people on to help us.

“Our ambition is for everyone who visits the tea room to have had an enjoyable experience and to want to return.”

Edwina and Anita are looking forward to the future and from this weekend, Saturday, September 3, the tea rooms can be booked for baby showers, hen dos and birthday parties. From October they will be offering children’s birthday parties.