Minton's Tea Room

When I was a curate, Roger and Judy Martin set up a tea room at the top end of Greasley Church hall. I claim some credit for the name - they had another in mind, but I had just read Sons and Lovers, where St Mary's Greasley is referred to as Minton Church, and Minton china was an established name. They agreed that it had a good ring, and so Minton's tea room was born.

They always saw it as a ministry of hospitality as well as a business. The churchyard at Greasley is open, and there were often people around, looking cold and windswept in need of a comforting word and a cuppa. The tea-room made sense in so many ways. In the event it has become an award-winning venue. Judy's date slice is legendary, and I have the recipe, although I am not at liberty to share it!

Roger and Judy also have a blog, which is fun to visit too. Nice to see them thriving 14 years on.