'I'm back': Queenie's returns to Emsworth in travelling caravan after devastating closure of tearoom
A travelling vintage trailer is embarking on a new chapter
After having to close her dream vintage tearoom due to sky high bills and crippling debt, a determined businesswoman is back with her popular mobile coffee caravan.
At the end of March, Queenie’s Vintage Tearoom, on platform 2 at Emsworth Railway Station, confirmed it would close down after four years of its owner, Queenie Butler-Hoskins, fighting to keep the business afloat.
She previously said she “explored every option” but it was no longer viable to remain open due to building debt.
Queenie explained said: “The tearoom had to come to an end - but believe it or not, I am relieved. I don’t know whether it’s because I haven’t had a chance to think about it. I am feeling a tiny bit relieved because I can look back at the tearoom and I know I did everything I could. I put my heart and soul into it and it still didn’t work so I won’t look back with any regrets and that’s why I feel okay.”
Two months after the closure, Queenie has made her return with her beloved vintage travelling caravan, which is how she originally started out several years ago.
Operating as a separate entity from the tearoom, the caravan, which is currently pitched up at the Westbourne Osteopathic and Wellness Clinic in Emsworth, will be dishing up Queenie’s famed high quality coffee and sweet treats.
She added: “I’m exactly where I started, but the thing is, it’s just so much easier just having me and no staff, nothing to worry about and I am now having to find a way through all of the debt the tearoom has got me into.
“It is going back to what I know and I know I did it well. A lot of people have been excited about me coming back. Everyone was really sad about the tearoom going, everyone was so supportive during it but they are really excited - it’s amazing. I’ve missed making coffee. I’m so happy to be back and seeing everyone everyday, it makes me happy.
“All of my main customers are coming to see me daily which is great and people are addicted to the coffee and they’ve all said they are happy to have proper coffee again.”
The caravan will start attending events across Hampshire this summer, with Stansted Summer Show and Anchored in Gosport in the pipeline.
Queenie continued: “I’m quite open to most things for the future. I’ve got a couple of event bookings - I’ve got a birthday party that I’m doing in someone’s back garden and a wedding lined up for the summer but I’ll also be doing events as well. I had to say no to them last year because I couldn’t take the risk so it will be nice to get back to it.”