Drastic career change for mental health nurse Rob after opening dementia-friendly coffee shop

A cafe-loving-couple have fulfilled a long-running dream of theirs by giving up their day jobs to open a state-of-the-art independent cafe.
Tease owners Ron and Karen enjoying some afternoon tea in the cafe with Longridge Mayor Coun Stuart Tyrer.Tease owners Ron and Karen enjoying some afternoon tea in the cafe with Longridge Mayor Coun Stuart Tyrer.
Tease owners Ron and Karen enjoying some afternoon tea in the cafe with Longridge Mayor Coun Stuart Tyrer.

Karen Boyes and Rob Brown have opened new coffee shop Tease, in Berry Lane, giving up their day jobs as a hairdresser and mental health nurse respectively to turn their hobbies into a living.

“We were looking for something different,” said Rob, a former nurse at Guild Lodge in Whittingham, who has a passion for baking and cooking alongside Karen.

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The cafe has set up in what was Hawthorn’s Coffee shop and Cafe.

Prior to opening in late January, the pair, from Horton, have had great fun researching the best teas and coffees to match the cakes and food they wanted to serve.

Keen to source locally they have teamed up with local businesses in the area including Andertons, Tina’s Bakery, Sanderson’s eggs and Mrs Dowson’s ice cream.

“We are prepared to shop locally and pay a little extra for better quality,” explained Rob.

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Ribble Valley councillor for Dilworth ward, Coun Rupert Swabrick, said: “It’s great that Longridge has such a great quality and, perhaps much more importantly, independent cafe.

"There’s a terrific range of places in our town for meeting socially and more formally and you’ll get a warm welcome at Tease.”

48-year-old Rob said: “Having worked in Whittingham I’m familiar with the community and we will be getting involved as much as we can.”

The cafe has been well received on social media, with Enid Marsh saying “the food is excellent” and Hilary Gardner-Croft saying: “It is really nice and friendly, love it.”

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Ioan Parry said: “They’ve really done a good job with the interior, and Karen and company are great people.”

The cafe is already ingraining itself into the local community, hosting Freshers Cafe meet ups with the Longridge Dementia Friendly Community organisation for people aged 40 and over with early onset dementia or Parkinson’s. The next one is next Tuesday.

Rob, who spent 15 years as a dementia nurse, says the cafe’s use of colour is the way it is to make people suffering from the disease more at ease.

“There’s not enough awareness over the disease,” Rob said. “The more awareness we can bring to it, the better.”