Self Help Ventures - Coterie Tea Rooms

COTERIE TEA ROOMS

"A different kind of Restauant"

A very warm welcome, good food and a friendly, efficient service await all visitors to the Coterie Tea Room in Rye. Not unusual for a restaurant, you might think - many strive to achieve the same high standards. However, the Coterie Tea Room in Rye differs in at least one respect - it is run by people with learning disabilities with the assistance of support staff.

The Tea Room was set up in1989 by Canterbury Oast Trust, a registered charity dedicated to the values of equality, opportunity and independence through access/integration into the life of the community.

Staff set the tables, welcome the customers, take orders for meals, prepare and serve food, clear tables and wash up. They are the hosts and they enjoy serving their customers. However, Coterie Tea Room is not a "social experiment", it is a commercial working business which is successful and well respected in the town, providing real value for money.

The main benefits of this training include:

• A positive role in the community
• Learning new skills
• Building self-confidence/self-esteem
• Achieving high standards of service
• Working as part of a team
• Specific training opportunities (i.e. Health & Safety, public relations).

If you would like more information about The Coterie Tea Rooms, Please call Mike Swain (Manager) on 01797 223 480