AFTER a break of a few months, since the beginning of this year, the cafe on East Street, Crediton has opened again with a new owner, new look, new menu and new name.

Having been Triple C for some 30 years, it is now East Town Cafe. There was a grand opening on Saturday morning when the Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Frank Letch with the Mayoress his wife, Natalia, formally declared the cafe open.

Owner is Lucy Betts, who had been at Appledore but now lives above the cafe. She said running a cafe had been a dream for years. She was a charity manager, missed mixing with people and had the dream of a community facility.

The Mayor welcomed the idea, saying it was great that there was a place where people could hold smaller meetings, a community meeting room of which Crediton had a lack.

He also liked Lucy’s idea of a history trail, something quite different to the Town Trail and which would encourage younger people to explore the town.

“When I bought this place I did a bit of a re-fit,” said Lucy. “The old sign is still there underneath the new one. I think it is important to keep the link.

“I want this to be a place where people can come and do some work, we have WiFi and we have different tables and seats so people can relax in a comfy arm chair or work at a table.

“As much as possible what I use here is local. I haven’t got the time to make all the cakes so Vanilla Whisk at Cheriton Fitzpaine are doing that.

“I’d like to see smaller groups use this for meetings in the evenings. We had the Squash Club annual meeting here not long ago,” said Lucy.

She added: “I come from a world where you help and support people. I wanted to run a cafe because not only do I like coffee but I want to help people.

“If you are having a bad day - come and have a cup of tea and cake,” suggested Lucy.

Being one of the shops at the front of the former cinema, Lucy would like to know its history, to borrow any photographs or other memorabilia of the cinema to copy and, hopefully, display in the cafe.

She would also like to know more about the sweet factories in that area, whether anyone can explain just where they were and what might be left now.

East Town Cafe is open every day from 9am to 5pm except Tuesdays and Thursdays, closing earlier at the weekend.

Lucy usually offers two main meals at lunchtime plus snacks such as toasted sandwiches as well as cakes and more.

“I can do a pre-event menu for the Arts Centre across the road and for the music nights at Buccaneer’s. When I do the food for the Moon Jazz Club it is usually a moonlight inspired menu including Spudniks,” said Lucy.

Sue Read