AN INDEPENDENT cafe in Tadley has been voted the winner of the Basingstoke Gazette and Andover Advertiser Cafe of the Year contest for the second consecutive year.

In a heartwarming deja vu, Little Roses Coffee Shop, nestled within the picturesque Elm Park Garden Centre in Aldermaston Road, Pamber End, secured the prestigious title by amassing the highest number of votes among 14 shortlisted cafes from North Hampshire, reaffirming its unwavering popularity.

Owned and passionately operated by Chris and Liz Harris, Little Roses Coffee Shop has become an integral part of the community, making its back-to-back win all the more significant.

When asked about their feelings upon receiving the award for the second time, Liz said she couldn't believe it.

READ MORE: Little Roses Coffee Shop in Tadley voted Café of the Year

"It’s wonderful and I'm absolutely over the moon," she said.

"It's down to our customers and the support we've had throughout the years. We also have a really strong team here."

Despite winning it previously, the victory in the 2023 contest still feels like a dream come true for the team at Little Roses Coffee Shop.

Liz added: "You did write to us to let us know about our nomination to the final. So we did know. A lot of customers were aware that we had been nominated. But it's different when you're nominated to actually win it again. We are thrilled.

"We've been here for 18 years, nearly 19 years, and it's a nice bit of recognition, isn't it?"

The cafe's enduring popularity is evident in its dedicated customer base.

Liz and Chris opened the business in November 2004 as a tearoom and gift shop after they moved to Tadley from Brighton.

And then slowly over the years, the coffee shop outweighed the gift shop as they weren't selling many gifts.

It now proudly stands as a coffee shop that has successfully catered to evolving tastes and preferences within the community.

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Currently, Little Roses Coffee Shop boasts a dedicated team of 10 staff members.

Liz emphasised the integral role her team members have played in the cafe's success, describing them as "the backbone of her business".

The cafe plans to celebrate this remarkable achievement, Liz said: "We'll have to go out. We'll let the customers know. We have framed our previous certificate, which I put up on the wall. People do see it, and it's really great to get their feedback."

The cafe now opens on Sundays too.

Liz added: "We decided to close on Sundays when Covid was around just to give team members a break, but now we have opened a new Sunday team. Hopefully, we will start to get busier again on Sundays."