Florist in Elmstead Market adds coffee service to business

Florist Becky Beird says there is a lack of decent coffee shops in Elmstead Market so she decided to fill the gap at her business in Old Forge Court. 

The 46-year-old took over the florist shop in March to upgrade from her Wivenhoe and Dedham pop-up shops. 

And after the flower shop proved a success, Becky decided to branch out into something new. 

Shop - The florist shop in Old Forge Court, Elmstead Market (Image: Becky Beird)

She said: “As I was talking to customers, it became clear there are not many places where people can get a good cup of coffee around here. 

“You only have the machines at the gas station and in the shop. So, I invested in training and equipment to offer fresh coffee to the village.” 

Becky, who worked for several years as an accountant before turning to floristry, said the idea came from Little Merchant in Dedham High Street, which offers a variety of household goods such as candles, tableware and is also a coffee shop. 

“It was not something that I thought I’d do at any point,” said Becky.

“The idea sort of came from the Little Merchant, who are doing something similar. 

“It made me think that I could do that at the florist shop and that would also bring more visitors in.” 

Investment - Becky invested in training and equipment for her new venture (Image: Becky Beird)

To offer top-notch drinks, Becky had barista training, which turned out to be more detailed than she imagined. 

“The training was very interesting, but I didn’t expect it to be so thorough. I learned a lot about the weight of coffee, first, the beans and then after the brewing process, how long it should be brewed and more.” 

Fresh coffee, hot cocoa and tea started crossing the counter next to bouquets of fresh flowers on Tuesday (October 15), and the first two days have gone well. 

Becky said: “I expect there will be more customers as it goes on. On day two I already had more customers than on the first day, so it is definitely going in the right direction.” 

She is looking forward to introducing different types of milk and seasonal specials to her takeaway menu, and she is looking forward to feedback from her customers. 

“I could imagine doing more,” she said, “It depends on what my customers want, but I want to be able to make them happy.”