South Shields star baker 'inundated' with orders for afternoon tea deliveries on VE Day

A South Shields baker is keeping people smiling during the lockdown with her afternoon teas delivery service.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Dee Clayton - head baker at the Cake Witchery in South Shields - is best known as the former owner of Westoe Crown café Mac ‘n’ Alli, which she ran for six and a half years.After initially retiring, the businesswoman started her new venture in 2019 at the Little Cafe in Haven Court.

But due to the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown restrictions, Dee has had to close the cafe for the foreseeable future.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Instead, she has been delivering her famous afternoon teas to people’s doorsteps – complete with handmade stand – and she says she can hardly keep up with the demand.

Cake Witchery head baker, Dee Clayton has been delivering afternoon teas during the lockdown.Cake Witchery head baker, Dee Clayton has been delivering afternoon teas during the lockdown.
Cake Witchery head baker, Dee Clayton has been delivering afternoon teas during the lockdown.

After Dee started making cakes for her colleagues and NHS staff at the hospital word got out and now everyone wants a slice of her delicious homemade bakes.

“I really miss the social side of things at the cafe,” said Dee, who took over the Little Cafe in November 2019.

“I love seeing everybody come and going but we had to make the decision to close.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“For a couple of weeks I was just making cakes and delivering them to friends and colleagues - to say thank you to them – and then I started getting enquiries.

“The response has been fantastic - I’m baking 24/7.”

On VE Day on Friday, May 8, she says she was “inundated” with orders from people wanting to celebrate the 75th anniversary at home.

“I’m a one-man-band, baking and delivering orders at the same time, so I usually have to limit it to around 15 orders day - but on VE Day we did around 25, said Dee.

“I thought I might as well go all out, so I got dressed up and it was lovely to see everybody on their doorsteps.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

People just wanted to celebrate, there was a real sense of patriotism and community.”

Read More
We'll Meet Again: How South Tyneside marked VE Day

She added: “Everyone is so grateful, it’s making a big difference to them and to me.

“I’m just happy to help lockdown just a little more bearable.”

Delivery is available in South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn, Washington and Sunderland.

Order at the Cake Witchery on Facebook.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

How to subscribe to the print edition

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of. Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.

Related topics: