Tearoom secures planning approval

A PROPOSED tearoom near Aith has moved one step closer to becoming reality after it received approval from Shetland Islands Council’s planning department.

Lynn Johnson of Hayfield Croft Produce wants to build on the success of her hugely popular roadside cake fridge at East Burrafirth by opening a cafe in an existing cottage next door.

Last week the project was given planning permission and Johnson said she was “delighted” by the latest milestone.

She hopes that the Hayfield Croft Tearoom could open its doors in about one year’s time.

Johnson previously told Shetland News that she would keep her 24/7 honesty cupboard – which is stocked around the clock with homebakes and other items – open even if the the tearoom came to fruition.

Demand for her goods has more than doubled this year, with people regularly travelling across Shetland to stop by and some even visiting at one or two in the morning during the week.

“There’s an emphasis on keeping it quite quaint and quirky, like the cake fridge, so we’d be looking to keep the croft house as the croft house,” Johnson said in August.

“[We want it to be] something a bit different to what Shetland already has to offer. We’d hope to offer takeaways as well.”

Johnson, meanwhile, plans to keep the cake fridge open through the winter this year instead of closing in October.