Following on from a horrible
burglary last year, a vintage tearoom has now been the
victim of vandalism, after its exterior signage was
destroyed.
Queenie’s Vintage Tearoom, tucked
away in Emsworth Train Station, took to social media at the
end of last week after its hanging sign was torn in two.
Queenie Butler-Hoskins, owner of
the tearoom, said the incident is ‘so disheartening’
particularly because ‘it is a constant battle’ to keep the
venue open in the current climate.
She said: “It is really upsetting,
it is my baby. This is my dream and I can’t help but take it
to heart.
“It seems to be a constant thing -
we had a burglary a year ago and now this has happened. It’s
just one thing after another, you’ve just got to keep
smiling.
“It is hard because we aren’t even
at a point where we are making a profit and things like this
are just so disheartening - We get to the end of the month
and I’m scraping together and selling things to pay our
staff.
“It’s really rocky - it’s just
really stressful to be honest. This is my passion, the whole
thing, I love what we are doing with Queenie’s. I love our
customers but you can’t help but get stressed out when it is
a constant battle to keep it open and then you have
something like this, you do just think for God sake.
“I’m doing everything I can but
it’s very much month by month at the moment.”
After getting wind of the incident,
the local community has rallied together to support the
tearoom, with one ‘kind’ man offering to make a new sign.
Queenie added: “We’ve had so much
support - a gentleman has a machine and is going to make a
new sign for us for free and that’s just absolutely
incredible.
“It is lovely when the community
try to help, it’s really really lovely. There are so many
kind people out there.”
The tearoom hosts its Friday night
speakeasy every week, featuring live music and on Saturday,
August 9, there will be a ticketed music event with
According to Brian set to perform.
For more information about
Queenie’s Vintage Tearoom, click
HERE.
The News 28th July
