life
INTERVIEW
Photo above: Reg Andrews former founder of the
Old Smithy back in 1948.
realise that during the winter months there was
very little open in the Village. If we wished to
encourage all year round trade we had to make
Godshill an attractive venue for off-season
coaches and visitors as well as building on our
local trade.” She admits it was a bit of a steep
learning curve at first, but the coffee shop
steadily expanded from its early basic form
to its newly enlarged incarnation as visitor
numbers demanded. “We are very lucky to have
a large number of Islanders who have become
regular and welcome customers throughout the
year. Under the management of chief cook,
Jackie King, the kitchen produces irresistibly
tempting cakes and gateaux, sandwiches and full
meals. Parents always welcome the children’s
platter, cut-up apple, cheese and squares of
bread, which makes a refreshing change from
the usual kids’ fare on offer. There is a specials
board each day, and Sunday roasts are available
too. “The queues go out the door sometimes,
but we can cope with volume.”
Coaches, which can be the bane of some
businesses, are welcomed at The Old Smithy.
“They only have to book if they want a set tea,
otherwise they just turn up – and we don’t pay
them to come!” says Diane. She says it is a bit
of a juggling act to ensure those with more time
feel relaxed, while those on coaches are keeping
an eye on their watches. “They know they’ve
only got 20 minutes sometimes. The coaches
tend to park here and the people walk up the
road and come here last. You often see people
wishing they’d left more time to look around!”
A recent addition is Style Interiors, which the
family moved from up the road to the site, in a
building designed to complement the rest. Like
the gift and clothes shops it stocks accessories
for the home that you’re unlikely to find
elsewhere on the Island.
You reach Style via a pleasant wander through
woollens and Welsh tapestry. “It was seasonal at
first, but eventually we realised we were selling
not to visitors but to locals,” Diane smiles. “Of
course, once they’d got one kilt and a tapestry
coat they weren’t really going to buy another!
So we thought we’d better broaden our appeal,
and started to go into the fashion side. And we
carried on doing that more and more.”
The clothes they stock are not run-of-the-mill
high street brands but wearable fashion for
the over 30s such as Avoca, Bianca and Gerry
Weber, and are intended to appeal to the local
discerning shopper, rather than the visitor.
“We do sell to holiday makers, but our main
customers are locals so we try to have things
they’re not going to
see anywhere else,”
says Diane.
By reacting to a
perceived need rather
than anticipating the
market the family
have steadily grown
their business. The
modestly-named
coffee shop is a case
in point. “We weren’t
going to do teas and
coffees at first,” says
Diane. “Godshill
seemed to be awash
Photo: The Old Smithy cafe has recently undergone a refurbishment
with them, but we
to accommodate more customers .
34
Old Smithy
Facts!
Godshill resident, Brian
Noakes, was the last
working blacksmith at
the Old Smithy leaving
in1980.
2,240 egg whites were
used to make meringues
and pavlovas in the
month of May.
The business celebrates
its diamond anniversary
this year.
The kitchen cooks an
average of 5,000 scones
a month
The old smithy’s forge
suffered an arson attack
in the summer of 1966.
The next morning family
and staff set up trestle
tables in the yard to
sell off fire damaged
stock and ‘very lucky’
horseshoes that had
survived the fire
During the past 4 years,
the old smithy has
collected £18,205 for the
hospice and other local
charities.
Many of the staff have
worked at the smithy for
15 years or more, Chris
Croad holding the record
at 30 years.
Style interiors, which
is now sited on the car
park, was, originally,
established in Reg’s old
butcher shop
The wishing well was
filled in after a summer
when 5 different
customers lost their specs
down it.
The herb cottage ghost
has been heard walking
across the upstairs floor
by family and staff.
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