Scores of excited customers queued for the opening of a new cafe and shop, which has launched inside a former visitor centre.
The Nest on Romney Marsh officially opened its door to the public on Saturday following a two-week renovation, welcoming more than 100 people.
Dymchurch resident Nicola Adam is behind the new venture and is leasing the space from owners Folkestone and Hythe District Council.
Ms Adams, 46, explained: “Having got the keys just over two weeks ago, it’s been a quick turnaround but we hope to grow and grow and do really well.
“I’ve had businesses since I was 16, so it hasn’t been too scary.
“We’re very excited and we want it to be just a really welcoming feel.”
Before it was The Nest, the site, which is off Dymchurch Road, between New Romney and St Mary’s Bay, was home to the Romney Marsh Visitor Centre.
However, last summer, Kent Wildlife Trust made the “difficult decision” to terminate its lease at the venue due to rising costs and falling visitor numbers.
The site has been closed ever since, but is now home to a cafe – with space for 30 covers –, a shop and community space.
“Food is mainly paninis and sandwiches at the moment,” Ms Adam said.
“We also have home-made cakes, locally sourced fruit and vegetables and coffee from Rye Bay.
“We will also be doing breakfasts in the future with pastries possibly on the menu.”
The mum-of-one, who also has two step children and three grandchildren, hopes to use her other business, Dymchurch Tutoring, to help the centre expand.
She added: “At the moment it’s a cafe with a retail area selling homemade products like crafts, soaps and bath bombs. Local artists have also brought their work in to display there too.
“When the site came up for tender I spoke to my son, who has experience in running a cafe, and we let fate step in to give it a go.
“But we’ve been looking for a space for a little while to expand the services we offer.
“Coming up here we’re going to be offering space to do forest schools and that will allow children to be outside more and learn in different ways.
“We already have a few schools lined up, a few who are coming in September to do a site visit for day activities like pond dipping and nature visits.
“We still want it to be a place for information as it was a visitor centre.
“I changed the name because Romney Marsh Visitor Centre is quite a mouthful, so I wanted something which can roll off the tongue and that people can remember easily.”
Ms Adam says crochet, art and creative writing classes will be some of the options available to visitors in the coming weeks, with the likes Romney Marsh Tweed coming to teach people their skills.
Potential yoga and pilates sessions could also be on the cards in The Nest’s garden.
The cafe is open from 9am until 4.30pm, seven days a week.
The venue is close to nearby nature reserve, Romney Warren, a Site of Special Scientific Interest, which remained open despite the closure of the visitor centre last year.
