Ropetackle Cafe

VERONICA Thomason has made cakes for the likes of Nick Cave, Sir Donald Sinden and singer-songwriter Passenger.

And now as the new manager of the newly refurbished Ropetackle’s cafe she has created her own signature carrot cake for the Shoreham arts centre.

“I ran my own catering business making cakes and quiches for 25 years,” she says from the Little High Street centre’s newly refurbished space which she took over last month.

“It was always my dream to run a cafe. And it’s so far, so good – everybody has been very supportive.”

She takes over from Sarah Carter, who set the cafe up as a separate business – although now it is under the Ropetackle’s control.

Thomason’s menu for the cafe is based on her own experiences catering for Brighton And Hove Council, 11 years working as a nursery nurse for I CAN at Carden Primary School – which helps youngsters with speech, language and communication difficulties – and extensive research.

“I went to a lot of my favourite cafes around here and had a good look at what they were doing,” she says. “I can help people with special dietary requirements – I always have dairy and gluten-free options.”

She is particularly proud of her vegetarian take on a classic meat sandwich.

“A lot of vegetarians would like to eat Coronation Chicken,” she says. “I tried lots of different vegetables and found courgettes worked best. Some people who like Coronation Chicken like Coronation Courgette even better!”

Everything in the cafe is freshly made, using local suppliers where possible. Thomason is keen to use organic and free range ingredients.

The cafe serves Brighton-based Roasted coffee, which is a Fair Trade, single estate product.

“They can trace it back to one of 300 growers,” says Thomason. “It makes it a little more expensive, but you get what you pay for.”

She has plans to introduce cream teas and picnic boxes in the summer, as well as put out some tables near the entrance to the Ropetackle.

A recent Sunday afternoon jam as part of the South Coast Jazz Festival could also point the way to future live performances in the cafe space.

When Thomason packs up at 4.30pm on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday Lesley and Barry Ward, formerly of the Beach Dreams Cafe, take over offering audience members pre-show suppers.

“It’s something we started doing with Sarah,” says Mark Phillips, the Ropetackle’s marketing manager. “It adds to the experience and means our audiences don’t need to worry about whether they will be able to get food ahead of an evening performance. They provide a great level of service. There’s no need to book.”

The Ropetackle has also freshened up the airy space which doubles as the arts centre foyer, adding some more contemporary tables and chairs to replace some of the mismatched vintage furniture.

For some visitors the first chance they get to see the new space and taste Thomason’s wares will be the sixth edition of the ever-popular Ropetackle Beer Festival which runs tonight and tomorrow taking over both the cafe space and auditorium.

This year’s event, which is organised by punk poet Attila The Stockbroker and owner of the nearby Duke Of Wellington Rob Jones, features 25 beers from small independent breweries, plus a selection of ciders and perries.

On the music bill tonight from 6pm are folk/indie outfit The Galleons, Laura Ward And The Risen Road and Australian urban bluesman Rory Ellis, while tomorrow punk bands Newtown Neurotics and folk-infused Bandana Collective will be performing from 6pm. Tickets for the evening sessions cost £7, with tomorrow afternoon from noon to 5.15pm just £4.

Sample Menu

  •  Sandwiches on white, wholemeal, granary or gluten and wheat-free bread from £3 including egg mayonnaise and spring onion; tuna, dill sauce and cucumber; hummus and roasted peppers; brie and cranberry.
  •  Paninis from £3.50 including smoked ham and cheese; chicken and pesto and cheese and red onion.
  •  Soup of the day £3
  •  Cakes from £2
  •  Pre-show suppers from £7

Ropetackle Arts Centre, Little High Street, Shoreham, 01273 464440

Open Mon to Sat 10am to 4.30pm. Visit ropetacklecentre.co.uk/cafe/