Old Post Office Tearoom delivering classic treats to Inverurie in style

By Jamie Wilde

August 25 2022, 11:45 am

Coffee, cake and wholesome company is what you'll find at the Old Post Office Tearoom in Garioch near Inverurie. Pictured is owner, Christine Maude.

Walking through the bright red door of the Old Post Office Tearoom in Garioch offers you the chance to bask in a world of homely escapism.

Wooden tables and chairs, vintage ornaments and wholly comforting food and drink – what more can you ask for?

This quaint, idyllic venue run by Christine Maude has “brought the heart back into the community” according to the village locals.

Local coffees and home baking are at the tearoom’s forefront, which draws in people from all walks of life.

As Society catches up with Christine during a Friday morning service, she’s already full with happy customers both inside and out lapping up the summer sun.

Despite having never run her own business before, Christine has certainly built up a recipe for success here.

Christine worked all around the world before opening the tearoom.

“It’s a very homely feel that we create at the tearoom,” says Christine.

“For me, the lines are sometimes blurred between customers and friends as everyone is so nice!”

Jetsetter

Originally from Watford, Christine’s working life has taken her all around the world.

From corporate catering in The City of London to becoming a cabin crew member of Jordan’s national airline, working with people has always been Christine’s passion.

She met her late husband Julian while working for airlines and was inspired to move to Scotland to be closer to her family two decades ago.

“Julian found work in Aberdeen and then later in Westhill and we ended up in the north-east in 2003,” Christine explains.

“We later had our daughter Amelia who I didn’t have until I was 40, so we were older parents.

“She has special needs, so I was drawn to working with others with special needs at Fly Cup Catering in Inverurie where I worked for a while after relocating here.”

A Garioch ‘Grand Design’

After settling into life in Inverurie, Christine and Julian had their eyes set on a Grand Designs style project to build their own home in the north-east.

However, little did they know that their project would soon turn into what is now the Old Post Office Tearoom.

Outside seating has been popular at the tearoom during the summer.

“We’d always been avid watchers of Grand Designs, I must say!” Christine laughs.

“Land was very expensive around the local area, but when my husband eventually spotted this place near Chapel of Garioch, we thought we’d take a look.

“I just fell in love with it straight away.

“It’s a house in itself which I live in, as well as the front part of the building being where the old post office used to be, which is now the tearoom.

The original post box from the former post office still remains.

“We’ve kept a lot of the original fittings and fixtures as we were both very interested in the architecture and were keen to upcycle things where we could.

“My husband wanted the old post office to be a large lounge at first, to which I replied, ‘or, we could open a tearoom!’ And that was it.”

Old Post Office Tearoom

Tragically, six months after opening, Christine’s husband took ill and sadly passed away.

However, with the help of the local community and local businesses who Christine says offered her “a lot of support,” she was determined to see through what she and Julian had built up together.

Christine has built up her business over the last 11 years.

Recipes from locals in the village (as well as a few from good old Mary Berry) got Christine’s home baking into motion.

Caber Coffee quickly set about setting up the tearoom with coffee machines and training for staff and many of the ties that Christine started with her business 11 years ago still remain strong today.

“I owe a lot to Finlay and the team at Caber Coffee who have been just great,” says Christine.

“We still use the same blend that we have done for all these years – there’s no need to fix something that isn’t broken.

“Even though we’re called the Old Post Office Tearoom, our most popular drinks are coffees. Flat whites are the biggest sellers, but we also make iced lattes, cortados and things like that.

Caber Coffee at the Old Post Office Tearoom.

“We do have babyccinos for kids which they really like. They’re made up of warm milk with cinnamon or cocoa powder.

“There are also other drinks options like wild nettle and bramble and rosemary flavoured soft drinks, which are all naturally made, as well as nice range of herbal teas.”

Fine cakes

From a food perspective, Christine and her team of staff make everything from scratch whilst sourcing ingredients from local suppliers including The Green Grocer and Fly Cup Catering in Inverurie.

You won’t find pretentious food here. Rather, it’s home comforts made well.

“Some of our main cakes are Victoria Sponge, coffee and walnut, date and oat slices, dumpling loaves, Bakewells and our homemade carrot cake, which is the most popular we serve,” says Christine.

“We do sandwiches made to order, toasted ciabattas and bagels with a selection of fillings that people can choose for themselves.

“There are homemade soups every day too and with the summer, we’ve been making salad bowls which have gone down well.”

Making people happy

With its scenic countryside location that’s also easily accessible, a loyal following of regular customers plus tourists and adventurers make up the tearoom’s typical clientele.

Each and every customer is important to Christine, and upon asking her what she enjoys most about running the Old Post Office Tearoom, she provides a simple and honest response: making people happy.

“Seeing people enjoy what we offer is so rewarding,” Christine enthuses.

“I didn’t know whether I could run my own business or not before starting. My husband would do all the paperwork and I would get on with things out front.

“But now, I’m very happy to keep things going as they are.