New Corby cafe Tanglewood Eatery wants to be at the heart of its community – and even has a menu for dogs

A new cafe aims to bring something new to Corby’s growing food and lifestyle scene – and to offer a welcoming space for people from across the community.

Tanglewood Eatery opened in Rockingham Road a few weeks ago and is already a huge success, with a committed group of regulars and daily events to help create a neighbourly feel.

It’s the fulfilment of a dream for local mum Stacey Sewell, who has carved out a unique space that has great, home-made food on offer as well as a warm atmosphere for people of all ages – as well as four-legged friends.

Stacey and her team have worked hard to re-fashion the beautiful interior in one of Corby’s oldest shopping parades – built by Stewarts and Lloyds in 1934 as Corby expanded for the steelworks.

She said: “The unit was previously the other half of Franklins carpet shop and has a gorgeous parquet floor so we wanted to keep that. It was also a deal-breaker that I could remove the suspended ceiling which was pretty bad."

The higher ceilings give the new cafe an airy feel and a sense of space.

Stacey, with help from her sister Kimberley, makes most of the food from scratch, including the delicious cakes on offer.

On the menu are signature Big English and Scottish breakfasts as well as a range of filled pieces and tattie scones.

Specials are changed every week with this week’s offerings including; french toast with fresh berries and chocolate sauce; home-made cheese crackers with herby butter and mushroom pate; and loaded mac ‘n’ cheese with home-made Bechamel sauce, caramelised onions and crispy bacon.

There are gluten-free and vegan options on offer, while dog breakfasts of bacon and poached egg are also proving popular.

Lunch platters are available to order alongside yummy afternoon teas.

Stacey, who grew up in Kettering, previously run her own a cake-making business and worked in other people’s cafes before a move back to Corby.

She said: “I lived in Sheffield and ran a cake business for four years but I was working silly hours so I moved back down here. I then got pregnant and pulled back from the business to look after my child.

"He’s now 10 so I can do this around his school hours. I can go and collect him from school and bring him back here while I finish off. He loves being here."

Stacey was lucky enough to have a friend who wanted to invest in a business and opened up Tanglewood in March.

She added: “She said she wanted to invest the money in me, which was amazing but also really terrifying! This unit was available and they were happy for us to make some changes.

"We’ve got Kayleigh and Annie working here part-time during the week and there are a couple of lads we have in on a Saturday.

“We try to put something on every day so people can pop in and there’ll be others here they can have a chat to."

On Mondays it’s coffee and cake happy hour – with home-made cakes and a drink on offer for £5.50 between 1pm and 2pm.

Wednesdays are Drink & Draw from 1pm to 2pm, with pencils, pastels, paints and a still-life setup to help locals get creative.

Parents and tots are welcomed along on Thursdays between 12noon and 3pm for Lunch & Play, and on Fridays it’s Treat the Kids between 3.30pm and 4.30pm with cakes, hot chocolates and milkshakes available.

There are also toys out for children so children can play while their mums have a rest and a drink.

Stacey said: “We want this to be a real community space, somewhere people can come together. We have some regulars now and it’s really nice to be able to welcome them by name and tailor their food to how they like it.

"It’s important for us to be inclusive – there’s room for pushchairs and wheelchairs and we hope that everyone feels welcome.”

Kayleigh Foster, who works at the cafe part-time, said: “It’s a joy to work here. I love it. We’ve got to know our customers now and they’ve got to know me and it’s just suck a pleasure to come in every day.”

You can visit Tanglewood Eatery at 66, Rockingham Road, Corby, on Tuesday to Thursday from 8.30am to 3pm, and on Fridays till 4.30pm. On Saturdays, opening is from 9am to 3pm.

You can find out more on the cafe’s Instagram and TikTok pages.