THE old adage ‘take time for tea’ will be the mantra for a pair who have taken on one of Knutsford’s coffee shops this week.

Paul Dooley and Dawn Lee are the new owners of the cafe whichwas formally home to Orange Coffee House on Princess Street.

The pair have changed the name to Cha Bar, and will be offering speciality teas, food and coffee as well as continuing the live entertainment which has been a success at the eaterie.

Paul said he had been in talks with the previous owners, Mercedes Grayson and Stephen Roberts, for six months after they decided to sell up and move to Worcestershire to start a new business.

He told the Guardian he picked the keys up last Wednesday, September 11.

“Dawn has been involved in catering all her life and had a business in the Lake District, and one of her plans was to open a new tea bar,” he said.

“We wanted to move to an affluent area, and Knutsford was high on the list of the places.

“It transpired that Orange Coffee House had gone on the market and it ticked a lot of boxes for us.

“We will be pushing it down the loose leaf tea avenue, but we will also give a bit of an education about tea, what varieties are out there and the health benefits of it.

“We want to have fantastic customer service and be friendly, and it doesn’t matter where you go, you want to be greeted with a smile.”

Dawn has experience cooking for music mogul Simon Cowell, as well as cooking in TV demonstrations and at trade shows.

Wigan-based Paul, who worked in financial services for 27 years, said the pair met when Dawn was running a business at Kirby Lonsdale Golf Club.

“I played golf there and we got on well and we figured out we had the same plans,” he said.

“We want to make it a bit more than a high street coffee shop. People will be able to come and chill and relax with quality food and friendly service.”

The Cha Bar opened on Saturday, September 14.

l Welcome Paul and Dawn to the town at knutsfordguardian.co. uk.