A business owner combined her skills as a barista, baker and facilities manager to realise her dream of opening a tea room.

American Jamey D’Amato has refurbished Sidmouth’s Grosvenor tea room into Someday Something. It opened its doors last Wednesday. Jamey, 39, moved to Cotmaton Road on her own for a new chapter in her life and said townsfolk had extended a warm welcome.

“Everybody has a dream – this is my ‘something, someday’,” she said. “I’ve always been baking – I do it to relax. I just make everything. This is a combination of all my years of experience.”

Vermont-born Jamey was employed as a waitress throughout university and stayed on in catering. She has also worked as a facilities manager, kitting out offices, and run a mobile coffee van in a Vermont ski resort.

After a year travelling the world, she headed back to home to re-evaluate.

“I went back to my family to decide what was next,” said Jamey. “I made a plan of attack - and here I am.”

She had lived for a decade in London, but realised she did not know anywhere outside the capital, so ventured to a friend’s holiday home in Sidbury. Jamey was looking for a business to buy and, after discounting Brighton, saw the Church Street premises were up for sale. She worked for three days with the café’s previous owners, Frank Shepherd and Beverley Taylor, to get a feel for it, then put in her offer.

That was October and, after finalising the contract, she got to work making it her own.

“I think it’s really comfortable,” said Jamey. “It’s modern, but still feels like a tea room and the location is just gorgeous.

“The view over the churchyard is so peaceful. There’s nowhere else in town with a view like this.”

Jamey has applied for an alcohol licence to serve cocktails and champage afternoon teas. She has also sought planning permission to seat customers outside.