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The River Shack opens in Stoke Gabriel

 The River Shack opened its doors this weekend to welcome its first customers with a glass of champagne. Stoke Gabriel’s millpond café has had a total makeover thanks to its new owners, Tim Dyer and Lexi Showell. 

This is their first venture into running their own café.  Lexi used to work in Formula One doing event management and hospitality and Tim’s background is in sales and marketing in the media. In preparation for getting his hands on the newly fitted kitchen, Tim has completed the Ashburton Pressure Cooks Course. “After eight weeks of refurbishment, we’re really happy to be ready to open,” said Tim.

They have chosen a neutral colour scheme with wooden tables. “It’s so beautiful around here, we didn’t want to detract from such a fantastic spot,” said Lexi. Every summer the car park is busy with people who bring their deckchairs and enjoy the view.  Families line up along the dam, fishing for crabs.  People potter on their moored boats, cars arrive with canoes atop.  It is a perfect launching stage to paddle down the River Dart.

 Tim and Lexi hope that The River Shack will be another good reason for people to come to Stoke Gabriel.  The daytime menu will include paninis, sandwiches and freshly made bacon rolls with coffee from “a Rolls Royce of a coffee machine,” said Tim.  As the summer season arrives, there are plans for barbeques, early evening drinks and tapas and also evening meals. “Our aim is to offer simple, fresh, good food,” said Lexi. 

The emphasis is on using local produce and suppliers.  Tim said: “We will be offering juice and cider from Stoke Gabriel, fish from Brixham and cakes from Ipplepen.” They are also one of the first outlets for The Devon Icecream Company which is based in Newton Abbot. 

Both Tim and Lexi live in the village and want the The River Shack to be a part of the village too.  They hope to provide a venue for Stoke Gabriel’s many societies and groups to be able to meet.  At the opening party, Brian Moorehead who lives in Stoke Gabriel said, “I think that there will be a lot of support from the village.”

 They will also be hosting private dinner parties.  “We hadn’t even officially opened when we received two bookings for private parties,” said Lexi.  

Being child friendly, they have installed a child size table and chairs especially for the purpose.  Old fashioned sweets and ice-creams will also do the job!

By Julie Goodall

Tuesday 4th April 2006