A brand new family-run café is bringing something new to Whitley Bay in the form of delicious drinks and treats.
Boodles opened on Halloween as a boutique bubble tea and ice cream café, a bright and quirky addition to the coast boasting an irresistible menu. And its owners have strived to create a "community feel" to make it the perfect family-friendly destination for all ages to enjoy.
Boodles is run by Deborah Yeaman and her family, who are also behind the popular ice cream café Dibbley’s over in Tynemouth . Debs, 51, was formerly in the Army with the Royal Military Police before deciding to bring ice cream treats to the coast.
READ MORE: New micropub The Crafty Cold Well opens in Monkseaton setting out to 'bring happiness' to community
“We were at this age where we thought: should we do something really different and exciting, or should we pay off the mortgage?” Debs told the Chronicle when we visited Dibbley’s in July . Despite having no previous experience making delicious ice cream treats, Debs poured her heart into making Dibbley’s a success even through the height of the pandemic, with the café first opening its doors in March 2020.
After the gelateria became established as a beloved community space to grab sweet treats in Tynemouth, Debs and her family are now doing something a bit different at their new second venue on Whitley Bay’s Park Avenue. While the Boodles menu may be full of new creations, the family ethos at the heart of the business remains the same.
Debs’ husband David, 49, is involved in the running of the café, while her 12-year-old daughter - who aged nine pitched in to help scoop ice cream when Dibbley’s first opened - was the first to have a go on the venue’s Mr Whippy machine. “It’s just very friendly, and big on family, and that’s what’s important to us,” Debs said. “Now as a family, we see each other every day, which is really lovely.”
After being supported by the people of Tynemouth, the family are happy to have joined the “lovely” community of independent businesses in Whitley Bay who have been “so welcoming and friendly” from the moment they arrived. And in return, they hope to bring something unique to the area with their quirky boutique café, which is easy to spot with its hot pink exterior.
Boodles is certainly bringing something new to the food and drink options at the coast, with their unique drinks menu containing everything from bubble tea in a range of fruity, sweet and sparkling flavours, to scrumptious ice cream sundaes, milkshakes and soda floats. The café is set to expand its food menu now it’s up and running, introducing the likes of hot dogs and sandwiches - and there are sweet snacks aplenty in the form of cookie dough pies, cannolis, brownies, blondies and more.
And Debs hopes that coming to Boodles will be a real treat for visitors for more than just the mouth-watering menu. “We wanted to make it a really nice place to stay - to create a lovely community feel,” she explained.
And Boodles has something to suit every age, Debs added. “We have quite a lot of young people coming in for their bubble teas, where they’re just at that age where they’re starting to walk into Whitley Bay themselves, and this is a safe place for them to come. And then we have more mature people who come in for a cup of tea and a piece of cake.”
Boodles is set to stay open until 8:30pm this Bonfire night, to provide a warm and cosy place for people to gather after the fireworks at the coast. “For us as a family, when the children were little, when we went to the sea front there was never anywhere open to get a drink,” Debs explained.
“So we’re going to be doing fabulous hot chocolates, and we can do them all spiced and seasonal with marshmallows. We’re doing hot cookie dough pies with whippy and caramel sauce, and you can take them with you or sit inside.”
“We want to stay open late to make the area feel that bit more inviting, and encourage people to come down when they come through on the Metros,” she added. “Having a hot chocolate after standing in the cold for an hour - I think everyone can enjoy that.”
READ NEXT:
-
Shortlist announced for North East Tourism Awards 2023 - the list in full
-
What people who have moved away from Newcastle or the North East miss most about it
-
Five independent art and craft shops in Whitley Bay offering unique local gifts
-
Top five tours to get outdoors and explore the North East according to Tripadvisor
-
Tyneside pub named one of best in UK for Sunday lunch by The Guardian
