Shoppers in Yeovil town centre were treated to a free cup of tea and coffee thanks to the arrival of British company Ringtons to the town.
To celebrate the launch of its new doorstep delivery service which will see Ringtons deliver quality tea, coffee, biscuits and gifts to Yeovil and the surrounding area, one of the company’s original horse and carts from 1907 drew in the passing crowds while competitions and tea tasting kept locals entertained.
The 108 year old company was also welcomed to the town by the Mayor of Yeovil, Councillor Mike Lock, who joined the Ringtons team for a cup of tea at Yeovil Methodist Church Hall.
British tennis champion and former tennis coach Rachel Apsey who will be running the new Yeovil van said: “We were delighted to meet so many people at our launch event in Yeovil – the horse and cart was incredibly popular and it was lovely to be able to sit down and have a cup of tea with people from the town and tell them all about Ringtons. As a local myself I’m looking forward to starting my doorstep deliveries in Yeovil and the surrounding towns and the launch event was a great way to introduce myself and Ringtons to my potential new customers.”
Ringtons’ new site will cover areas including Yeovil, West Coker and Crewkerne and is the second site to be launched in recent months, with a further four sites planned for 2015 on the south coast. Newton Abbot was introduced earlier this year adding to Ringtons existing south coast ventures in Hointon, Exeter and Sidmouth. .
Established in 1907, Ringtons is a family business which originally delivered tea by horse and cart to households in Newcastle upon Tyne. Today the horses have been swapped for vans and the company now delivers to over 260,000 customers throughout the UK from as far north as Edinburgh and as south as Ivybridge. The company also has an online store and a catering division Ringtons Beverages.
Speaking of the new site in Yeovil, Carol Griffiths, manager of Ringtons on the south coast said: “Customers in Devon and Dorset have really embraced the Ringtons doorstep delivery service and love getting to know the salesperson who visits them every fortnight with their basket of quality Ringtons products. The Ringtons salespeople live in the areas they deliver to and our existing team have become a vital part of their own communities – we’re sure Rachel’s black and gold van will become an iconic sight across Yeovil and the surrounding area in no time, and we are delighted to have her on board.”