A CAFE owner says she is now seeing her business thrive better than ever after it was saved following fears it may close permanently.

Nicola Littlejohn, from Sible Hedingham, has kept her business going after shutting down due to planning permission issues with Braintree Council.

Nicola started running her Violet the Vintage Caravan tearoom business in 2020, from a caravan on the driveway of her home.

However, Braintree Council’s planning committee refused to allow permission for the café to stay operating on January 11.

This was due to issues such as parking and lack of extraction ventilation in the kitchen.

However, just as all hope was lost, Nicola managed to acquire a new base, at the White Lion Pub in the village.

She sells takeaways from the caravan in the car park and uses an empty space with a kitchen in the back of the pub, meaning it meets all requirements to stay open.

Now, her business is doing better than ever, and Nicola says she “couldn’t have asked for better”.

She said: “It is doing really well, and the pub is so lovely.

“Everything is working out, and I couldn’t have really asked for better.

“It just feels like a relief it is all sorted, and we won’t get asked to close again after getting everything sorted.

“Now the business is going better than ever, for example normally through the winter it was quiet, as there was no indoor space with the caravan, but now there is the pub so the elderly and other customers can come in."

One of the reasons the business is so important to Nicola is due to her need to care for her son, William, who has autism.

Nicola added: “Personally it is lovely, as it is not like we have had to pack up and go somewhere far away.

“It has allowed me to still be local, and still get home in time for him for school and be there if needs be.

“After everything, it is perfect, and I cannot thank the landlords, Ivonne and Jim, enough.

“Everyone else has been so supportive, and I can’t thank them and my customers enough."