The food and drink scene in the small picturesque fishing village of Sandend has little on offer. But Jenny Taylor is on a mission to change that.
The 53-year-old knows all too well that no cafes, restaurants, bars or even shops are within walking distance to the area having resided there for some time.
It takes a quick Google search to see this for yourself – with the nearest eateries in the neighbouring towns of Banff and Portsoy.
How does one put an end to this? Open the hatches to your own food trailer, that’s how.
“I have always thought there was the need for something like my trailer in Sandend,” says Jenny.
“People would approach me when in the garden asking if there was a place they could purchase a coffee and I would go inside and make them one, or even offer fresh water for walkers.”
T by The Sea
Jenny’s new business T by The Sea has been in the works for some time after she purchased a trailer back in February 2022.
It opened this year in mid March and is situated on Seaview Road.
Jenny said: “My dad died a year past Christmas and I was left a little money, and I wanted to put that to good use.
“We originally went to Glasgow to purchase a box trailer.
“It had everything I needed but when we arrived it would never have made it out of Glasgow let alone up to Sandend, so we looked around at what was on offer as I had previously tried to purchase a nice horse trailer but was outbidded.
“We came across my one which the owner had started to renovate and they were selling because she opened a cafe instead. We still ripped it all out and began from scratch.”
While it was “a slow process” to refurbish the trailer, Jenny’s husband Greig carried out the majority of the labour work.
The owner has been operating as a one-woman band since its launch with the hope of adding her sister and husband to the team to help out with busy periods and holidays.
Iced tea, butteries, and ice cream
Coffee, tea, hot chocolates, soft drinks, snacks, home bakes and cakes are among the current offering at T by The Sea.
The treats are stocked by Debbie Clark Easton, who runs her own home baking business Portgordon Pieces.
Jenny admitted to having little background in the food and drink industry, although she did have a stint in a hotel during her teenage years.
“Apart from using my own coffee machine, I have never made fresh ground coffee for a member of the public,” she laughed.
“It has been a learning curve. People like myself think ‘och it’s just making a coffee’, but there is far more to it than that. I am getting there now and have training to help me along.”
The owner is looking to introduce Turkish tea and iced teas and coffees following her training.
Jenny added: “I will also introduce hot soups, butteries, pot noodles, porridge and maybe some fat bombs [a healthy high-fat, low-carbohydrate snack or dessert that is popular among people following keto or low-carb diets] for surfers.
“And hopefully ice cream in the summer months.
“I aim to have alternative, allergy-free home bakes too as there is a large request for these.”
‘Feedback has been amazing’
T by The Sea is currently open from 10.30am to 3.30pm Friday to Sunday. However, these hours will be extending to 10am to 4.30pm/5pm Wednesday to Sunday in the near future.
Jenny expressed her delight towards how great the business has been so far.
“I would like to be closer to the beach but I am happy where I am at the moment,” she says.
“The opening weekend was busy both days with people coming to the beach having seen on social media we were open. Feedback has been amazing and I feel very welcomed.”
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