Luscious cakes, rich desserts, golden scones and piles of picturesque floral crockery – McCtaff’s is a traditional English tearoom, with a twist.

This perfect stop-off for a slice of homemade Victoria sponge and a cup of tea, McCtaff’s isn’t located on a high street in a rural market town – but in The Crossing, on the first floor of the Brunel Centre in the middle of Swindon.

The tea shop opened on April 1 last year and is a family project, dreamed up by mother and son team Lyndsey and Jamie McCabe. In fact, Jamie said the curious name for the establishment was dreamt up long ago by Lyndsey – combing the family name with ‘Taff’ for being Welsh.

Jamie, 28, was born in Pontypridd in Wales, and moved to Swindon aged 16. He did not take a conventional path for someone heading into the hospitality industry: he went to Cirencester College and studied for A levels, then spent five years working in Curry’s Digital in Swindon. He decided to take a different path, working variously at Hawkins’ Bazaar and the Jolly Roger Adventure, before setting up McCtaff’s. The mother-and-son team combined Jamie’s management skills, with former chef Lyndsey’s cooking and baking talents.

“I always wanted some sort of management role, and mum wanted to do the cakes and run the kitchen,” Jamie said. “The idea had been around for a little while, and in September or October 2016 we decided we definitely going to do it.”

They looked around for premises and settled on The Crossing, the new food hub in the shopping centre.

The tearoom serves a variety of freshly made cakes, cupcakes, sandwiches and savoury light bites. The sandwiches are all made from slices of bloomer loaves, and the food can be eaten in or taken away. McCtaff’s has also started serving breakfasts. As well as regular favourites such as chocolate cake and angel cake, and traditional desserts such as trifle, specials such as jaffa cake cupcakes are also proving popular.

The tearoom also sells homemade vegan and gluten-free cakes and cupcakes – including such rare treats as gin and tonic vegan cupcakes, and Prosecco and strawberry cupcakes – which are proving very popular. It is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday and Saturday, and is available for private hire on Sundays, for afternoon tea parties and event. High teas are served on old-style floral crockery, while black teapots and a more contemporary style ceramic style reflects the modern shopping centre surroundings.

Lyndsey is also busy making celebration cakes, for parties, weddings and special events. In busy periods, she is making around 12 a week, on top of the baking and cooking for the tearoom.

“We have lots of regulars in the mornings now,” Jamie said. “People are making friends here. Our regulars are very friendly and welcoming, and I get to chat and engage with them. There are customers I have got to know, their names and their preferences. I will have their drinks ready before they sit down. We aim to offer a great level of service.”

For more information, visit the Facebook page, Mcctaffs Cakes And Tearoom.