A Whitby café has been named as a finalist in two national awards.
Hetty & Betty is one of just ten businesses nationwide to be shortlisted in the At Your Service category of The Small Awards.
Run by Lois and David Kirtlan, Hetty & Betty is in a fully restored Grade II listed building on Baxtergate.
Its signature dish is the Whitby Fish and Chips Afternoon Tea.
Served on a tiered cake stand, it comes complete with battered fish and chips on the bottom tier, mushy peas and bread and butter on the next, and a home-made scone with jam and cream on the top tier – along with a pot of tea.
Definitely not for the faint hearted!
Meanwhile, the unique upstairs ‘period ballroom’ is an elegant boutique wedding venue.
The building, located on the site of Whitby’s old Temperance Hall, has been serving fish and chips since 1928.
It was formerly Mills Cafe, believed to be Whitby’s oldest fish and chips cafe. Mills was a hub of the community for people living and working in Whitby well into the 1950s, and generations of families have celebrated their wedding receptions in the ballroom.
The Small Awards are run by Small Business Britain. This year’s awards ceremony is being held on 16 May at St Mary’s Church in London.
Lois said: “We are incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for this award, and to be a part of this annual celebration of the smallest and greatest of businesses in the UK.
“Ever since we opened Hetty & Betty, our mission statement has been simple; great food, great service and a great experience. The whole team is committed to this, and to be announced as a finalist is such great recognition for all of our team, who work hard so that every customer feels it.
“We are really looking forward to meeting all of our fellow finalists!”
Hetty & Betty will also be flying the flag for Yorkshire at the final of the Federation of Small Businesses ‘Celebrating Small Business Awards’ in Blackpool this Thursday (9 May) – after winning the Expansion and Growth Award 2024 for Yorkshire and Humberside.
Hetty & Betty, named after the couple’s daughter and their niece, is rated in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide on TripAdvisor.