Cake maker rises to the occasion

Mar 3 2008 by Karen Dent, The Journal

A FAMILY-RUN cake business is celebrating after reaching the regional finals of a prestigious wedding industry awards.

Celebration Cakes in Horden, County Durham, was the northern finalist in the Wrapit awards and was chosen from a geographical area stretching from Nottingham to the Scottish border.

The business was started five years ago by Irene Grove, who worked from home before moving into a shop two years ago with a large showroom at the front and a kitchen at the back to bake the cakes onsite.

Irene said: “Before, I worked from a workshop at home but the business got so large that I either had to look for premises or stop.”

The business is staffed by Irene, her two daughters Angela and Deborah and her sister Margaret Anderson. New recruit Karen Lamb is the only non-family member in the business.

Irene, who moved into cake decoration as an outlet from caring full-time for her husband, says the business is now receiving orders from abroad as brides from overseas are attracted by the region’s castles and heritage. Celebration Cakes has fulfilled orders from Dubai and Cairns in Australia.

The business can pull out the stops for a rapid turnaround when required. “We had a bride who came in a couple of weeks ago and she was getting married in a fortnight. It was a little bit stressful but it all worked out OK!” said Irene.

www.celebrationweddingcakes.uk.com