A LOCAL woman has realised her dream of opening a Jamaican-style restaurant in Flintshire.
Charlotte Stanley has opened Up A Yard after the success of a takeaway and delivery business which was borne out of lockdown boredom.
Charlotte, from Ffynnongroyw, near Holywell, was working at 1891 Restaurant in Rhyl when the pandemic hit.
After cooking a huge Christmas dinner at the community hall, she had the idea of starting her own Caribbean takeaway and delivery business from the venue.
She said it was a gamble bringing very much a "niche" cuisine cuisine to a small rural community, but her food proved an instant success.
Charlotte, whose grandmother came to the UK from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation, was soon inundated with orders.
This inspired her to open her own restaurant at the Holywell Art and Craft Mill - taking on the premises of a former cafe.
She said: “It was always my dream to open my own restaurant by 25 and now it is happening. I have always loved cooking Jamaican cuisine, it is in my family.
“I saw that no one else was doing this in North Wales, I thought that maybe it would not work here but the takeaway took off straight away.
“People of all ages came and I was doing 20 orders a night right from the start, people were loving it and the reviews were unreal, I had people travelling from Snowdonia and Penrhyn Bay to get food."
She added: "I hope I’ve changed a few people’s minds on Jamaican food - I’ve been doing that since I was younger with my friends.”
“As soon as I saw the place I said I wanted it on a permanent basis. It has been four months of hard work and I’ve spent a lot of money but I’m now open.
“What is nice is that people are already talking about it already because of the takeaway.”
The restaurant - which is open four nights a week - has 24 covers with four staff working with Charlotte.
Charlotte, whose specials will include a goat curry and ackee and saltfish, said: “I would love a franchise of restaurants around Wales, I think there is a gap in the market for proper, authentic Jamaican food.”
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/upayard/
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