Northampton portable cafe in a horsebox has been a hit over first few months and is soon to have permanent home

Northampton’s portable cafe in a horsebox, which first started trading at the end of July, has been a hit across the town during its first few months.

Since the Chronicle & Echo reported on the opening of The Paddock Pantry, business owner Jordan Zammit has been attending different events, but the cafe is soon to have a permanent spot at Harlestone Firs.

Over the past couple of days, Jordan has agreed that The Paddock Pantry will be based at Harlestone Firs every Thursday to Sunday from 8.30am until 4.30pm from November 2.

The 26-year-old business owner said: “It has been an amazing start and I’ve had such a positive response from customers and event organisers.

“It has been an encouraging time as it was a huge and random jump to convert a horsebox into a cafe and my mind was filled with what ifs – but I have had a warm and positive response from my family and the Northampton community.”

Jordan has recently been situated at Kislingbury Sunnies & Spooks’ pumpkin patch, and one of her fondest memories is last weekend when a young girl dragged her parents back for a second mint hot chocolate as it was “the best thing she had ever tasted”.

The coffee has been a hit, and Jordan has had returning customers as a result of the great taste.

At the events, The Paddock Pantry offers seasonal and character drinks, which have included Frankenstein mint hot chocolate, poison toffee apple latte, Miss Trunchbull spiced chai tea, and Miss Honey-comb lattes – with the last one being offered when she attended the Roald Dahl museum back in August.

Puppuccinos have also been a hit, and Jordan frequently has customers visit with their furry friends to try the drinks out for themselves.

It does not stop at the drinks, as The Paddock Pantry is also known for its variety of homemade bakes from independent Northampton businesses.

This has included Towcester Bakes, Sweet Surrender, and Made by Millie – whose Halloween cookies have “flown off the shelves”. Yass Bakes Cakes will soon be joining the list of businesses being sold from the horsebox.

“Every time I tell people something is homemade it goes down a storm,” said Jordan.

The main reason Jordan started this venture while on maternity leave was to set up a future for her daughter, who is always brought along to visit her mum at events by friends and family.

Jordan will be looking to employ some staff members at The Paddock Pantry over the next four to six weeks, ahead of her returning to her emergency services job twice a week from November.

Though she will still be “heavily involved” at The Paddock Pantry, which she described as “her baby”, Jordan needs some helping hands – which will also allow her to spend more time with her daughter.

The Paddock Pantry will be at Kislingbury Farm on October 22, 23 and from 27 to 30, when the farm will be opened up for visitors to pick their own pumpkins.

For more information on when Jordan will be hiring and where you can find The Paddock Pantry, you can find the business on Facebook here.