Gray's of Rothwell: Leeds cafe crowned Hospitality Business of the Year at Simply Ladies Awards

Gray’s of Rothwell, an independent coffee establishment based on Commercial Street, serve a wide variety of hot drinks as well as sweet and savoury food options. The co-founders, husband and wife duo Giles and Heather Amos, were unable to attend the ceremony but Heather told the Yorkshire Evening Post they are “chuffed to bits”.

Heather said: “We’re chuffed to bits, it’s been a bit of a crazy year. It’s brilliant. Our customers are so loyal and to be recognised for doing a good job is just brilliant, it really is.”

Announcing the news on Facebook, Gray’s of Rothwell said: “We honestly can’t believe it. We are so incredibly humbled by the recognition and awards we have received over the last 12 months. Thank you so much to everyone who voted for us.”

Gray’s could scoop another gong soon, as they have been nominated in the YEP’s Oliver Awards best café/deli category. The business launched in 2019, taking on the site formerly occupied by No 37 Cafe & Tea Rooms.

Speaking to the YEP last year, Heather said: “Everybody was saying that Rothwell had needed somewhere like Gray’s for ages. There were already lots of regulars who came to the previous coffee shop and we kept quite a lot of them, a lot of elderly people. But we got a lot of new business too - school mums, families and all sorts of people. It grew and grew. Rothwell is a lovely place and it’s really changed since we’ve been here.”