Rejoicing in Ripon: Ripon’s Leading Ladies

Sarita’s Realitea brings an authentic taste of India to Ripon☕✨

In August, Sarita McDermott and her colleagues at Realitea celebrated the 12th anniversary of their opening in Ripon 🎉.

But the stylish tearoom and Indian bistro may never have opened its doors at 84 North Street, had Sarita and her husband Paul not stopped off in the city while en route to look at premises in Easingwold 🚗☕.

She told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog:  “We were actually on our way to discuss setting up in Easingwold, but we stopped in Ripon for a coffee break. When the Easingwold deal fell through we turned our attention to Ripon after our brief positive experience here and the welcome we received.”

With good vibes about the ancient city being an ideal place to both live and do business, the couple soon discovered that it is also a great place to raise a family 👨‍👩‍👧💛.

The icing on the cake 🍰✨

Sarita explained:  “After several years of trying, days after we signed the lease of our North Street premises, we discovered I was pregnant and our daughter is now our longest serving employee.”

With a new baby and a new business there were many challenges ahead, but through sheer hard work, combined with culinary and baking skills, Sarita — with her superb signature dishes, delicious melt‑in‑the‑mouth cakes, coffees and of course a premium range of teas — soon earned a loyal following that has stood her in good stead to this day 🌟🍛🍰.

Then came Covid 😷

In common with millions of locations across the world, the hospitality sector in Ripon received a hammer blow in early 2020 with the arrival of the Covid pandemic.

Sarita said:  “It, along with the ever‑increasing costs of doing business, have been the largest obstacles to overcome, but being part of a community of independent traders has helped tremendously.”

Collaborating with like‑minded independent businesses 🤝💬

“Over the years, various shopkeepers and hospitality owners have all been so kind in either promoting each other, or sharing pieces of equipment and even tables & chairs.”

She added:  “Most recently we have done a couple of evening events in conjunction with The Portly Pig, where we supply a packed picnic for customers to enjoy with their favourite pints in the tap room. These have been very well attended and have helped to introduce our customers to The Portly Pig, and theirs to Realitea.”

What’s new on the menu? 🍽️🌶️

Realitea has been serving an authentic taste of India for a dozen years, and alongside this Sarita has — through celebrating the customs of her native country — brought the colour and spectacle of events such as Diwali to Ripon’s Library, Market Square and Spa Gardens 🎆🪔💃.

This year Diwali falls on November 8th, and Sarita will be back in Ripon in plenty of time for it.

Before then she is travelling to India to research new ideas for extending Realitea’s food offering with ever more exciting and tasty treats from the sub‑continent ✈️🇮🇳.

The extended menu looks a sure‑fire way of attracting even more lovers of Indian cuisine, adding them to a list of locations for customers that includes Harrogate, York and Leeds — and many more from much further afield 🌍.

From North Yorkshire to New Zealand 🌏❤️

Sarita said:  “We have returning customers from New Zealand and Pennsylvania USA, and of course our fantastic, loyal and encouraging regulars from our beloved Ripon, where we have been amazed by the kindness and support shown to us since the day we opened.”

A word from Ripon BID 💬✨

Lilla Bathurst, Manager of Ripon BID, said:  “How lucky it was for Ripon when Sarita and Paul McDermott stopped off for a coffee break in the Cathedral City of the Dales and instantly fell in love with it. This moment of serendipity led, in 2014, to Sarita setting up her fantastic business on North Street, while also sharing the joy with her husband of a newborn arrival. She is another example of the leading ladies in Ripon whose determination and vision adds considerably to what our city has to offer, making it such a special place to live in, run a business, raise a family and visit.”

All photographs taken by Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon Blog for Ripon BID.

Sarita McDermott opened the Realitea tearoom and bistro in North Street in August 2014.

Jane is Realitea’s front of house manger.

Head Waiter Martin.

Customers Marilyn (pictured right) and her daughter Samantha, enjoy their regular visits to the stylish establishment.

Away from the business, Sarita leads her team of Bollywood-style dancers, which has performed at Ripon Library, Ripon Theatre Festival and other events in the city.