Bell Villa to Jan's Kitchen

The whitewashed building as you enter Ponteland from the east, which now houses Jan's Kitchen, is one of the original Bell Villas erected by Matthew Bell of Woolsington Hall. These would have been desirable places to live. Each was set in its own plot of land, providing a nice garden and would have had uninterrupted views over the field both to the north and south.

By the end of the 19th century many of these houses had been divided into apartments and some of them adapted for commercial uses. There was a tea room here at least from the 1930's run by Gladys Evelyn Mabel Hedley; GEM Tea Rooms.

One of the most popular leisure activities in the early years of the 1900's way bicycling. Ponteland, with its pleasant rural feel, fresh air and old buildings became a favourite destination for cyclists escaping from the dirt and grime of industrial Tyneside. Hundreds of them would ride out for the day and they became a major source of income for the village with many businesses springing up to cater for them. The GEM Tea Room offered "A Break in the Journey" providing "Home Fare". What is now the bay window facing the car park used to be elegant full-length French windows opening out onto pretty gardens.

Miss Hedley ran the business and the next-door unit which was a newsagents until she retired in 1959. It was then taken over by her nephew who ran it and the newsagents until his retirement in 1968.

The early years of the 21st century has seen dramatic changes in high street business due to the impact of the internet on shopping habits. Shops such as newsagents are no longer a feature and have almost disappeared. The type of business which still survive are those offering personal services. The newsagent is now a hair and skin care salon. Cafes, particularly those offering home cooking have proved resilient and this one was taken over by its current owner sometime before 2015.