A TRADER from Whitehaven opened her dessert business two weeks ago and is already making waves in the community.

As a partial opening for now until her broken ankle is fixed, Nikki Wyatt, has had a tremendous reception from residents so far to her business The Waffle Box, she said: "It was a case of either staying at home bored - I'm not someone who likes to sit still anyway, or lets get this going and get my desserts out there."

Currently operating on a limited menu this has not dissuaded customers to order her food but rather created the opposite outcome. Nikki's homemade platters, sharers and waffle towers have been some of her best sellers. "They've been going down a treat," she said. "It's become more popular faster than I imagined."

Dessert shops in Cumbria are few and far between, it was for this very reason that inspired the Liverpudlian to have a go at creating her own business. Speaking of how the idea came about, Nikki said: “It’s an idea that came about in January, born out of lockdown.

“I moved up here to be with my partner who is from Whitehaven that was day one of the first lockdown.”

Working from home during lockdown made Nikki feel that she was neglecting her creative side.

“I thought, ‘what can I do that gives me a bit of fulfilment? I’ve got two amazing step sons, every Sunday I make pancakes and waffles for them. I thought, ‘they’re always raving about these and talking to their school friends about them.’”

Her stepsons’ school friends were asking them where they could find similar treats.

Noticing this gap in the market it spurned Nikki to start building her business' profile with the Local Authority and HMRC that had to go through their standard checks.

It was a laborious process for the 41-year-old who had already gathered a large following on social media garnering increased interest from residents - before she even began selling.

She said: "Two weeks ago I opened for the first time and orders have been flying out since. I'm very thankful for everybody and they have been so supportive in the local community."

"Everyone has given me super positive feedback."

Nikki wants to continue with her business for as long as she can. She has acquired a unit at the Phoenix Enterprise Centre in Cleator Moor where she hopes to move to once her ankle is fixed. The next step for Nikki will be acquiring a dining premise.

Find Nikki on her social media page on Facebook.