A NEW cafe is set to open in Calne this week with an Asian twist not often encountered in these parts.

Tess Ryan, 38, originally from the Philippines, is opening Sampaguita, in early June.

It will be in the unit formerly occupied by Patch of Blue tearooms, in Church Street, which was closed earlier this year by owner Robert Merrick.

Mrs Ryan lives in Calne with husband Paul and son John, 12, a pupil at Abbeyfield School, in Chippenham.

She said: “Up until two years ago I worked at Patch of Blue. Then two months ago I found out it was going up for sale.”

Mrs Ryan bought and renamed the tearooms Sam-paguita after the national flower of the Philippines.

Alongside traditional cafe fayre, Mrs Ryan plans to gradually add her own taste of the Phillipines.

She said: “It is firstly a cafe. But I want to slowly introduce Filipino foods to get people used to them.”

Mrs Ryan is hoping the cafe will be open later this week.