NEWLY-OPENED Beatons Tearooms and Bookshop at 30 High Street, Petersfield has celebrated its launch with a sparkling soirée for the arts, voluntary and business community.

The event was hosted by the group’s first woman franchise business owner, Farnaz Zahedfar.

Farnaz – known as Fifi – has always been a tea-lover having grown up in Tehran where tea is served in preference to coffee.

The town has enchanted Fifi to the extent that she and her fiancé have chosen to make it their home.

Guest of honour was best-selling romantic comedy novelist Chris Manby. She was delighted to meet two Petersfield authors, Tiffany Francis and Jill Turner, along with Jeremy Mitchell, who is chairman of the Edward Thomas Society.

Beatons already has announced its charity of the year – Petersfield based FitzRoy, which supports more than 700 people in their own homes and in the community.