A LARGS businesswoman has praised Kempock Street’s community after her new cafe became the latest addition to Gourock’s bustling high street.

Maria Timis has breathed new life into the empty premises on Kempock Street which was once home to The Bake House by re-opening it as an all-new eatery.

The new café, called Riviera, will be open from 9am until 5pm seven days a week and Maria hopes the venue will offer something different for Gourock residents to enjoy.

The 38-year-old already owns another establishment - also called Riviera - in Largs, as well as an Italian restaurant in the seaside town.

Speaking after the new venue opened on Tuesday, Maria said she was delighted to be a part of Gourock’s thriving food scene.

She added: “It’s our first time in Gourock but I stay in Largs and have been here for 20 years, so I know Gourock very well.

“We had some businesses up in Glasgow before and I had to go back and forth up to Glasgow every day, I hated it.

“But the past two weeks we’ve done work day and night to get this finished and I coming down here is amazing, I was actually enjoying driving back and forth.

“It’s such a nice drive, the people are polite and I have a really good feeling about this.

“I’m so glad we opened the doors and it’s been really good.

“All of the businesses around here have given us cards and flowers and prosecco, it’s a really nice community here.”

The premises, which was previously home to The Bake House, has lain empty since it closed mysteriously in May 2022.

Maria says she came across the empty venue by chance when she visited to buy some equipment, but quickly became keen on the idea of taking it over.

She said: “The minute I walked in this place I fell in love. It was a mess but I just had a vision so I just made it happen.

“We had somebody to give us a chance with the painting and scaffolding and we had to get painters and plumbers in too because we had to start from the beginning.

“I want every single customer to have a unique experience and for them to keep coming back for that.

“Going out these days can be quite difficult for some people, so I want them to know that if they’re going out once a week and go here it’s because they enjoy the food, they enjoy the staff, they enjoy the experience.

“I want it to be different and have that homey feeling as well. There’s a little bit for everyone.”

Maria is being helped in her new venture by her trusty team of staff from her Largs venues, but is keen to bring in some local staff.

She added: “The wee family that are here with me are the ones that helped me start my businesses in Largs.

“That was such a success and that was because of them as well.

“They came here with me to help me build this but obviously we’re looking, and we did advertise for local people because this is for Gourock.

“We want to create jobs as well, I think I will need probably four people front of house and we’ll probably need a couple of people back of house.

“We’re going to start small, it’ll be nine until five, I don’t think there’s an alcohol licence for the place but if it’s going to be in demand we’ll do it.

“We’ll see what happens, at the moment we’ll start as a café and if there’s going to be a demand then we’ll see what we’re doing later on.”