Local shop preps for royal baby

WOODSTOCK, Conn. (WTNH) -- Whether its Harvey & Sons Tea, Royal Patrician China, or Robertson's mincemeat you'd be hard pressed to find a store better stocked with traditional British goods than Mrs. Bridges Pantry in Woodstock.

So when news broke of a royal baby being on the way word quickly spread here.

"I came running down the stairs and I had one of the girls write it on the blackboard. Congrats to Will and Kate on the joyous news," Pam Spaeth of Mrs. Bridges Pantry said.

Co-owner Pam Spaeth is hardly the only one excited about the new royal.

"Everybody has an opinion on the baby and the sex of the baby and everybody's very happy now that even if it's a girl she can reign," Spaeth said.

There are already plans to hold a baby shower and a christening party here. Just like they celebrated the Queen's Jubilee and the royal wedding, the shelves are filled with everything Will and Kate.

"People really love it. They...we had to reorder the wedding china three times," Spaeth said.

Right now the only memorabilia left from the Royal Wedding is this 2012 calendar, but you can be sure in about six months from now many of these shelves will be filled with commemorative plates, cups, calendars, and maybe even a rattle celebrating the new royal.

The excitement is good for business at the area's only British tea room.

"They say if it's a girl Diana will be one of the names which will be nice that would be lovely," Spaeth said.

"You have the inside scoop on that, huh," News 8's Tina Detelj asked.

"Yes of course. We're all good friends with the royal family here so I'm sure they'll let us know right away," Spaeth said.