Published on 1st December 2025

Little Bean Café in Billingshurst continues to go from strength to strength after moving into a larger premises on the High Street. The independent cafe, owned by Tracey Smith, made the short journey from number 41 into the grade-II listed property at number 35 in September.

As well as serving ethically-sourced beans by Sussex-based roasters Craft House Coffee, Little Bean offers a delicious range of cakes and treats, as well as hot breakfast plates and a lunchtime menu. But it’s the warm welcome and cosy atmosphere that has made it a popular community hub. 

Tracey said: ‘Growing up, I loved to bake and it was always food that brought the family together. My maternal grandmother was Scottish, so there was always shortbread around, while my paternal grandmother was English and loved to drink tea out of a proper bone China cup. I learned to make jams and cordials at a young age and continue to do so now. I’ve never been particularly business-minded, but I am someone who likes to be around other people. I think that’s why Little Bean works, as all I ever wanted was a café where people could relax, like they would at home, and enjoy good, honest food in a pleasant setting.’

MAGIC BEANS

Tracey moved to the UK from South Africa, settling in Billingshurst as it had good local schools for her children and a railway station too. With the stress of being a primary school teacher having a negative impact on her health, she took on leadership roles within the education section. However, after separating from her first husband too, Tracey sought a complete career change… 

‘Ten years ago, I opened the first Little Bean Café. It was a tiny place on the A272 at Cowfold, with seating for just a few people. I enjoyed my first soirée into the industry and searched for another venue. I initially looked at Billingshurst, but couldn’t find the right location, so instead opened a second branch in Pulborough. It was here that I started working with Jo “Joey” Myskow, who has become a great friend and is much-loved by customers.  

‘We then opened Little Bean in Billingshurst, moving in six weeks before Covid struck. Although we had to close all three cafés over that period, all of the staff were maintained, which I’m very proud of. I have since sold both the Pulborough café (now The Pulbrew) and the Cowfold café (now Dennie’s) but we have continued in Billingshurst, where we have become increasingly important to the local community over the past six years.  

‘When we were in the smaller unit, we had a very supportive landlord. However, my dad always advised me to buy rather than rent a property if I possibly could, so when number 35 came on to the market, we had a look at it. It was a fascinating building with lots of potential, so we explored ways to make a deal. It wasn’t easy to achieve, but I now own the property, which is a dream come true. My husband, Neil Smith, is a builder by trade and did a huge amount of work to bring everything up to modern standards in time for our opening in September.’ 

LIFE IS LOCAL

One of the secrets of Little Bean’s success is the breakfast menu, available until 2.30pm every day. As well as breakfast plates and hot rolls, the café serves a selection of omelettes, waffles, and even granola with yoghurt, honey and fruit. The lunch menu includes toasties, baguettes and Paninis, as well as soups, salads and jacket potatoes. 

Naturally, there’s a selection of treats and cakes alongside hot drinks, whilst many visit for its affordable Afternoon Tea. As the venue has an alcohol license, Little Bean Café also hosts occasional afternoon or evening events, with recent examples including pumpkin painting for Halloween and a Mexican-themed menu. Tracey offers a good selection of vegan and gluten-free options too, whilst also supporting the best local produce. 

She said: ‘We recently joined Sussex Six, a campaign that encourages businesses to support six other local producers. So, our suppliers include our neighbours Jenger’s Mead Bakery, as well as Hutching’s Butchers in Partridge Green, and A Taste of Dreams in Lewes, which supplies many of our cakes and bakes. We also sell beers by Hepworth Brewery and Firebird, and wine from Nutbourne, while our coffee comes from Craft House Coffee.We started working with them when they were a start-up, but they’ve enjoyed great success since and have moved on from a small unit in Henfield to a larger unit in Haywards Heath. Lots of roasters have contacted us, but we’ve always had a good relationship with Craft House and – as well as being local –they produce high-quality coffee.’

OUTER SPACE

All three of Tracey’s children – Matthew, Andrew and Megan – have worked in the café at some point, and Little Bean has offered employment to many other young people in the village too. This has led to a small number of negative online reviews, but Tracey says that patience pays dividends. 

She said ‘Some have been too quick to judge. There have been times when negative reviews are aimed at schoolchildren working their first job, perhaps only for a few hours on a Saturday. We have taken on shy teenagers who perhaps don’t have the best social skills, but gradually they blossom, build a rapport with customers and become an important part of the team. It’s important they have these opportunities and are encouraged, so I’m proud to have helped so many of them take their first steps in the workplace.’ 

Tracey could need even more help as she looks to develop a new outside seating area. Some of the funding for this will come from a Leap grant from Horsham District Council. This will help pay for the removal of old sash windows with more energy-efficient replacements, as well as new eco-friendly lighting. However, much of the grant will go towards transforming the outside space.

‘Currently, it’s just a tarmac with a couple of car parking spaces,’ says Tracey. ‘I have a vision for an outdoor area that is cosy and tranquil – like a little oasis in the heart of the village. If we can extend our alcohol license to include outside service too, it’ll add a different dimension to Little Bean Cafe and potentially give us scope to expand our events programme and offer something new and exciting to the community.

WORDS: Ben Morris/PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: Little Bean Cafe at 35 High Street, Billingshurst, RH14 9PP

Visit the website at: www.littlebeancafe.co.uk