A food-lover formerly of Ely is "excited but a tiny bit terrified" to open her first cheese shop in the city.

Victoria Dunthorne, better known as Victoria's Cheese on Instagram, is moving into the former home of Cherry Chill Chocolates.

"I wanted to try to do something a little bit different," said Vicky, who grew up in hotels and moved to Ely from Cornwall when she was 17 as her parents built a hotel in Stuntney, which is now agricultural accommodation opposite Ben's Yard.

"I'm 57 now, which is when most people think about winding down but my husband Paul and I like to be busy!" the former self-employed accountant added. 

Having loved cheese for as long as she can remember and ran cheese counters for other people over the past few years, Vicky is a full member of the Academy of Cheese and is currently studying for her full fellowship. 

Once this is achieved, she would be classed as a sommelier of cheese.

"When most people go for pudding, I'll go for a cheese board - or both!" Vicky enthused, adding that she "absolutely loves communicating about cheese to people.

"I love the fact that you take milk, effectively make it bad, and out of that comes something really good.

Victoria's Cheese will be located next to The Eel Catcher's Daughter and the empty Barclay's bank in High Street.

"We have the keys now and met a contractor on-site this week," Vicky  said, adding that her social media has "gone absolutely mad; my phone hasn't stopped buzzing".

While feeling mostly excited, she is also "a tiny bit terrified in one way because that side of the street is quite derelict... 

"But I've got a great neighbour in Helen from The Eel Catcher's Daughter and we've become friends".

Vicky hopes the opening may inspire other people to take the leap to start their own business "because it is a great city, with a real foodie culture and lots of independents".

Vicky's aim is for the shop to be open by the end of October, ahead of the Christmas rush.

Victoria's Cheese will also offer cheese box deliveries, monthly cheese club subscriptions (which she hopes to expand once open) and bespoke cheese celebration cakes that are built on-site.  

She is also planning to host evening cheese-tasting events while some tables will be available daily for walk-ins to sit and enjoy cheese and wine.

(Image: VictoriasCheese) (Image: VictoriasCheese) (Image: VictoriasCheese) (Image: VictoriasCheese)