About Us

Tracy Topliss

I have been working in the hospitality and catering industry for longer than I care to remember. I started waitressing at 14 and as they say the rest is history! My background prior to taking over The Mill was primarily managing hotels and organising weddings. The previous two hotels I used to manage both had a Civil License, which is a service I hope we will be able to provide in the future. We are now in our third year of trading at The Mill and have worked incredibly hard to create a successful and popular restaurant. We are all very proud to have built up the reputation we have. In April this year we made the decision to take over The Ball House and appointed Managers to run the venue for us. One of the main reasons we took on the Ball House was so that we could start a wedding business. This year at The Mill we have already had two big marquee weddings and also had several successful black tie balls since we opened. Couple this with the area we have at The Ball House for a semi-permanent marquee and the links we have with Rochford Tower Hall and we have already created several options for wedding venues. Ultimately the service we want to offer will not only be five star from a venue point of view but also give you the opportunity to let us do as much or as little as you require; from organising your cars, flowers and hen parties. Heading up the business with me are Rebecca Reeson and Rachel Wilding as well as the unfaltering support of my husband and his fantastic team of chefs.

Paul Topliss

Paul has always had a passion and flare for cooking, his first job was in a bakery when he was just 14 making fresh bread, cakes and pastries. Paul then started working at the Cley Hall Hotel in Spalding under Roy McFarlane (young Perrier chef of the year 1998) at the same time he started a BTEC National Diploma at the catering college in Stamford. During his career Paul has worked in Portugal, New Zealand, Guernsey and Australia as well as the UK. He has also worked with a variety of Chefs from all different nationalities and backgrounds. Paul has also worked at Lords cricket ground catering for big events and during his time at the Cley Hall Hotel catered for many weddings. These experiences coupled with his working knowledge of the area and fantastic cooking abilities have helped us create the business we have today. When we took over the Ball House, both myself and Paul appointed Joe Moore as Head Chef/Manager. After working with Joe for a number of years and knowing his capabilities it was an easy appointment to make. Both Paul and Joe along with their team of dedicated and creative chefs are able to cater for any requirements and are always on hand to help you create that special menu for your wedding day.