A POPULAR former head teacher is embarking on a new career this week when he picks up the keys to his first restaurant.

Rob Davies, head of Carter Community School in Poole until last year, is taking his own advice and making a fresh start in the world of work.

"I have been telling students for years that they need to prepare themselves for not one career, but several, so here I am" he said.

Over the last year Rob and his team have been testing their dishes on a range of clients and have had positive feedback all round.

"We started cooking for friends and family mainly and people would always say that they would pay good money for food that tasted this good" he said.

"We are putting that to the test and certainly initial feedback has been superb. Our last two events catered for over 70 people who seem to be telling their friends how great the food is."

Vida Comida, a Tapas restaurant, is opening this week in the former Swan public house in Cheap Street, Sherborne.

It will offer a mix of dining styles from the more formal table seating, to sofa-style seating and seats at the bar.

"The great thing about Tapas is that you can come on your own and take an hour over a coffee and tortilla, or you can come with a dozen friends and order everything on the menu" added Rob.

Will Price has been appointed to run the bar and front of house and he has selected a wide range of drinks.

"It’s been tough but we have had to taste test everything - we wanted to be sure that we really know our food and drink, what works well and what combinations to avoid" he said.

Rob has launched Vida Comida on crowd-funding site Kickstarter, a community of people working together to bring new things to life. Backers can choose to donate as little as £10 and Rob hopes to develop the restaurant as a community asset.

"It is so sad to see so many pubs, especially in rural communities, being turned in to express supermarkets and swanky flats. I want this fabulous building to be part of the community infrastructure again, a meeting place and a place to socialise.

"We have a super function room upstairs and I want to be able to offer this room to local people, groups and business for free – as long as they pop in for a tasty tapas."