Clouds cafe has opened in Hamilton Road in Felixstowe

Former St Petersburg Times editor Tobin Auber, who is originally from London, left with this Russian wife Katya three days after the invasion in February 2022 because the Government there had begun arresting opposition journalists, of which Mr Auber was one.

However, now the couple have started a new life in the UK with their children and have opened Clouds in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe, which specialises in treats from their former homeland, including Russian-style pancakes.

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Tobin Auber was editor of the St Petersburg Times (Image: The Auber family) Mr Auber said he was familiar with the area because his family used to make camping trips to Waldringfield every summer when he was younger and he would go sailing on the river Deben, while his parents also moved to Suffolk when they retired.

After leaving Russia, the Auber family spent a couple of years in Turkey before coming to the UK.

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Mr Auber said: "When I moved back to England, I moved to Felixstowe because I used to come here as a kid and I like Felixstowe and I think Felixstowe has got a lot of potential and there are a few places opening up opposite us, including a new sandwich shop and delicatessen.

Tobin Auber, pictured nearest the camera, with his family on an outing (Image: The Auber family) "We are keen for Clouds to become more of a destination as somewhere to eat and have a coffee and we like the High Street and it is a family-run cafe with my son and daughter."

As well as pancakes, there are cakes, coffee, tea and ice cream on sale, as well as sweet and savoury pancakes.

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Mr Auber studied English literature and film at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, then moved to Russia with the intention of staying for a year to learn the language, but instead ended up staying for 30 years, which included becoming editor of the St Petersburg paper.

The Clouds cafe has opened and is set to have an official launch (Image: The Auber family) He also worked in TV and film, becoming involved in movie productions.

His wife worked as a speech therapist for children with Down's Syndrome and also for an exhibition company that staged international events, including the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Explaining his decision to leave, Mr Auber said: "They had arrested quite a few journalists and used them in prisoner exchanges and stuff. 

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"We could see the way it was going and we did not want our children to be conscripted into the Russian army."

He said his family had built up very good relations with Ukrainian refugees who had also moved to Felixstowe following the invasion.

The cafe had a soft launch on Friday (August 23) with an official launch set to happen in the coming weeks.

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