Sam Mcghee had been planning to open his new café in Norwich before Christmas 2019 but delays meant he didn’t actually open until late in February. Just three weeks into his new venture and the coronavirus lockdown could have finished his business before he even got into full steam, but not for this entrepreneur.
One planning session later and Sam had moved the tables and chairs aside and replaced them with take away boxes with the addition of fruit and vegetables and added a delivery service to a grateful local community.
Sam’s café in Vauxhall Street is in a residential area on the edge of the golden triangle and he is kept very busy with orders some from as far as 20 miles away and queues are forming (all respecting the 2 metre social distancing) for his fruit and veg.
He is excited by how things are going but also is looking forward to the end of lockdown so life can get back to normal.
Sam McGee purchased a Cafe on the edge of the Golden Triangle which he had previously worked in and opened in February 2020. Sam’s Cafe in in a residential area on the edge of the Golden Triangle in Norwich
History of Company
Sam had worked for the Cafe and when the opportunity came to purchase it, Sam saw an opportunity and was keen to change the cafe, extending opening hours and changing the menu. He had originally planned to open in December 2019 but was delayed until February.
How has Nwes support changed your business?
Working with Nwes and attending their two day workshops to help write the business plan and develop a cashflow was instrumental in getting Sam’s Cafe to where it is today. Shout out to Ian Bird who continued the support with one to one advise which helped Sam put together his application for a Start Up Loan. Ian did a fantastic job asking challenging questions and guiding us through the process! The loans from Start Up Loans and the savings I had enabled me to purchase the business and give the cafe a refresh.
What is the biggest challenge you are facing?
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered is certainly coronavirus, being three weeks into starting my business I had to close my seating area which being a cafe is like losing a leg. I overcame this by creating a home delivery service and also making my outdoor seating area a fruit and veg stall, we also now sell eggs, bread and flour!
What has been the highlight of starting your own business?
The highlight of starting my business was opening the doors for the very first time and being flooded with people within seconds and was busy all day until we closed.
Looking forward – life after lockdown?
Sam is excited by how things are going but also is looking forward to the end of lockdown so life can get back to normal. Sam said “I always believe I can succeed as I never give up, even when times are as hard as they are now and I will look for ways to get around the difficulties and supporting the local community”.