BUSINESS INSIDER
CAFÉS
THE BOROUGH CAFÉ The Borough Café is an independent café in Downton on the edge of The New Forest, and located in a former bank. It is joint owned by Penny Marshall (pictured on the right) and Caroline Bromilow who explain how they met, their inspiration for starting up a café and how the community is at the centre of such much they do… How do you know each other? Caroline: I met my husband, Simon, who is Penny’s brother in London. We moved here 17 years ago when our children were young. Penny: I was born in Hemel Hempstead, but moved to Fordingbridge when I was 10. I have lived here ever since; working in Salisbury, Fordingbridge and then Downton. How did The Borough Café come about? C: I have always had a passion for food, and we knew there was the potential for a coffee shop to do well in the area. Simon first had the idea to put a café into the closed Lloyds Bank as it was close to the primary school. When my children attended the school, I spent many a time after the morning drop-off wishing there were somewhere to go for a coffee and catch up.
Do you have any sustainability practices? P: We are just in the process of changing our takeaway cups to vegiware, which is a fully compostable range of takeaway cups as used by the National Trust. Our coffee is ethically sourced and certified. Do you source much of your food locally? C: Our menu is almost exclusively locally sourced including meat from Price Farm Foods, and Downton Butchery who source their beef from Wick Farm. Our milk is Maple Field, which comes from the dairy herd at Nunton Farm. Our coffee suppliers Caffe Delizia live here in Downton and are based in Fordingbridge. Other suppliers include New Forest Trout, Crook & Churn Dairy, New Forest Chocolates, New Forest Spring Water and Wilton Wholefoods. Free-range eggs from Claytons, relish is made by Trevor at Pig ‘n’ Pickles and our looseleaf tea is grown in Cornwall, supplied by Tregothnan Tea.
THE REFURBISHMENT FROM OLD BANK TO CAFÉ WAS A MAJOR UNDERTAKING AND REQUIRED VISION AND DETERMINATION
Was it an easy project? C: The refurbishment from old bank to café was a major undertaking and required vision and determination, but we’re very happy with the result, thanks to the skills of local builders and craftsmen – and Penny’s interior design skills. We opened in August 2012.
How important is it to be part of the local community? C: Being part of the local community is the heart of what The Borough Café is all about. We have a ‘safe place’ certification (Alzheimer’s). We have quite a few people who come in on their own and we are maybe the only people they talk to that day so we value that contact. We are also the Downton Box Office selling anything from Moviola tickets to the school and amateur drama productions. How did you facilitate the café becoming a ‘hub of the village?’ P: We have created a fresh, modern feel downstairs – a sheltered sunny courtyard, ideal for dog-walkers, while upstairs the café has a cosier feel, with the original wooden beams exposed and a comfy sofa – many people choose to spend time working upstairs with their laptops, or to have business meetings.
Any plans for development? C: We now run bistro evenings, including a Greek night when dancing guests made it sound like the ceiling was going to come down. We are expanding our outside catering, having most recently done a sit-down 50th wedding anniversary celebration for 80 guests. What is your own favourite meal currently on the menu? P: I love our Greek-style filo pie or the homemade quiche, both of which are delicious with our side salad dressed with our own salad dressing and balsamic drizzle. C: The Borough Burger. Home-made from Downton-reared beef mixed with a little horseradish then griddled and served with bacon, melted cheese, salsa and gherkin in a soft bap with salad.
The Borough Café, 70 The Borough, Downton, Salisbury SP5 3LY; 01725 238083; www.theboroughcafe.co.uk
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