The idea of Deepdale Café came as Lin Murray realised that, two years ago, there was no eatery between Wells and Hunstanton – a prime tourist destination with a reasonably-sized local population as well. She lives at Brancaster Staithe and was running a small outside catering business, having been involved with catering all her working life.
In the autumn of 2005 a site became available at Deepdale, when the Borthwick family, determined to regenerate the village and wanting to see services and employment rather than residential development, revived a parade of shops. Lin took on an empty shell and designed it as a café seating 40 people with its own kitchen that would cook to order, and a small sales area for people taking meals or products away to eat.
The café opened in time for Easter 2006 and works daily through the year, apart from Christmas and Boxing Days, between 7.30 in the morning and 4.30 in the afternoon. It is not just for the tourist trade and indeed Lin estimates that 70% of her customers are local.
Lin is adamant that local employment is the key to the survival and prosperity of small rural communities. She had initially expected to create 3 full-time jobs but the business has been so successful that she now has 26 local people on her books. They are on a variety of shift patterns that so far as possible work in with other aspects of their lives, such as school pick ups or looking after parents. There is a strong training culture in the business, led by Lin herself but also involving local colleges who provide food hygiene and first aid certification, as well as day-release courses. Lin has her own induction programme and ensures that her high quality standards of customer reception and service are upheld and refreshed.
The distinctiveness that Deepdale Café provides is ensured through high quality ingredients sourced locally at prices that acknowledge that the producer has to sustain their business as well. Lin is building partnerships with local suppliers. Her pricing policy is to accept that quality has a cost; at the same time she is sure that a more sophisticated and better-informed public now expect and seek out better value. She is happy to be at the top end of the market, but checks local competitors regularly to make sure that her prices are not out of line.
The original business plan assumed a turnover of £110,00 in year 1; in reality, Deepdale Café achieved £450,000 – proof of meeting a market need. The Café was awarded a Norfolk Rural Enterprise Grant which contributed 25% to the capital equipment costs at start-up. Barclays Bank has been supportive, but the business has no outstanding loan finance.
Future development plans include expanding the outside catering element of the business, to weddings, village hall functions and local shows.
Within the café itself, there have already been rearrangements to expand outdoor and indoor seating, as well as the kitchen area to make the space more efficient. When space becomes available at Deepdale, Lin would like to move the shop sales area away, again increasing seating within the café.
In running her fast-moving business, Lin is convinced that organisation and control are essential and likes to quote Lenin frequently to her staff: “Organisation is power” – unusual for a North Norfolk café, but key to a thriving, successful, customer-orientated business.
