Following a fire earlier in the year, a cornerstone of Buxton’s town centre has returned; new and improved and ready to welcome old and new customers alike.
Owners Jo and Simon bought the café at The Green Pavilion in July 2014 where it quickly established a reputation for healthy, homemade tasty food and relaxed atmosphere. The couple were awoken in the early hours of April 6th of this year by heart-breaking news, that their beloved café had been severely damaged by a fire.
At first, Jo and Simon thought they would be closed just for a couple of days but it soon became clear that the damage caused by the fire was disastrous. They laugh now about their initial optimism. They weren’t even allowed to touch anything until a forensic team had analysed the scene. Beyond the tears and frustration, friends, family, staff and customers helped to clear up the mess and raise funds. Jo reflects; “Our customers posted cards and even money to buy paint through the door. It really helped us when we felt so desperately worried about how we would survive.”
The insurance company eventually concluded that the unexpected culprit was the dry washing from the tumble drier. The renovations could now begin; a mammoth task which involved the hard work of the staff, local traders Elite Windows, builders Ben and Dave Minshull, electrician Robert Lee, photographer Harry Renton , plumber Chris Martin, painter Canaan Miller, joiner Mark Hadfield, structural engineer John Jordan, Ben Gregory and many others.
On 26th September, rising Phoenix-like from the flames, The Café at the Green Pavilion reopened its doors. Offering a view of another Buxton renovation, The Crescent, the café is a perfect place to unwind and get a bite to eat. Situated in the town’s historical centre, you can nestle amongst Buxton’s extraordinary heritage and discover something equally unique from the menu.
Not only have Jo and Simon bounced back but they have taken the opportunity to rethink the business; they have kept the same menu but listened to what their customers like. In particular, the café had established a reputation over the years as the go-to place for plentiful and tasty gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options – which they’ve expanded on.
They’ve given the café a makeover, with pops of colour, new furniture and changed things round a fair bit. They’ve also a baby changer. They are also offer a bespoke outside catering service. Jo considers the lemons life gave them and the lemonade they made with it: “In so many ways it has changed our lives. It forced us to take a breath, to see just how hard having the cafe is and gave us a once in a lifetime opportunity to put things exactly where we wanted them in our cafe.”
The Cafe at the Green Pavilion, 4 Terrace Rd, Buxton, SK17 6DR
T: 01298. 77480
Photo credits : Harry Renton ©
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