Pride Cafe

Three months ago the friend with whom I've been planning a LGBT centre for Newcastle (on and off) since 2006 called to say "we have a venue". The next day I went to see for myself and found several people busily getting ready for a launch event THREE DAYS LATER! 

I BEGGED my friend to reconsider: despite the cafe-bar being fully fitted and pretty-much ready to run, the rest of the building needs work. My friend was adamant that we opened in time for the fast-approaching May bank holiday weekend and would not be swayed. My choice was to join in or leave, I joined in.

The day before we opened, the person who was to have been the cook announced they were suffering from a terminal illness and would not now be able to participate and £1,500 worth of alcohol wasn't delivered- because the person who said they'd order it "forgot", it is a testament to my friend's experience and standing amongst the Gay venue managements and suppliers that everything WAS sorted in time for the launch.

As someone with catering experience, I put my fund-raising on hold and became the cook as a short term emergency measure- that lasted nearly five weeks!! I HATED it! I'd forgotten how much I hated working in kitchens and remembered why I'd promised myself never to do it again after the last time. Hardest was working with my friend, whose ideas about "the perfect serve" etc began to get on my tits- NOT because they're wrong, but because I was an administrator doing a favour, not a cook!

Three months later and we have a new menu and two cooks. From a measly £250 per day we're taking over £1,000 several times a week and we've been the busiest bar in the area on several occasions- so full in fact new people couldn't get in. This is a bit scary as, though we've had support from all but one of the other bars; because we aimed to serve customers they largely ignore, but we're becoming popular with their core customers too- at least; the ones who want somewhere they can relax and chat.

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