Berney Arms Cafe

[JanetAnne]

A full English and chocolate in the shop? Could be my new favourite place!

[Gracie]

I agree with all the comments above, especially the wine and chocolate, don't suppose you will be selling shoes, will you?

Seriously, a very warm welcome aboard, how nice would it be to do an early morning crossing over Breydon, mooring up and having a cooked breakfast, good on you and all the very best of luck

Grace

 

[Hylander]

Hope you will sell fresh eggs as well.

 

All the best , lots of elbow grease for a while I would think as it was left in a bit of a state.    The old Marigolds will get a bashing. 

[LondonRascal]

I think this is a brave move, and I wish you every success - as to my opinion it all comes down to how much money you've got initially to put into the place you've got a great location, you've got the moorings and outside space which is great and while this area is remote, it's peace and the landscape have its own attraction for many.

Have a look at this website for some ideas, more suited to the typical High Street affair but none the less has some interesting ideas: https://www.makeitcheaper.com/resources/ultimate-guide-to-running-a-cafe.aspx#thecafeindustry

I'd keep things simple initially, but concentrate on quality.

Anyone can make a coffee for example, but by having a decent machine and good beans you can make a great coffee which other places won't be able to compete on as your competition is going to be the local pubs that concentrate on booze and food and the soft drink alternatives are often lacking in scope and quality. Freshly ground coffee, a warm and cosy and inviting interior where people can come and feel no rush and just enjoy the atmosphere I'd say would be key.

Talking of soft drinks, look at what is out there past the usual water, orange juice, pop and J20 etc.   You might like to serve alcohol too, but again if you do I'd look at going specialist here too. You could have a couple of fine local ales on tap, and then to cater for those who want something more 'commercial' have some bottle beers in a fridge.

I'd just like to have something that was a bit different to what one could get anywhere else, because this location is unique and if people went along and had a lovely coffee, a great home made pie it will get talked about and people will start saying 'we must stop off and give this a try'. 

Get out there on Social Media, interact, engage - make a Facebook Page for people to 'like' and follow (its free) keep people updated and eager and so on just as if you were a start up tech company with this great new product people cannot imagine living without - it might only exist as a drawing but that does not stop people causing a stir and hype about it, so why can a new Café opening not drum up the same buzz in the community.

Just what I have thought about

 

 

 

[Viking23]

4 hours ago, Gracie said:

... how nice would it be to do an early morning crossing over Breydon, mooring up and having a cooked breakfast, good on you and all the very best of luck

Grace

 

Now Grace has a good point, well I had to delete the bit about the shoes, sorry Grace, but ... keep a tide table handy, it might be an early start, but what better than leaving Stokesby at 5:30 am crossing Breydon and mooring up at Breydon being met with a tray of hot bacon butties... magic.

Would I pay a small premium for an early bacon butty? most probably.

What about an early start breakfast, for those making the crossing from Berney going north, book and pay for breakfast the night before... be awoken by the smell of fresh bacon, cast off and enjoy the Early Breydon Experience.

Infact, most boaters moored at Berney would welcome someone casting them off, some days, it's a long way down at low water.

Have I just invented that unique selling point that the Berney arms has been lacking? if so ... tomato ketchup on mine lol

Look guys you have to make a go of this, there are a lot of folk on this forum that will support you. 

A great thank you for keeping this place alive.

The very best of luck.

Richard and Roz

[MauriceMynah]

Mmmmm... Full English Brekkie (Two eggs, Two bacon, Two sausages, Fried bread, beans and mushrooms...mmmmm )

Served with 'Boat coffee' (a strong black brew with brown sugar and a good shot of rum.)

Sets you up for the day... in fact I doubt I'd go any further for the whole week.

The very best of luck to you. I look forwards to our meeting (and my eating)

[grendel]

How about a chalk board  at the quayside with the days specials that also has the times to depart to catch the tides across Breydon,

[JennyMorgan]

Hopefully mains power will be available at the moorings for those who can't manage without life's little luxuries.

[SEAMASTER]

You could always get Robin to manage it and Change the name to Rascals Retreat. He could stop boaters mooring across ladders when they stop for a Berney Burger. wooohoo sorry Robin.

[Hylander]

If you cannot beat them join them - be like Stracey Arms shop and charge for the moorings and that would create an income.

[LondonRascal]

I think me running such an establishment would soon cause 'issues with the locals' in the day, a family friendly quiet Café offering quality food and drink in a 'Bohemian' interior with free WifI with a nice view.

Come sunset, and out comes the darker side, with some deep house music, low lights and neon serving up a hip feel right from Hoxton...

With few people to annoy with the deep bass, it could well become a place of myths and stories of debauchery said to happen into the early hours - so would report the EDP.

It would make mooring over the face of a ladder in a quay heading seem like nothing

[JennyMorgan]

23 minutes ago, Hylander said:

If you cannot beat them join them - be like Stracey Arms shop and charge for the moorings and that would create an income.

Arggggh, please don't give them ideas! Just charge top rate for electrical hook-ups. If folk need one then they can afford to pay, not like us stricken, stripped back to basics sailing types.

[Hylander]

I dont think there is an emoji playing a violin while standing next to a box of Kleenex is there?    

[JennyMorgan]

2 hours ago, SEAMASTER said:

You could always get Robin to manage it and Change the name to Rascals Retreat. He could stop boaters mooring across ladders when they stop for a Berney Burger. wooohoo sorry Robin.

So long as he doesn't charge robbin' prices!

[JennyMorgan]

1 minute ago, Hylander said:

I dont think there is an emoji playing a violin while standing next to a box of Kleenex is there?    

Us sailies have just had our tolls upped by 20% to 40%, (not good on a fixed pension) and it's not us that cause the turbidity that in turn causes the silt to build up thus the need for dredging! Now where is that fiddle?

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Home made Cakes that's the answer... yum yum.. Lemon drizzzzzle.. fruit cake... carrot cake.. fudge cake... fresh scones and cream and jam... and a pot of strong tea...  Good on any day.....come wind... rain or shine.. top seller.. il be stopping..

[Berneyarms]

Have absolutely taken everything on board .... and I do believe we're all singing from the same hymn sheet.... Seems easy to please half of you with the 3 C's.... Coffee Cake and Chocolate ..... Will be very happy to give as much help with mooring and cast off ...Fallen in enough times not to worry any more..    We will be working on the cafe this weekend so fell free to say hi if you're passing

 

[kfurbank]

1 hour ago, Hylander said:

If you cannot beat them join them - be like Stracey Arms shop and charge for the moorings and that would create an income.

Not sure how that would work  A lot of the mooring is owned by the RSPB, then there is The BA free mooring with the remainder belonging to The Berney Arms. Any attempt to charge for mooring there would only drive the boats along the mooring away from the pub and café  

Good to see someone having a go at making the café work though. Be good to see more activity along there again. Will definitely pop in when in the area. See you soon.

 

[SEAMASTER]

Brilliant idea of Robins. Put it on Facebook there's a few broads pages on there with over 2,500 members on one Facebook page. And twitter to.

[Chelsea14Ian]

Are you sure about RSPB.Owning all but the BA free moorings. I thought about buying the BA moorings  when they came up for sale a few years back.I thought  the rest belonged to the pub.

Ian

[Chelsea14Ian]

With regard to the cafe I think  Marina and I would  call in sadly Marina does not have dairy only low fat.I on the other hand will have cake and chocs. 

Ian

[StuYaarbrew]

Hi, I heard the good news that your cafe at Berney Arms is opening this weekend. Will you be a licenced premises? I'm part of Yaarbrew microbrewery, based in Hickling, and was wondering if you might be interested in selling our beers.

[quo vadis]

I'd be interested in drinking it 

[Chelsea14Ian]

Hi Stuyaarbrew and welcome to the Forum.Lets also hear about you

Ian

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Stuyaarbrew,

Welcome to the NBN forum.

Regards

Alan