The owner of a multipurpose store in St Ann’s hopes to see the area thriving soon as she recalls the changes that have been made to it over the years. Scentiments, a florist on Wells Road now has a café attached to it too.
Diane Gillespie from Derbyshire has worked in St Ann’s for many years in different professions and has explained why she loves working in the area so much. The florist introduced its new café Munch ‘n’ Bunch in September 2021.
Diane has spoken more about the area and said: “It’s changing, the area is getting better. Little shops like this are springing up and people must have loads of ideas but there’s nowhere to lease or rent.”
Diane who has previously worked in the hairdressing sector and the nursing sector would like to see more independent businesses as the more businesses in the area may mean more customers for her and others. Diane set up her café last year but because of Covid, she admitted it has been testing and said: “It’s the most challenging time to have opened the café, there’s the pandemic, food rising and energy. Through Covid, it affected the flower market too. I've never known prices like that but I have an amazing team, they keep me sane and I love it.
“I’m glad I did the café, the number of locals that say it’s so needed and there’s the banter that you have when the workmen come in.”
Diane who has seen many shops come and go in St Ann’s was confused when the Subway chain near the Robin Hood Chase was closed, she said: “Subway opened and closed which puzzled me, it’s now the charity shop but it was a good idea to have a big company around here.
“The café is evolving all the time because it’s a very old building, it has been expensive to renovate some areas but we got there eventually.”
Diane spends a lot of time upstairs, flower arranging and wishes she spent more time downstairs, she said: “The florist is upstairs where I make everything but I do love coming down and seeing people sit outside as part of the café when the weather’s nice.”
Munch ‘n’ Bunch has been receiving good reviews on Just Eat, the café will soon be added to Deliveroo.
Reminiscing on funny moments in the café, the first day of the café opening stand out to Diane, she said: “A customer came in and asked for a bacon cob and asked where the bacon was when she got it, we forgot to put it in for her and now it’s a running joke between us all to remember the bacon!”
We decided to try Munch ‘n’ Bunches breakfast and community reporter Keimae Blake was impressed as she reports….
I went to Munch ‘n’ Bunch for a bargain breakfast and I have to say, it might be as good as Wetherspoons. On a brighter day, it would be the perfect location to sit down and have a cup of tea or coffee but I took my breakfast away on this particular dull, rainy morning - but it’s safe to say, my breakfast cheered me up.
With well-cooked bacon and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside hash, I will definitely be going down to Munch ‘n’ Bunch again. My breakfast tray filled with bacon, sausages, a hash brown and mushrooms and tomatoes was amazing and for £4.10?
What a bargain.
The Breakfast Tray does usually come with baked beans too but I don't like them so I made sure they weren't on my order!
My toast was buttery and soft, just how I like it and love them or hate them, I had mushrooms galore which for me, is always a good thing.
With others waiting inside for their order of bacon rolls and sausage cobs, the small but worth it cafe seems to have its regulars and for the prices and the customer service, I don’t blame them.
