JANE'S CAFE 12.30PM TODAY - 'THIS CAFE IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE'
The Birchen Grove Garden Centre was at its Bank Holiday weekend busiest today and really buzzing - except for one area which was still and silent, Jane's Garden Café
The Café gorilla, usually dressed in seasonal or special occasion scarf, invoking both fear and curiosity in children, sat unadorned at the blocked off entrance to inform customer of the cafe's untimely closure.
I understand that owner, Jane O'Hara, actiivated the breakout clause of the contract with the Centre's owners when costs became too high, and margins too narrow. The closure reflects the national crisis in the hospitality sector and the need to support our local small businesses that are at the heart of the community.
The cafe busy on Thursday
Jane’s Garden Café had operated at Birchen Grove Garden Centre for seven years and has built up a reputation as an independent, friendly café.
It had a play area for toddlers valued by young families and quietly offered a calm sanctuary for various groups to relax and enjoy each other’s company. On Thursday morning they included a group of elderly people and a walking group. I regularly witnessed how staff looked after residents from the nearby care home withut fuss, as well as young adults with special needs.
The Café was a favourite with dog owners, dog friendly with staff ready with nibbles and a bowl of fresh water.
Jane offered a varied menu of fresh cooked food and delicious cakes from their Greek baker supplier. Jaane was always looking for ways to extend the menu, and the coffee was great!
The welcoming atmosphere was built up gradually and I fear a commercial catering company will not offer the same quality of food or personal warmth.
Regular customers are shocked at the news and there have been tears at the loss of a small local business that, without fuss or fanfare, has become an important destination for many.
It is ironic that Jane’s Café helped keep the Welsh Harp Environmental Centre open by hosting the successful petition presented to Brent Council, has itself now closed.
Wembley Matters on Friday asked Birchen Grove Garden Centre owners for a comment on the expected closure and details of the company and that would run the café but no response was received,
Joe, Jane's son, submitted this after reading people's comments below:
Wanted to post a comment to thank everyone for their kind words. I am Jane's son and would often take up a shift or two on the weekends. From all of us, the best takeaway from the cafe was the fact that we were able to contribute to a sense of community in the area, and our biggest memories from it will always be that we were able to provide that for people. I will miss it, and just wanted to thank whoever will read this for your amazing support over the years. It meant the world to my family and I feel that, although this chapter has ended, we were able to be a part of something that made a difference whilst we were there.
Thank you all. From Joe x
14 comments:
Birchen Grove has really been going downhill over the years. It feels like they are always trying to find ways to milk more money out of customers, so it doesn't surprise me they've tried to hike Jane's rent.
Visiting Jane’s cafe was the only reason we did all our garden shopping at Birchen Grove and as keen gardeners spending a substantial amount there . We will now go to our nearest garden centres for all future purchases.
Such a shame - they worked so hard to make a real difference and will be greatly missed. We were planning to go there for lunch tomorrow!
Our local businesses are being killed off by Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves :(
This is awful I always go to the cafe with my dogs & my best friend and Jane and her family & staff are so wonderful & friendly.
We do our shopping & eat at the cafe I can't believe this has happened I'm so shocked & disappointed by this devastating news.
Shame on the management at the garden centre.
My husband and I would always visit Jane's Cafe when in the area. We always aid that I felt like a little sanctuary away from the gloom of Brent. Always treated kindly and with a smile and the grub was always on point. We are devastated to hear this news. Bring the little treasures back! They are what keep the area and community alive!
Prime Land
Heard that someone else was after the cafe lease and creating problems for them - let's hope the garden centre owners weren't complicit in this :(
Wanted to post a comment to thank everyone for their kind words. I am Jane's son and would often take up a shift or two on the weekends. From all of us, the best takeaway from the cafe was the fact that we were able to contribute to a sense of community in the area, and our biggest memories from it will always be that we were able to provide that for people. I will miss it, and just wanted to thank whoever will read this for your amazing support over the years. It meant the world to my family and I feel that, although this chapter has ended, we were able to be a part of something that made a difference whilst we were there. Thank you all. From Joe x
Firstly I just wanted to thank everyone for their kind words. I am Jane's son, and I'm sure a few people reading this will have been served a coffee by me over the years (commonly referred to as "the boy"). It is touching to read about how the cafe was a big part of people's lives, and I say to my parents now when you look back at the last 7 years, the fact that people feel like that means that it was a success. Thank you to everyone for your unwavering support. I am sad to not be serving you coffee any more, but wish you all the best on behalf of everyone at the cafe. JC x
Very sad that Jane,s Cafe is no longer at Birchen Grove. It was charming and great quality with the menu .As I live nearby it was lovely to pop in with a friend.Thank you for your service & good luck in future.
I loved that cafe, especially as it catered so well for vegan and other needs. I used it many times as somewhere to take visiting children, too. If the garden centre has increased lease costs, this is stupidly short sighted on their part. Those who came for the excellent coffee and food also bought lots of stuff.
Shortsighted to move away from a model which works so well for other garden centres, too. I do hope they’re not going to try to apply for planning permission again.
So sad. Thank you Jane for super food and a warm welcoming atmosphere.
I've lost my reason to visit and buy at Birchen Grove.
We used to have a walk at the Welsh Harp then head to Birchen Grove for lunch and plant shopping.
Jane and her family always welcomed you and were genuinely interested in hearing what we'd been up to.
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