Museum Street Cafe to reopen at new venue as workers’ co-op
The Museum Street Cafe specialising in vegetarian and vegan food at its old location in Museum Street. Picture: LUCY TAYLOR
A group of friends will reopen the Museum Street Cafe as a workers co-op from a new location – in a final bid to save the business from closure.
After nine years of supplying Ipswich with hearty plant-based foods, the popular cafe closed its doors in November 2018 when its lease came to an end.
The cafe, which was a highly-respected hot spot for vegans, was forced to look elsewhere - and now the workers co-op, which will be owned and self-managed by its workers, has found a brand new venue to carry on its legacy.
The group will be announcing their new location on Tuesday, July 2. In the meantime they have set up a justgiving page to help raise £600 to go towards admin fees and associated costs.
A spokesman for the workers co-op said: "We are super excited to be opening and joining Ipswich's expanding roster of exciting new businesses, like our friends at Hullabaloo and the New vegan deli opening on Lloyd's Avenue.
"Any excess money after we reach our target will be going to setting up a food bank and also towards plans of creating a street outreach soup kitchen project."
After closing down in November 2018, the group were forced to put their plans for the new co-op cafe on hold, and to find other jobs to finance their lives.
But now the plans have come together and they will be announcing their exact location in less than ten days time - celebrating with a party for all their loyal customers and contributors.
Most Read
- 1 Road near Ipswich town centre closed after crash involving motorcyclist
- 2 New independent baby shop opens in Ipswich
- 3 Man used drawstring from JD Sports bag to drag woman to the ground
- 4 When will bins be collected in Ipswich this Bank Holiday weekend?
- 5 'Fresh and timeless' Greek cuisine comes to Ipswich
- 6 Jailed in Suffolk: The criminals put behind bars this week
- 7 Revealed: The most popular Suffolk fish and chip shop
- 8 See inside Ipswich home with stunning views of the town from own turret
- 9 Driver caught doing 64mph in 40mph section of A12
- 10 'I am so excited': New store owner on his dream come true
When the co-op opens they will continue to offer a range of vegetarian and vegan foods, including home-cooked and wholesome dishes such as soups, curries and their famous daal.
The workers co-op will continue its efforts to cut out single-use plastics - while also introducing a number of community projects such as a hygiene bank, a community bike kitchen, and a free community library service.