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feedback please on an idea for a child friendly cafe

45 replies

forest · 25/03/2003 20:11

It has always been a dream of mine to open a cafe. Since having had dd almost a year ago I found I was frequenting cafes quite regularly until dd became too mobile, now it has just become too much of a nightmare to take her out. I miss going to cafes and it has to be said there are some mums I have met that I would like to meet up with but don't really want them to come round and so meeting in a cafe is ideal. Anyway, this has made me think about the idea of trying to make a cafe more friendly to toddlers as I think the mum market is a huge one that is not catered (no pun intended) for.
So my idea would be to have an area that had play things in but was somehow "fenced" in so babies didn't escape. Mums could enjoy their coffee and yummy cakes and keep an eye on the little ones without having to constantly chase after them! I would also like the cafe to appeal to other people as I don't think mums should be isolated. So I would like it to be a "cool" cafe as I do live in a student area and would like them to come as well. So I would want it to be comfortable - nice chairs, sofas; good music; paper table cloths with crayons to doodle on; artwork displayed on the walls for sale; papers and second hand books available to read etc. Is this a feasible idea? Would you choose to come to a cafe like this? Do you think toddlers would behave sufficently? Have you any ideas?
I hope this doesn't come across as be touting for business or anything. It is just that I have mentioned it to dh and he is all for the idea that I have a cafe but he thinks it is a stupid idea to cater for mums. I just feel he is wrong and want mums opinions.

OP posts:
SueW · 26/03/2003 14:45

I've just been into Aqua which is the cafe built at Nottingham Univeristy's public park, for want of a better description.

The food smelt absolutely heavenly. There was only a small choice on the menu -

three starters e.g. asparagus with parmasan and something else, can't rmemeber

three main - pan fried salmon with spicy cous cous

three sarnies e.g. camembert and pancetta on french stick

pud - cocnut rice pudding with choc ice cream or bramley apple and blackberry crumble.

Children can be fed from the main menu - half portions at half price and pasta dishes can be made to your child's taste.

BRILLIANT!!

They serve alcohol and lovely coffee and it's always busy at lunchtime with people from the uni or offices locally. In the morning and afternoon, mums and babies/toddlers and others go for walks around the lake (which is why I was there).

The place is lovely - clean and bright.

I didn't notice high chairs. They do have a note on the door saying 'For hygiene purposes could mums and toddlers please leave bikes and trikes outside'

There are a few tables outside and there is room for the children to wander round and a wall high enough for them not to end up in the lake, but also a see-through ?glass barrier that they can watch the ducks and swans through.

It's also open in the evenings - there's a small theatre there and I have booked DD and I plus an extra ticket for her to take a friend into every children's event from mid-April to end August (about 8 or 10 shows or workshops) for the princely sum of £85.50!

Highly reommended for days like today for anyone in the Nottingham area!

bundle · 26/03/2003 14:57

SueW is that the one on the campus? I seem to remembe a rather nice selection of crafts/jewellery when I ate there a few years back. yum yum and nice earrings too

Bozza · 26/03/2003 15:05

Space in the toilets to take your child in with you.

SueW · 26/03/2003 15:06

The one you are thinking of is something like Cafe Lautrec, I think. We used to take the children there for lunch sometimes after a walk round the park. Yes, there were cabinets of jewellery and craft objects, such as vases and plates.

This is a new one, in the new DH Lawrence building which has risen from the ashes of the former pavilion. It's lovely. Reminds me a little of the lakeside cafe in Battersea Park I used to take DD to when we lived there, but this is smarter and cleaner than that was.

bundle · 26/03/2003 15:08

SueW sounds wonderful.

tomps · 26/03/2003 16:20

Forest hadn't even picked up on the fact that it was you posting until I re read this thread today. Is this special pregnancy energy you have for even more projects ? Does this mean you have cracked night times and now have fabulous unbroken sleep every night ?! How do you do it ?

monkey · 26/03/2003 17:19

janinlondon - sorry - but the great kids play cafe with not so good food was in Switzerland, so probably not useful for you.

There is a cool & trendy cafe near us which is a 'regular' cafe for normal people every day except Wednesdays. On Wednesdays it's kiddie day, and it becomes no smoking, and the kids rule the roost. there are tricycles and cars and balls etc, but woefully too few. Maybe you could follow a similar idea, eg 'normal' & smoking etc permitted say mornings & evenings & kiddie time & no-smoking every afternoon, or something like that.

sobernow · 26/03/2003 18:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Claireandrich · 26/03/2003 20:08

Someone mentioned toddler portions of food, as well as child portions. I like that idea and have been commenting on it to Dh recently. DD is 11 months old and wants 'proper' food but child portions are too big, and me and DH don't necessarily want to eat the same as her each time. Little tiny toddler portions would be fab.

GeorginaA · 26/03/2003 21:26

We went to London Zoo today and although the food was horribly expensive for what it was they did do separate child and toddler size portions which was brilliant. Think it's an excellent idea too - it feels like such a waste when you buy the child portions.

forest · 27/03/2003 11:54

Wow - thanks for all the feedback. I do realise the biggest obstacle is financial. I would really need the cafe to be in the centre of town which has high overheads (I don't really want to let on where I live at the moment as I like the anomitity (sp?) of mumsnet but if you want to guess it is a small northern university city with rich students).
I love the idea of having a garden area but not sure that would be feasible as I can't think of anywhere off hand that provides an outside area.
The area for kiddies, I would try and make unobtrusive - the idea was more for a small area they could play for a wee while. I am having a woodland theme running through my head at the moment. The suggestions you all have come up with have been great.
As to food the whole point of me doing it is to provide good food. It would be simple with certain foods staying constant (sandwiches, flans, salads etc) but with a weekly changing menu of specials again probably with a theme - mexican; indian; mediterreanian (again sp?). I don't really like the idea of childrens foods and don't see why they can't have small portions off the main menu but I could be proved wrong on that.
I think I really need to win the lottery or something as I have often said the type of cafe I want wouldn't make money!!!
Skyes - are you planning opening a cafe? Your ideas sound great and I would like to use the space of a cafe for more projects.
Tomps - not sure if this is pregnancy energy, still in the first trimester of feeling pretty rubbish, or just madness! I have cracked the night sleeping - she is going through till 6am most nights and will often go back to sleep with a feed until 7.30/8am. Just to try and do more things I am planning on running a steiner toddler group, involved with a group trying to start an alternative school and still trying to run my business (which I have to admit I am doing very badly at the moment). Often I think I am more mouth than action

OP posts:
sykes · 27/03/2003 12:01

I'm definitely more mouth than action. I think you're in Durham??? Lots of luck. If I ever get beyond the fantasy stage I'll be amazed as I don't think it's remotely possible to make money unless you're charging ridiculous covers (the one technical word I know) or economising to the detriment of food and enjoyment.

Jimjams · 27/03/2003 12:02

Forest can you move near to me to start the Steiner todddlers group and alternative school please- that's what I want to do!

forest · 27/03/2003 12:13

jimjams if you are interested in starting a steiner toddler group and can get to York they are running a 3 day workshop (1 saturday every 2 weeks) in May/June on how to go about it.
Not trying to advertise for them!!
Skyes - good guess!

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 27/03/2003 12:32

I've nothing to add other than to make sure the main door can not be opened by small children.

RE children's foods: Much as I'd love my 2 to eat small portions of adult food, the sad fact is that the only thing they'll reliably eat is typical "Children's Food". I think you'd need to offer at least one traditional item of children's food to be safe.

And I think it should be non smoking unless it's big enough to seat the smokers in a sealed room. I despise sitting down to eat/drink/whatever and find I can smell smoke.

Bozza · 27/03/2003 12:46

Yes Sykes I thought Durham and had a wry smile because although I studied there I was certainly not rich. I was not typical though and I suppose rich students could subsidise the Mums

I agree with offering items from the main menu to children, Forest, but think you could still do child and toddler size potions. Your general ideas sound great though and I like the weekly changing menu idea. That way you could have a fairly limited menu but still ring the changes.

GeorginaA · 27/03/2003 13:10

I really like the idea of having changing parts of the menu from week to week - there's nothing more annoying than going to somewhere regularly, looking down the menu and finding you don't fancy anything on there as you've had it week in week out

NQWWW · 31/03/2003 13:48

Definitely agree with sobernow on the plastic plates, toddler cutlery etc - this always annoys me about cafes/restaurants. What about some bibs available too?

tomps · 02/04/2003 21:19

Forest - brilliant - well done with sleeping. And for all the rest of it - wow ! I'm in awe. Do get in touch if you want any more feedback about your cafe

lou33 · 02/04/2003 21:57

No chicken nuggets.

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