Jaguar Land Rover helps boost new catering business
HUNGRY car workers from Jaguar Land Rover have helped to make a new café in Solihull a major success.
Entrepreneur Lee Hickinbottom spotted a business opportunity when he saw the café, close to the manufacturer’s Lode Lane plant, appear on the market.
He acquired the property for an undisclosed sum with the help of legal advice from Ashley Gurr, commercial property partner at Redditch law firm Kerwoods.
Now, less than three months into the venture, and following a £35,000 refurbishment, the café is already in profit.
Mr Hickinbottom has branded the new venture, Serenity Café, in line with Serenity Travel, the Redditch-based coach business he runs with his partner Tabatha Williams.
He said: “The café has been in operation for about 30 years and I am the fourth owner. The vendor wanted to sell because he was looking to move abroad.
“I went for it because of the location – it is at the back of the JLR factory, there are a few industrial estates in the area, a council depot and a Kwik Fit are nearby and it is the only café in about two and a half miles.
“It seats 20 people and we do a delivery service. Pretty much all the JLR customers who were with the previous owner have returned and our production line is sending in regular deliveries of sandwiches, wraps, jacket potatoes, breakfasts and baguettes to those on their production line. It has picked up really well.”
Originally from Dudley, Mr Hickinbottom, who has previous experience of the catering trade, has also created six new jobs with the venture.
He is now looking into the possibility of expanding into outside catering for the likes of parties and weddings.
