Hastings café owner thanks ‘wonderful customers’ for raising £3,000

The owner of a Hastings town centre café has thanked her ‘wonderful’ customers for helping her raise almost £3,000 to renovate the shop.
Lauren Eva, the owner of Cake Room in HastingsLauren Eva, the owner of Cake Room in Hastings
Lauren Eva, the owner of Cake Room in Hastings

Lauren Eva, who owns Cake Room, in Robertson Street, set up a fundraising page to help pay for a new shop front, as well as a new kitchen to expand options on her menu.

The money from the fundraiser will also be used to renovate the interior of the shop – paying for furniture, bar front and staging – so Lauren can host events, such as cocktail evenings and live performances.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lauren, who is the sole owner of the café, said: “I am just so thankful. It’s so touching because I didn’t really think many people would be that affected by it.

“I have loads of amazing and wonderful regular customers who put their hands in their pockets and I’m just so grateful. It’s wonderful to have that support emotionally and physically.”

When Lauren bought the shop space in Robertson Street, in May 2017, she said the previous shop front had been left to rot and required a great deal of work.

Worried her business would struggle against local competitors, she sought help from a friend who told her the front would need to be repaired before another shop front could be built.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She added: “I used to turn up at work and find bits of wood from the shop front had fallen down overnight. It was in a state of disrepair.

“I looked at loads of different ways of raising the money – including match funding – but nothing was really appropriate for the amount I wanted to raise.

“In the end, I set up the fundraiser and a friend helped run my Instagram feed which is probably where the majority of the funding has come from.

“Now the money has been raised, I can work on getting the shop front done, and the kitchen done. The shop is for everybody else – that’s why I started it. I am beyond grateful.”

To donate, click here.

Related topics: