Bristol Business of the Week is The Folk House Cafe and Bar
Posted on: 03 Aug 2015Our business of the week is the fantastic Folk House Café and Bar. Situated amongst the hustle and bustle of Park Street in Bristol, The Folk House Café and Bar is a little slice of heaven for weary shoppers, workers and Folk House students alike.
Taking its name from the famous adult education centre it shares a home with, The Folk House Café and Bar is proud to stand alone in a world dominated by chains. Proudly sourcing the very best in local food, much of it organic, and combining it to create wonderful dishes is what they live for and what they stand for… Good food, ethically produced, expertly prepared and sold at a great price.
We spoke with founder and owner Liz Haughton to find out more…
When did you set up Folk House Cafe?
I set up the Folk House Café in February 2006 having previously worked at The Better Food Company.
Are you from Bristol?
I am originally from Yorkshire, moving to Bristol, via London and places in between, in 1995.
How's business?
Business is good - we run on term time schedule so are always quieter in day to day business during holiday periods. We cater for weddings and other events at the Café so they tend to keep us busy year round. We also host music festivals like the Bristol Folk Festival (shared with St George’s) and the Cajun and Zydeco among others - these are great fun!
.jpg "The Folk House Cafe in Bristol")
What sets Folk House apart from other eateries on Park Street?
We are tucked away off Park Street, down a corridor and set within the great institution that is the Bristol Folk House. Here they run courses on everything from knitting to, to guitar to Mandarin, pottery to hula-hooping - a huge and eclectic mix of fascinating courses for everyone. There is even a dark room, just built, to practice the old art of developing and printing your own films and photos.
How do you find running an independent business in Bristol?
Bristol is a great city in which to run an independent business. There is a lot of support from the council who are helping areas around town and we also have initiatives like the Bristol Pound which actively promote independence and keeping our money circulating within and supporting local business. We take the £B at the Folk House Café and are also a ‘cash point’ for them.
Where do you like to eat out in Bristol when not sampling your own recipes?
Bell’s Diner is my favourite Bristol restaurant. Riverstation has great food and the best place to sit and watch the swans gliding by, while the Better Food Company café does gorgeous healthy juices to make you feel a million dollars.
.jpg "Business of the week is The Folk House Cafe in Bristol")
Where do you see Folk House Cafe in 5 years time?
In five years time I see the Folk House Café as a Bristol stalwart, an institution in it’s own right offering fantastic food cooked from organic ingredients. I also hope to be catering more outside events including music festivals on and off site, plus business meetings and team building days. We are linking with other places such as St. George’s to broaden our offering.
What advice would you give to any aspiring Bristol small business owners?
If the business was catering, would be not to plan on getting rich on it! You need to love what you do and have complete faith in what you are offering. We are as sustainable as we can be and I am a firm believer in organic farming and that feeds into what we serve in the cafe. Anyone coming into a food business in Bristol is up against stiff competition, including from chains who have tons of money, so do your homework, love what you do, do it well and be patient - it will happen.
If you were Mayor of Bristol for a day which one thing would you change?
If I were mayor for a day I would make all bus fares £1 for any journey and ban all cars for the day.
Tags: Business of the Week, Bars, CAFE, CRAFT BEER, Free WiFi, LIVE BANDS AND ACOUSTIC , Restaurants, BRITISH, BRUNCH, CAFE BISTRO, Cafes, Vegetarian, Family, Smoking Area, Family Friendly, Cafe Bars, CAFE IN BRISTOL, Arts & Crafts, GLUTEN FREE, WI FI, Tapas, Take Away, Venue Hire, Al Fresco, Child Friendly, Cider, ORGANIC, GARDEN, Coffee Shops, VEGAN, VEGGIE.
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Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
