Coastal cafe branches out - into funeral teas at a pub

Mel Benns, who has run Henry's in Church Street since December 2020, has starting doing catering for funeral wakes, which are held at a pub.

Ms Benns said it came about because Henry's was facing the pressures of reduced footfall, increasing costs of supplies and soaring energy prices.

She said this year's summer season was not as good as she had hoped, and so had taken the decision to do more outside catering to keep the team she had employed.

Ms Benns said: "Until now we’ve kept the team on albeit at a cost of our profit as they are loyal and fabulous."

Ms Benns has joined forces with John Veale, landlord of the Silver Fox pub in Taverham, near Norwich, to develop the venture.

She said the pub was in a good location for such a service.

Ms Benns said: "It’s local for many local churches around Norwich and really local for St Faith's and Earlham crematoriums.

"We are looking for other venues with no catering to work with.

"The Silver Fox don’t have any time restrictions for gatherings unlike other venues.

"We’ve done several funeral teas via recommendations at the Silver Fox and we are really happy we have an opportunity to do more to support our business and work with them."

Mr Veale said he was delighted with the new partnership, which offered 'funeral teas' at a cost of £7.95 per person.

He said: "The Silver Fox is open everyday as we are a local pub.

"But with the increased energy costs we needed to look at other revenue steams.

"I have to have all the lights on in all areas of the pub so working with Mel from Henry’s means our quiet times helps provide extra revenue providing a venue for post funeral wakes."

Mr Veale said the pub did not offer catering itself, but they hosted 'street food' nights involving food trucks and also staged regular music events.

North Norfolk’s tourist-driven economy - upon which many businesses such as Henry’s depends - is still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic.