Supporters rally to rescue Wolverhampton city centre cafe
A funding campaign has been launched to save an independent cafe which may be forced to close due to the impact of coronavirus.
The Hungry Bistro, in Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton city centre, was launched in 2014 by Richard Brown to create a homely restaurant creating fresh meals using local produce.
Over the years, the cafe has gone from strength to strength and built up a loyal customer base in the city centre who flocked to themed evenings and events held there.
When lockdown began, The Hungry Bistro continued to serve food and drink to takeaway customers as well as providing deliveries.
But the impact of Covid-19 and reduced trade hit the business hard, and on June 19 owners announced on social media they were not going to be able to reopen.
Following support from friends and customers, Jade Field set up a fundraiser to try to save the cafe from closure.
Jade, aged 27, originally from Essex, came to Wolverhampton to study at university, and launched the campaign independently with the help of some friends.
She hopes the fundraiser reaches its goal of £5,000 to help get the business back on track.
The appeal has now raised more than £4,000 through online donations and the campaign has been widely shared on Twitter and Facebook.
Jade said: “I started the #helpthehungrybistro campaign because as I have been both an employee and customer at The Hungry Bistro, I have seen and felt the effect that the place has on people.
“The bistro is such a comfortable environment that it naturally creates a community. The owner is a close, personal friend of mine and I have the utmost respect for how hard he has worked to set up a place that means so much to many people in the city and wanted not only to save the business but be able to show him how much he is appreciated.”
Jade is aiming to raise £5,000 to help get the business back on track, to donate to the appeal visit the Go Fund Me website.
