Businesses in Kendal are taking part in #yourewelcomekendal, a campaign to promote all the fantastic cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars, producers and food retailers in the town.
We’ve been catching up with the people behind the businesses to find out why they love what they do.
Chelsea Eddy-Waland runs Fold Cafe on the Beezon Road Trading Estate with husband Jack. The cafe is attached to Fell Crossfit, which the pair also own and run.
The cafe is popular with people who take part in their CrossFit classes, people looking for somewhere to work during the day and anyone who likes good coffee. The space also has a treatment room which is used by a range of different therapists.
“The social side is a huge part of CrossFit,” says Chelsea.
“It’s all about bringing people together to get fit and have fun. It’s not about punishing yourself, but making fitness an enjoyable part of your life. Becks and Scarlett, who now run Method on Stramongate, initially started a cafe in the space and it turned out to be really successful and everyone loved it. It helps bring people together a little bit better after the sessions and just adds to the social element.
“We want it to be an event space and we want it to thrive in and of itself. We want people to come here for remote working and branch out into being a bit of a conference facility for people. We just get great support from local people and we’ve got a great relationship with other businesses, like Method and The Bakery at No.4. Our amazing suppliers the Bakehouse, in Greenodd, Red Bank Coffee, and Lovingly Artisan are all local and ensure our offerings are of the highest quality.
“We specialise in artisan coffee. Our unique selling point is our Modbar, which means the coffee machine is actually under the counter. So instead of having to go to the back or behind a machine to make the coffee we can do it at the front while we’re talking to the customer. It’s just an extension of the whole concept of it being an open space. The process is automated and really consistent, no matter who’s making the brew you get the same quality product.
“Jack and I both come from hospitality backgrounds and we ran bars in the North East, so it has always been an aspiration to do something like this. I used to live in Teesside, but my dad worked at Sellafield, so I was always coming to Cumbria and kind of grew up here. When we moved back here it was like coming home.
“I studied a PhD in English Literature at Lancaster University, specialising in Cumbrian gothic, and I also teach there as well. I realised the two things I love are training and English literature and so I wanted to find work that allowed me to do both of those things and live in the Lakes as well. It was just a leap of faith really. I just wanted to do something that I love and I wanted to allow other people to do that as well and bring like-minded people together.
“People can be quite spread out living in the Lakes and so it can become lonely. We do a lot of social activities and events like retreats and training camps and workshops. We want to use the cafe for things like parties and wine tastings to help bring people together.”
Check out Fold on Instagram @foldbyfell and Facebook at: www.facebook.com/foldbyfell
Their online shop can be found at: www.fold-coffee.square.site
About #yourewelcomekendal
#yourewelcomekendal is being funded by the Government’s Welcome Back Fund. The Welcome Back Fund is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and HM Government as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.