Forum Topic

Angela Malik closes Cafes

Just wondered if anyone had eaten or had a drink in one of the establishments in Ealing or Acton. It is a shame she has closed but the couple of times I went I found it so expensive as a lot of the produce was gluten free which is great for those that are gluten intolerant but not so for people like me!

Diane Gill ● 4095d22 Comments

IIRC the 'crowd-funded' appeal was to raise £350,000 to open two more outlets.Strange decision if one outlet is already dragging down the business.

Nigel Brooks ● 4072d

Never did quite work out what that was all about.

Simon Wycombe ● 4072d

You mean the hard earned of the investors.Remember that she was going for an additional £350k to expand while running out of cash!

Nigel Brooks ● 4073d

Is that not something she should have researched before spending all of her hard earned?

Simon Wycombe ● 4073d

Got it in one.Even if you couldn't rely on pedestrian passing trade somewhere for cars/bikes to stop and pick up from the deli would be essential. Sadly, it is, for all the right reasons, double yellow lines in the whole area and limited pavement room for even a rudimentary bike rack.So, no cars/bikes and limited passing foot traffic with a poor location and less than glowing feedback on the food. No pun intended but this is not a recipe for success.

Nigel Brooks ● 4077d

Nigel Brooks pointed out -'Tucked away' at the top of The Grove is fine for a convenience store (especially with the new student flats opening) but suicide for a very average deli/takeaway which needs passing trade."Indeed you can't help but wonder at the mentality of the people who advised her regarding this location,never mind anyone who actually lent her any money.If I remember rightly there are pedestrian barriers on both sides of this corner along with traffic lights  and a pedestrian crossing, so even if it wasn't so outof the way, its not a place anyone is going to stop and linger as there simply isn't the room with allthe people rushing past. michael adams...

Michael Adams ● 4077d

No feedback wouldn't have changed the poor choice of location.'Tucked away' at the top of The Grove is fine for a convenience store (especially with the new student flats opening) but suicide for a very average deli/takeaway which needs passing trade.

Nigel Brooks ● 4077d

It seems to have been long cold winter and for cafe trade you definitely need to have passing footfall.  I most often walk to the Broadway when the weather is warmer!Sad to see it go although I have to admit that I wasn't that enamoured by what I tried there.  Maybe others were the same and we could and should have given more feedback (and that doesn't necessarily mean publicly online).

Philippa Bond ● 4077d

Yes just read that Nigel, you can get a good idea what is going to work in Ealing and I would have been surprised if she has lasted.  It is a terrible shame though.

Diane Gill ● 4079d

Sadly, the whole business is going to be liquidated (see the front page).I am sorry for her but it was simply in the wrong location (she notes the poor footfall) with too many better and cheaper alternatives.

Nigel Brooks ● 4079d

It is new to me and I am amused by the term "tightwad" but why are Ealing's known as such compared to the wealthy elsewhere?

Philip Coe ● 4094d

It was simply too expensive. Ealing's wealthy are known for being tightwads, always have been. Probably why they are wealthy.What is really missed are places like Cornucopia which when in South Ealing was a brilliant whole food deli but for a long time affordably priced for the local clientele. Then they got a bit greedy and it all faded away.Reputations have to be earned and consolidated and Angela Malik's shop simply did neither a bit all show and not enough substance.  But with the overheads of a shop it's far from easy nowadays.

Anthony Waller ● 4094d

She recently put an advert out for crowdfunding trying to raise £350K!!!  No idea what new project this was for.  Agree on the location - difficult. I only went in there as a school Mum when my son was at the grove site but school Mum's aren't going to keep a business afloat.

Diane Gill ● 4094d

Yes but if the business plan 'covered' the cost of the van then it would/could be purchased (or more probably and sensibly leased).My company never owned a single vehicle in all the years it was operating. Van leases come out as a 'dripping roast' from cash rather than a lump of capital which depreciates as soon as you take it of the dealer's forecourt.

Nigel Brooks ● 4094d

I guess you're right but surely 'projections' mean shall we spend 20 odd k on a van this year next year or not?

Simon Wycombe ● 4094d

Most failed businesses simply run out of cash and cash is king.Guess the projections didn't pan out, new van or not.

Nigel Brooks ● 4094d

Odd thing was I saw her in a 2014 van yesterday with full graphics. Why buy that , must be £20k's worth, if you are about to close down?

Simon Wycombe ● 4094d

The problem was that the deli needed passing trade.Trade did indeed pass but in cars on their way to the car park, it was simply in the wrong place to attract enough footfall as the (now also closed) Green Mango Café also showed.

Nigel Brooks ● 4094d

I agree, Nigel. Had a slice of Red Velvet cake-nice but dear.This type of shop would be more suited to, say, Dickens Yard, if and when anyone moves into the posher flats.

Terry Freestone ● 4094d

euphemism?what did  you pay?

Ron Gill ● 4095d

I did buy a very nice spicy sausage roll there one lunchtime to take away.

Susan Kelly ● 4095d

Only ever had a mango lassi there and expected something better than the watery concoction I was served.Wrong location, overpriced and too many better local competitors.

Nigel Brooks ● 4095d