New Coop Says Hi!
HI! I'm Ellen, a member of a new worker coop 'Tanpopo'. We're a group of empowered hospitality workers who want to run a cafe and coop hub in Gateshead. We're hoping to work with Gateshead Council to get a 'meanwhile space' and open a space in the future. Due to covid, it's been tough. We formed in Feb 2020 so, I'm sure you'll agree, that was fantastic timing! We've started a crowdfunder to raise money for our Recipe Box project (https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/tanpopo-recipe-boxes) Please check it out! This isn't a proposal for funds, just a friendly introduction to who we are. Maybe some of you would be interested in our story? Thanks!
Ellen Moran Fri 5 Mar 2021 11:04AM
Yeah, we have been supported quite a lot by @John Evans at Code Operative. I've got some pals who work with Star and Shadow as well.
Dave Hollings Thu 4 Mar 2021 4:58PM
What you are aiming to do has similarities to The Larder, worker co-operative café in Preston.
Might be helpful to contact them.
Welcome
Dave
Maggie Joan Haggas Thu 4 Mar 2021 6:31PM
The Meteor Fri 5 Mar 2021 9:13AM
Hi Ellen,
Good luck with setting up the co-op. We are primarily a local media group and Gateshead is farther out than we would usually cover.
Best wishes
Conrad Bower
Editor
craigm Fri 5 Mar 2021 10:25AM
Hi Ellen,
Looks fantastic and I'm happy to see you working with Yoshi at Tea Sutra which produces great healthy food out of a tiny kitchen. We are based in Glasgow and are down once a week, if you ever need a chat i'm more than happy to help. Bonobo is in the Scottish North East and is a vegan cafe (worker owned) and also Krakatoa which is a pub (worker owned) if you need models to look at. Good luck and shout if we can help.
The Star & Shadow have a great kitchen and are a coop. Once things are back up and running it may be worth speaking to them as the kitchen isn't used as much as it should be, they may be open to a joint venture.
Dave Hollings Fri 5 Mar 2021 10:48AM
Craigm – off at a tangent.
I’ve tried to make contact with Krakatoa in the past. I’m heavily involved with the community owned pubs movement (and chair of my own local co-operatively owned pub, The Dog Inn at Belthorn). I think there’s learning and experiences we can usefully share from one co-operative sector in the same trade to another.
If you or someone else from the co-op could e-mail me on [email protected] or ring on 07967 815322 I would love to have a chat.
Thanks
Dave
Ellen Moran Fri 5 Mar 2021 11:03AM
Thanks for this! Yeah Yoshi is great :) When the restrictions are lifted it'd be great to meet you when you're in toon!
Cath M in Bentley (A Commune in the North/Radical Routes/Platform6) · Thu 4 Mar 2021 4:05PM
Hey Ellen, great to hear about Tanpopo. Are you in touch with other workers co-ops in the North East?