Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Station coffee shop is just the ticket
Perfect platform for Lindsey’s skills
A businesswoman from Coatbridge has found the recipe for success with her new venture – keeping commuters on track and well fed.
Lindsey Milne has established a coffee shop in the historic railway platform building at Sunnyside station in her home town.
Sunnyside Coffee Co now been operating for three months, selling coffee and sandwiches, salads, cakes and breakfast pots to passengers from Monday to Saturday – with its doors opening just a month after Lindsey gave birth to her second child.
The 29- year- old said: “The shop makes it more convenient for people who would normally have to queue in a city-centre sandwich shop to get the same quality of food we provide; buying from us in the morning allows them to get full use of their lunch break.”
Lindsey had worked at hotels and restaurants in London, the Lake District and Glasgow, and decided on a career change in April 2016.
She brewed up her coffee shop idea after spotting a sign for the business development opportunity at Sunnyside while travelling home by train, and approached Business Gateway Lanarkshire for help.
Advisers assisted with the creation of a business plan to secure the lease, and helped Lindsey work with ScotRail, Network Rail, and the Railway Heritage Trust to ensure the coffee shop fit- out met strict building regulations for the Grade B-listed station.
Lindsey had originally hoped to open the business late last year, but her route to serving her first customers proved to be longer and more stressful than anticipated – as well as the cost of preparing the shop rising, her partner, Chris Tierney, was involved in a serious car accident, and she discovered she was pregnant.
She said: “There were times when I thought to myself, ‘what am I doing?’, particularly after Chris was involved in the crash and I realised we’d be having a second child in March, but I just thought ‘let’s go with it’.
“I’m glad we did as we’ve had a great start. I never knew how difficult it would be to get set up in a listed building and the process of getting started has been an eye opener, but I’m very grateful for all the help and assistance I’ve had.”
Lindsey added of the professional support en route to the destination of opening her business: “I knew Business Gateway was the number one place to get business advice.
“My adviser, Elaine Kerr, has been so helpful – she ensured my business plan and cash forecasts were right, gave me the reassurance I needed whenever I had a wobble, and the workshops on bookkeeping and marketing were useful as I’d never had to do that before.
“ScotRail and the Railway Heritage Trust also helped immensely, providing me with funding to help with the fit-out, and the Princes Trust provided me with a loan and a business mentor who visits once a month, which has been invaluable.
“It’s allowed me to create a business that will give me what I’ve always wanted – the control to make my own decision and a better work/life balance.”
Business Gateway adviser Elaine Kerr said: “It’s been a long and stressful journey for Lindsey, but she’s laid down firm foundations for business success.
“She initially came to us to ensure her business plan and forecasts were robust enough to secure the lease from ScotRail; we helped her source legal advice and provided support with funding applications, and will continue to help with marketing and finance as her business grows.”
Sunnyside Coffee Co can be found on Facebook, while Business Gateway Lanarkshire can be contacted at www. bgateway. com/ lanarkshire or 01236 884825.