Kiosk aims to spread some festive cheer
SOCIALLY DISTANCED SONGS IN THE PARK
A HOT drinks and cake vendor is spreading Christmas cheer today.
The owner of Barefeet in the Park, Gemma Worthington, 39, had originally planned on hosting a Christmas carol concert, but after more than 1,000 people responded saying they were going, she changed her plans.
Gemma, whose cafe is in Victoria Park, Ilkeston, said: “We are still having a singer sing all day, but instead of having a specific concert at noon where everyone piled in we decided to cancel that.
“Kev [the singer] will be there from 11 onwards, but I didn’t want everyone piling in to do a set concert.”
Barefeet in the Park will be providing free mulled wine for visitors and the performance will be free of charge.
Gemma is encouraging any attendees to keep socially distanced but hopes that everyone who comes enjoys the show.
“I do feel better now we’re not doing a formal concert,” says Gemma. “But we still have Kev and he’s proper jolly so it should be nice. He’ll do carols and proper upbeat Christmas music, like Mariah Carey, that kind of stuff.
“We don’t want to create crowds, so it’s going to be on a circular bed near my kiosk so people can spread throughout the park and join in and enjoy it as and when they like.”
Kev Smith Jones, a professional guitarist and vocalist, heard about the event after responding to an ad Gemma had posted on Facebook.
She said: “I had a few responses, people were very nervous because of Covid, and then Kev came to see me last week and we had a coffee and he said I’ll do it for you. I wanted to pay him but he said he’d do it for free, just pay him in tea and coffee, he’s a lovely man. I’ve only just met him.
“He said it’s good publicity for him but he wants to spread a bit of joy as well, so he’s doing it for free. This is the lovely community we have. “I’ve really noticed it the last six months, how everyone’s uniting together. It’s so heart-warming.” The concert was the idea of her customers, as was Gemma re-opening her Barefeet in the Park. Every year before 2020, Gemma has closed Barefeet in the Park and re-opened her other coffee shop in Ilkeston, Barefeet Coffee and Clobber in September.
The coffee shop-cum-boutique wa was planned to reopen, but the November lock lockdown made Ge Gemma rethink. “A lot of customers said I should open in the park and I only opened because I thought people could come and meet outside. “I can’t do both and I know people prefe prefer being outside. It’s love lovely actually. People sit one of the bench to the other, loads of people come on their own and then they get chatting. It’s become a bit of a community hub.” Kev will be in Victoria Park, Ilkeston on Christmas Eve from 11am until 2pm.