Popular Quigney deli to become student res

THE once popular East London corner cafe, Norman’s Deli in Quigney, has been turned into student accommodation for the University of Fort Hare (UFH).

The cafe was closed in July last year after more than 40 years in business.

It had been a convenience store for many Quigney residents, including the growing number of students accommodated in the area by higher education institutions.

Today the former shop on

the ground floor, together with the three floors above it, have been turned into student accommodation for about 160 UFH students.

DRG projects owner Deon Grunewald said they started working on the re-development in November last year.

“By January we started building and we are expected to finish by this month. Next week Wednesday the students are expected to occupy these rooms,” Grunewald said.

“We work until 1am almost every morning to finish the work.

“My team is working to make sure we meet these deadlines.

“After every shift I have to take every individual worker to their different addresses. We want to finish in time,” he said.

Each room in the block will accommodate two students, with each floor having a few kitchens, which the students will share.

Speaking to Dispatch last year, Norman Deli’s owner Mike Nathoo said the landmark shop had existed for more than 40 years.

At the time, Nathoo complained of high rent and the cost of electricity. He said the corner cafe business they ran was outdated and times had changed, although they would miss their customers.

The corner cafe was opened in 1942 by Nathoo’s father, Harry, who owned Quigney Fruiterers next to the site where Norman’s Deli opened.

Under apartheid laws, Nathoo was ineligible to own a business, so he joined forces with businessman Norman Stadon, hence the shop’s name.

Grunewald said because of the new semester starting, they would push hard to make Wednesday’s deadline. “Come visit us next week and see for yourself,” he said. —