Award is birthday gift for couple’s cafe-bar
ARURAL cafe-bar which has become the heart of the community has celebrated its first birthday by winning a second business award.
In June 2018, business owner Anna Preece opened Anna’s Cafe Bar on Burnley Road, Weir - and by lunchtime, the cafe was packed.
Anna proved her initial success was no fluke, and in November the cafe was the Invest in Rossendale award winner at the Rossendale Business Awards.
Now, Anna’s has picked up Bar of the Year at the Rossendale Lifestyle Awards.
Mum Anna,
●● 44, formerly made soup and baked bread to sell locally alongisde being a parttime copywriter.
Today, along with her husband Dave, she is a partner in the business, which has offered full and part-time employment to many in a village where there are few job opportunities.
She said: “It was such a strong category with so many great bars as finalists I didn’t think we would win it.”
Initially, Anna and Dave were looking to rent the premises, which used to be a shop, and had started the planning process only for the owners to announce they were selling to a third party.
Anna said: “I was gutted, but then that fell through and we were offered the building and were able to raise the money to buy it.
“We got the deeds in February and the first thing I did was come in and start knocking walls down.”
Anna and Dave have two children Poppy, 15, and Huey, 12, and Anna said it has been important for them to understand that hard work reaps its ●● Senior staff member Deborah Taylor and director Anna Price celebrate the café bar’s first anniversary and two business awards. own rewards.
She said: “Before we opened I was worried about how it would go, but I sort of knew it was going to work. I always knew what I wanted to do with the building and had a vision, but this has become so much bigger.
“We are now a hub for the community to meet, socialise, get to know their neighbours and hold parties.”
Meeting a real need in the remote village by providing a warm and welcoming place, has ensured Anna’s is packed every weekend and tables need to be booked in advance.
Now Anna is considering an Anna’s 2 and possibly an Anna’s 3 in other areas, replicating the successful template of the Weir business.
She said: “These awards are as much for my team as they are absolutely key to Anna’s being as successful as it is.”
Anna’s also gives back and has donated nearly £1,300 vouchers to charities and community groups since it opened. ●● The Mayor and Mayoress of Rossendale, Councillor Barbara Ashworth (right) and Mrs Christine Lamb, at the ceremony