‘I run a café in a park – I’ll never get rich selling coffee, but I love it’
‘I run a café in a park – I’ll never get rich selling coffee, but I love it’
Telegraph Money ReportersMon, October 19, 2026 at 10:04 AM UTC
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It costs £175 for just 10kg of arabica coffee – prices have spiralled in recent years - Nicky Lloyd/E+
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I’ve been running a café in a park for 17 years. This really is a lifestyle business – you will never get rich selling coffee in a park. Although it can be very difficult and frustrating, I couldn’t do anything else. I love it.
Parks are my passion. Everyone benefits from some fresh air. Just 15 minutes in a park can improve mental and physical health, and I try hard to create fun events that will bring people out and together. The Government should invest in parks – they could save the NHS millions of pounds.
How would I define my relationship with money? I learnt from a young age that money didn’t just arrive, you had to earn it.
When I was young, I remember spending around three hours cutting some old lady’s grass and she gave me a “bob” – 5p. Weren’t the Seventies fun, eh? Still, earning money was always something that interested me. My first Saturday job was at the local DIY shop when I was 15.
I’ve definitely had a blasé attitude towards money, though. I always assumed I was going to be able to make more, so I didn’t need to plan or be careful, which ultimately meant I wasn’t inclined to save for a rainy day. I would spend everything I had.
I’m married with three children, who now also have children of their own. As soon as you have children, your financial relationship has to change. You have responsibilities and a duty of care to other people. It’s not about you, it’s about providing for others now and in the future.
Day 1
It’s the first working day of the month, meaning big bills go out. It’s going to be an expensive day.
Council tax is £226 and I can’t work out what I get for that other than probably the worst-run council in Britain.
Water is next, £43.50, for just me and my wife. That’s double what it was when the three children lived with us.
I also pay £5 towards the local hospice lottery, as it’s important to give to a few worthwhile causes.
Our interest-only mortgage costs £770 a month. We’re on this deal as we were truly shafted some time ago with interest rates, but I still feel fortunate compared to the current generation.
The first house I bought was a three-bed new-build back in 1986, which cost me £32,500. My youngest son, who is 30 and lives in London, has a good, proper job but absolutely no chance at all of ever owning anything. It’s so wrong.
Road tax costs me £66.50 for the month and van road tax is £29.31. Van insurance is £34.29.
After all that is paid, I whizz to the local Co-op for mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber and lettuce (£11.70), as I’d forgotten to buy these the day before.
I also have a fair few business costs to sort for the café.
Website hosting for three sites and two email addresses costs £34 – it’s done by my son-in-law, so I know it’s a good deal. A monthly advert in the local magazine costs £120. This is probably the best media I have ever used that actually delivers results.
Later on I go to Bookers – the wholesaler – and spend £11.27 on café supplies. I buy pads of paper, Galaxy bars, Haribo, gluten-free bars and granola bars. This is cheap because they offer a used-oil collection service and I get £18 per 60 litres collected. It’s a brilliant idea.
Total: £1,351.57
Day 2
I’m trying to tighten up on costs at work and have managed to send back some stock. We got carried away with our coffee, tea and syrup ordering, but luckily our suppliers are amazing and refunded me £137.55 for the returns.
However, our coffee bean order is £175, for just 10kg of arabica coffee – massive increases in recent times because of production (climate) issues. It’s just the way it is, so net expenditure for this morning is £37.45.
We’re also spending £50 to sponsor a local school’s scavenger hunt – £25 cash and a voucher for a meal for two, which is worth about £25.
It’s the birthday of one of our very regular customers’ dogs – yes, the dog – on Saturday; the fourth birthday they have celebrated here. So, to mark Shelly turning five, we have ordered a Happy Birthday banner and printed out some posters. Posters were free, the banner cost £4.99.
We have one of the 43 saplings from the Sycamore Gap tree being planted in this park in a few weeks. The council wants me to supply electricity in the middle of the park for it, so I have to buy a 50m cable for £44.99. I genuinely think the council thinks these things can happen on their own.
I settle the café’s electric bill (£30) and gas bill (£20). I’ve had a pay-as-you-go gas and electric meter for more than 25 years, which is better than getting a shock bill.
Total: £187.43
Day 3
Alternative Wednesdays are the best day of the fortnight – we go to Bournemouth to see our 15-month-old grandson, who now recognises us – especially his beloved Nana.
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First stop on our journey is the Moto near Frome for a quick latte and mocha at £7.28, and petrol costs £69.17.
We somehow manage to arrive early, so we get shipped off to the shops to get some lunch. The local Co-op offers salad bits, rolls, cheese, ham and chicken, which come to £22.35. This is better than last time, when we got charged £43 for fish and chips.
We’re home by 7pm and pay the dog sitter £30. She is brilliant. We couldn’t do anything without her.
Total: £128.80
Day 4
My wife has bought some AirPure automatic fresh air sprays, but they didn’t come with refills. A two-second hunt on Amazon finds six for £10.49.
I have a good, productive day – as well as a cheap one – so reward myself with a kebab for dinner for £12.50.
Total: £22.99
Day 5
My wife notices that the conservatory at the café has a bit of mould, so it’s Amazon to the rescue again. A set of six Cillit Bang black mould removers costs £15.44.
Later on, I pay £50 for a deposit for our holiday to Wales in a couple of months. It’ll cost £600 for the week.
Someone told me about this craze for colouring in pebbles, so I thought it was a great, cheap idea for the kids during the holidays. Acrylic paint pens on Amazon cost £35.97 for 180, with 150 pebbles on eBay for £16.08.
In the afternoon, I have a scroll on Facebook and am drawn in by an AI investment thing, so invest $100 in Xtrend (£73.32). I promise I will learn what to do with it.
Then I spend £12.50 on the postcode lottery, but I win £15 – so I’m up £2.50 overall. I just need another six zeroes at the end.
Giant spotted cookies are back in stock at our supplier and cost £16.05 for 18, meaning we’ve got to sell them for £2 each. As an instant-consumption business, we have to get the pricing right.
Finally, I pay for doggy day care, which costs £150 weekly.
Total: £354.36
Day 6
I buy some more soup mugs for the café. We go through so many, I think the staff assume they are single-use. I buy four new ones on Amazon for £12.50, but then realise they won’t arrive in time, so I find three more for £11.99, arriving tomorrow.
We watched some local rugby, which was great today, and went for a Chinese to celebrate. Spare ribs and a quarter of a duck cost £21.50 – that used to be the price of half a duck! The standard has also gone downhill. I’m not sure I’ll be going back.
Total: £45.99
Day 7
We’re out for a walk with the dogs, and I buy some diesel for the van on the way for £32.02.
At the garage, I buy a hot chocolate (after realising I’ve somehow had three coffees by 8:16am), plus two packs of lockets (I have a sore throat) and four pints of milk (£6.79).
Near the end of the day, one of my employees tells me he’s been choking on the fumes of the mould cleaner, so I buy 10 disposable masks for £11.95.
It’s been a tough week for business, so no treats for me tonight.
Total: £50.76
Total weekly spend: £2,141.90
As told to Maya Wilson Autzen.
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Source: “AOL Money”
