New Café Bar, Wags’n’Tales, thriving despite challenges set by coronavirus – By Charlie Puczyniec, Hampton School.

When a new café opened on the site of two previously failed ventures, the locals of Twickenham questioned whether this one would follow suit. When the lockdown occurred four weeks later, they were convinced it was doomed to fail.

“It was a massive blow, when literally one month later we had to close”, explained owner Parvin Tank, when asked how the lockdown affected his opening plans for the Twickenham branch of Wags’n’Tales. The café opened on the 19th February 2020, only weeks before the national lockdown was announced. “Immediately we embraced the challenge and adapted”, Parvin shared how they changed their business model and sought to find opportunities that helped them, their suppliers, and the local community.

Just three months into the lockdown, around 28,000 pubs and restaurants were permanently closed around the UK, and it is thought that 30,000 more may not re-open. This demonstrates the devastating effect Covid 19 has had on the hospitality industry. The Pizza Express chain has recently announced the closure of 73 branches and Zizzi’s restaurant in Twickenham remains closed 8 months later. On a larger scale, bar and restaurant sales around the country dropped by 60% between March and May, with 85% of the hospitality workforce furloughed.

Against these odds, the question is “What did Wags’n’Tales do, not only to survive but, to thrive?” During lockdown, cafés had to close their doors to customers in the traditional sense, however, Wags’n’Tales did not. Instead of being paralysed in shock, Parvin immediately seized the opportunity to get his café’s name out there, identifying and then solving the problem he and his business faced. The main challenge was that customers could not eat or drink in in his café, therefore, he focused his offering on takeaways, including takeaway draft beer, giving his café much needed publicity, through word of mouth in the community.

Through this innovative idea, Parvin was able to engage with the community, drawing in new customers and allowing them to try out the café’s other offerings, such as their vegan cakes or home delivery service.

8 months later, Wags’n’Tales still has some challenges, but has gained a loyal customer base and made its mark within Twickenham; A positive story amongst the struggles of Covid 19 and lockdown.