If you're reading this then your probably thinking...
"Why are Pilgrims Coffee no longer serving savoury food?"
Well, that's a good question, and I hope that after reading this, I will have answered that question for you.
If I were to sum it up, I could just say "staffing issues", but really there is much more to it than that. Yes, the lack of staff makes providing a full menu nearly impossible. However there are other reasons that have encouraged us to make the change.
Andrew (co-owner/husband) and I have been running Pilgrims Coffee for more than a decade now, and in that time we've pretty much done it all. We've seen trends change, staff come and go, and have gained so much experience (some good, some bad...) which has taken us from the young (perhaps slightly naive!) young couple that we were, to the business owners we are today. We now have three beautiful girls, so working around the clock is no longer an option for us, and we can sometimes struggle to find a work life balance. We want to make this change so that we can continue to do what we love, but also enjoy those precious moments that children bring.
"You could get more staff" you say. Indeed, I wish it were that simple, as year in and year out, due to being a tidal and very seasonal business, the problem of sourcing staff arises. By streamlining our offering we can keep a small team in continous employment without the fluctations of tide or weather. We are very lucky to have built a team of staff who equally love what they do and are dedicated to our business and our ethos. We wish the same for them as we do for ourselves, which is to continue to enjoy Pilgrims as a lifesyle.
But lastly and possibly most importantly is our environmental impact. We hope that by reducing our menu we can reduce our carbon footprint, working primarily towards carbon neautrality, and ultimately becoming a carbon negative business. Our new goal is not only to eradicate any use of single use plastics and use green energy, but also to go as local and organic as possible. Currently in Northumberland availability of such products can be limited, but we have managed to source enough suppliers to create wonderful homemade cakes and scones which you can enjoy without the guilt of the food miles ... just the calories :)
Ultimately, our goal is for you as our customer to receive the best quality product and service we can offer. We believe this change can help us achive this so that your experiance in our hospitality is at its best!!!