A café owner is calling it a day after building a hub of the community.
Alison Pearson is preparing to hand over the keys to Poolbrook Kitchen and Coffee Shop.
She opened the café with her son, Jake Pearson, six years ago and has enjoyed a “rollercoaster of a ride” since.
“I will miss it greatly but I need to move on and do other things, I’m not getting any younger,” said Ms Pearson, 59.
“I’d just like to thank my customers for all their support and friendship over the last six years – it’s been a blast!
“Many of them have become true friends and no doubt I’ll be meeting up with them for coffee once I’ve got some more time on my hands.
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride, what with Covid and everything, but we’ve certainly survived it!”
Ms Pearson is now looking to focus her efforts on her passion, baking, and will still be providing the café with sweet treats.
Reflecting on her time at the café, she takes great pride in the community events they organised including Christmas lunches, supper clubs, and school meals for children during the pandemic.
Just last month, the cafe on Poolbrook Road hosted a fundraiser for the Turkish and Syrian Earthquake Appeal which saw more than £800 donated.
Ms Pearson added: “It has become such a big part of the community.
“When I told people I was going to try and sell and if I couldn’t I would be closing, everyone said ‘no you can’t close, it’s part of the community’.
“It’s a very friendly, chatty café where people come to talk.
“We also get people trvaeling from as far as Worcester and Tewkesbury for our breakfast.
“It might not be the cheapest but the quality is second to none and a lot of people reckon it’s the best breakfast you’ll get in Malvern.
Ms Pearson’s son, 25, moved away some years ago but has returned for her final weeks in charge.
She will then be handing the keys over to Andrew Oliver.
“It’s going to be very different for me but we have got a lovely young, local, man who is going to be taking over.
“The café is absolutely in safe hands, I’ve got no worries about it.
“He’s really enthusiastic and I wish him all the best, I’m sure he’ll make a great success of it.”
Ms Pearson’s last day will be Wednesday, April 19.
Mr Oliver will then take the reins, with the café reopening on Tuesday, April 25.
When it reopens, Poolbrook will have new, longer, opening hours.
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