An \u201cinspirational\u201d woman who launched a caf\u00e9 just before Covid-19 struck says she has had to reinvent herself \u201cmore times than Madonna\u201d to survive the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Mother-of-four and gran-of-five Julie Vaughan-Roberts, 65, ploughed every penny of her life-savings \u2013 including her funeral fund \u2013 to establish Cwtch Ceramics in Rossett, near Wrexham<\/p>\n
Just 10 days after she opened, the UK went into lockdown and the doors shut with Julie not knowing when they would re-open.<\/p>\n
Despite the nightmare start, things are looking up again, with Julie paying tribute to her accountants, Wrexham and Chester based Coxeys, for helping her to navigate her way through the financial minefield of the past 18 months.<\/p>\n
She was particularly grateful to managing director Anthony Lewis who has steered Julie and the business safely through the Covid crisis.<\/p>\n
Julie said: \u201cStarting a business can be tricky at the best of times but the pandemic threw up unprecedented and totally unexpected challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving access to the expert guidance and advice from Coxeys has been invaluable and has given me peace of mind when the world around us was going mad.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been able to contact Anthony any time and he has always responded quickly with the right answers. That\u2019s just priceless.\u201d<\/p>\n
Running the business is a far cry from her first job as a time and motion clerk after she left school.<\/p>\n
A series of office jobs ensued before she became a full-time mum while her children grew up.<\/p>\n
But she found an outlet for her life-long artistic streak when she founded Cwtch Ceramics at T\u0177 Pawb in Wrexham, with parties for children making and painting pottery.<\/p>\n
The business soon outgrew the premises and Julie took over the old Premier store in Rossett which provided the perfect location for her expansion plans, combining a caf\u00e9 with the ceramics for adults and children alike.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI\u2019ve always done a lot of arts and crafts and pottery as a hobby – I\u2019ve got an artistic streak, but this is the first time I have been able to follow my dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have had a lot of encouragement from my family, from my children and my sister, Tracey Pearce, an interior designer who masterminded the refurbishment, putting in shelves, new lighting, toilets, a food counter, disabled access and a children\u2019s play area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe name Cwtch Ceramics came from my granddaughter, Paige, who drew a heart and wrote Cwtch inside it.<\/p>\n
\u201cMoving here was a massive step. I invested every penny I had, including the money set aside for my funeral costs. I really wanted to get it off the ground because I could see the potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Covid happened and shut us down after 10 days. It was very scary, really scary because we\u2019d got staff and obviously they\u2019d committed and I\u2019d committed and the family committed to helping out and all of a sudden, it stops.\u00a0 You just didn\u2019t know what was going to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did close completely in the very beginning; everyone did and then we just had to rethink things. I reinvented myself.\u00a0 I\u2019m more reinvented than Madonna.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe started doing takeaway meals including afternoon teas and ploughman\u2019s lunches. We also did ceramic packs that people could pick up.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything we made was put back into the business and we just kept on going, working 12 to 14 hours a day.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have had incredible support from our customers who have been brilliant.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen we were allowed to open outside so we had the benches made and now we\u2019re allowed to have people inside as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it\u2019s been very stop-start. We\u2019ve stocked up several times only for the plug to be pulled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were all set for Christmas and had people booked to see Mrs. Claus and then it all went wrong, so we refunded everybody and lost all the money with the food and drink we\u2019d got in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was too important to let go and hopefully things are returning to normal.<\/p>\n
\u201cCwtch is a nice happy place for people to sit and enjoy family time.\u00a0 They can paint ceramics or they can colour and draw.<\/p>\n
\u201cOr they can just sit had have food if they want.\u00a0 We\u2019re licensed, so customers can have a glass of prosecco and a ham sandwich as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve now also started selling old fashioned sweets \u2013 dolly mixtures, fruit salads, midget gems and the like \u2013 and that\u2019s going really well.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe summer holidays have been great because Cwtch is a destination for people. Things are looking up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coxeys managing director Anthony Lewis said Julie had shown admirable grit and determination to stay the course.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cAlthough she could not have known it at the time, she couldn\u2019t have picked a trickier time to set up.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut she persevered when many others would have thrown in the towel and walked away.<\/p>\n
\u201cJulie is a very positive and upbeat person who just gets on with it when the going gets tough. She\u2019s truly inspirational.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s great that her artistic flair is finally getting a proper outlet. Julie has created something really special here and she deserves to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n