Almost two months after opening, Oatcakes and Milkshakes continues to be a booming success.
Report by Sarena Moss and Charlie Hiscox
Photos by Elise Walters
A combination of the home-made oatcake recipe (bought by owners Michelle and Steve Felgate in 2009), a great variety of fun milkshakes and the creation of a unique, stylish place within Stone is what is bringing customers back and new ones in.
The family-run cafe in Stafford Street has certainly achieved a look of professionalism with its iconic blue and pink theme and aesthetically pleasing design that appears to sit well with everyone. The owners have recently opted for larger tables and added another breakfast bar in order to contend with the stream of customers visiting Oatcakes and Milkshakes every day.
The kids, especially, have taken to this new addition to Stone with enthusiasm, no doubt because of the full range of ice cream flavours and sweet oatcake fillings they now have to choose from. An amicable atmosphere and the sense of family from behind the counter seems to invite everyone to sit and enjoy their oatcake in a welcoming environment.
We spoke to Jay Felgate, one of the founders and managers of Oatcakes and Milkshakes. Here’s what he had to say.
[box type=”shadow” ]Why did you choose to set up the business and why did you choose Stone as a location?
“My family had always lived in Stone and we all wanted to bring something new and original to the area. Growing up i felt Stone lacked attractions and venues for teenagers. If there was Oatcakes and Milkshakes when I was younger, I would have lived in it! Its a great environment for kids to get a healthy snack and just to hang out.”
The business is run by your family, what’s it like working in such close proximity with them?
“I love working with them, it doesn’t feel like a job at all. Everyone gets on really well which i think is the key to our success. We all always wanted to run a cafe, Mum and Dad got the recipe in 2009 for the oatcakes. But we didn’t just want the cafe to sell oatcakes, we thought everyone likes milkshakes! It helps that it rhymes!”
Where do you source your produce?
“Our oatcakes are made in store, so they are fresh everyday. We source all our other food locally as we believe it’s very important to help all the other small businesses of Stone. It’s good to support your neighbours!”[/box]
Due to their unexpected rate of success, the family are hopeful that they will be able to open up further diners in the future while keeping the same original and niche idea that has shown to be the basis of their flourishing business.
We also spoke to some customers in the cafe. Judy Common was a newcomer to Oatcakes and Milkshakes who fancied a coffee and an oatcake and visited on a recommendation of a friend.
“I think Oatcakes and Milkshakes is a fantastic idea and is exactly what Stone needs, especially for the youngsters of Stone as there is not much for them to do here,” she said.
Louise, Janella, Helen, Jess and Synthia were also visiting the cafe. Louise had been before with her daughters and bought her friends along for an oatcake.
“My girls love it here,” she said, “this is the newest and hottest place in Stone and everyone is talking about it. The speedy service makes it a huge attraction. I think the store will definitely be a success for Stone, every time I walk past it’s busy. We will be visiting again.”
With each visit I can definitely see ‘Oatcakes and Milkshakes’ becoming a permanent and interesting feature within Stone and we’re very excited to see where they go next.
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