Gina Long
Luke Coathup
- Credit: Jenny Jones Photography
Luke Coathup is the owner of The Green Grocers, a successful wholefoods shop, bakery and café in Norwich. Rising through the ranks in a number of East Anglian hospitality businesses, from pot wash to managing a chain of restaurants, it was studying a degree at UEA as a mature student that finally gave him the leap of faith to develop and grow his own business focusing on his passion of food, people and wine.
He chats with Gina Long MBE.
What does it mean for you, now the hospitality industry can welcome back inside diners? It s fantastic news! Covid has bought the most challenging environment possible to the hospitality and retail industry. Customers are everything to us, they are what make the business.
Businesses are holding out hope for calmer times to come as Brexit has continued to cause disruption in supply chains.
Independent firms in Norwich say.
Luke Coathup, owner of The Green Grocers in Norwich’s Earlham House shops. Picture: Archant
- Credit: Archant
Green grocers in Norfolk are already facing supply issues as a result of Brexit.
But they admit the government s emergency plans to fast-track food to the supermarkets if the disruption continues is to be expected.
It has been revealed that officials are working on plans to fast-track food produce lorries through the new border control systems with the EU.
One in ten lorries are reportedly stuck at the border, prompting fears that food will begin disappearing from shelves as has been previously warned by the likes of Sainsburys.