Coffee runs through Stuart Hansord’s veins. Almost literally. The caffeine fiend is obsessed with the daily grind at Midgar Coffee on Bury St Edmunds’ St John's Street, which he took over two weeks ago.
It’s a bit of a homecoming for the fledgling entrepreneur. Having cut his hospitality teeth at The Angel Hotel, falling in love with the industry, and working his way up to deputy manager with the owners’ support, Stuart spread his wings and set off travelling.
He lived in Melbourne for a year, where his deeply ingrained love of coffee was forged. On returning to the region, Stuart would eventually become general manager of The Packhorse in Moulton for Chestnut. But he always knew he wanted a place of his very own.
“During Covid we all had a lot more time to ourselves. I think it made so many of us start to realised what it is we want to achieve,” says Stuart. “Much as I love hospitality, I want to have a family eventually and I thought the best way to plan for that is to work for myself.
“I thought the coffee scene in Melbourne was amazing, and I’ve always looked at local businesses for sale where I could do something similar - especially around Bury.”
One day, an email popped in his inbox, showing Midgar was going on the market and he “couldn’t stop thinking about it. I had to take the plunge.”
Stuart says his decision was a massive lifestyle choice, but adds he was spurred on to have his own coffee house thanks to a spell working with chef Ruth Bolton – someone he admires greatly.
“I worked for Ruth at Blackthorpe Barns’ coffee shop many years ago. I did a season at Christmas and she just made me feel incredible as an employee. I learnt so much from her and looking back on that experience for those few months pushed me to want to work for myself.
“I really want to mirror what she did in how I treat my team.
“Professionally, I learnt an aspect of the industry I’d never seen before, having come from a fine dining background. That tea and coffee and cake can be done really nicely. And she was fantasstic with staff. She took us for parties, gave us presents, and made us feel like part of a big family.
“I want Midgar to be a real ‘native’ coffee house. I want my staff to feel part of the family, and for that to be passed on to customers so they can come in and have a bite, a drink and a conversation.”
In essence Stuart wants the store to be like Cheers...but without the booze.
Little has changed inside, apart from the addition of a few plants, but there are plans in the pipeline to open the ‘secret courtyard’ out back later in the summer.
“I want to give it a complete refurbishment,” Stuart says. “With some decking and outdoor lights in. We might end up doing some evenings out there.”
And so to the offerings.
Coffee is sourced from family-owned Drury in London. “That coffee is the reason I fell in Love with Midgar, so I won’t be changing it,” says Stuart. “They roast it to order for me, and supply around 30 Michelin Star restaurants, so they must be doing something right! It's very high quality and different to any other coffee I’ve tried in Bury.
“I’ve had so many comments saying it’s the best in town. It’s a bit floral, and nice and strong but with quite a mellow flavour.”
Midgar offers the full range of coffees, including iced coffee, as well as loose teas from The Tea People, and “beautiful” real fruit smoothies.
“We blend those to order. They’re so refreshing. There’s Minty Berry which is fresh mint leaves, raspberry, mango and apple juice, and the Honolulu – ginger, pineapple and pineapple juice.
Cakes, such as Guiness, coffee and walnut, New York cheesecake and almond and cinnamon, are still being made for the café by the previous supplier, but will shortly be replaced by sumptuous traditional cakes from Stowmarket-based Holly Bakes.
And lunch is made up of eight different types of toastie.
“My favourite,” says Stuart, “is the Number 3 – Parma ham, tomato and mature Cheddar cheese.”
Others include mozzarella, mango chutney, basil and apple, mozzarella, avocado, green pesto and rocket, and smoked pancetta with burrata, tomato and basil.
“Plus we do a beautiful smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel in the mornings – perfect with coffee.”
Midgar Coffee is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm.
“It’s been challenging,” Stuart says of his first couple of weeks. “We’ve survived a power cut and two of the hottest days on record. But we’ve been really welcomed to the community. It’s great to be among the other independent businesses, and to see so many regular faces coming through the door.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here