Taking on a business loan to run your own cafe bar after leaving university is a big step.
But music graduate Kerry Regan has found harmony among the visitors and locals who are flocking to her Pocket Cafe Bar in Keswick.
Graduating from Newcastle University, after completing the final year of her music degree in lockdown, Kerry, 22, spotted a business opportunity in the heart of Keswick, when a small bar called Magnolia in Lake Road was for sale.
Kerry knew the cafe well having previously worked behind the bar during university holidays when she returned home to Caldbeck. To secure the business opportunity,
Kerry arranged several loans to raise the funds to buy the business. Kerry said: “I bought the bar in September 2021 and it has been non-stop since that moment. Coming straight from university, this was a dramatic leap in lifestyle.
“However, I have always aspired to have my own venue in which I could partake in and support music and art, so when this opportunity became available, it was too good to miss.”
Kerry carried out major month-long renovations to the premises and relaunched with the new name The Pocket Cafe Bar in February and guest of honour, the then mayor of Keswick, Alan Dunn.
Stocking local ales, Belgian beers and thin, crispy sourdough homemade pizzas, the business has become a popular place for local musicians and artists to share their work.
Kerry said: “I have worked in hospitality since I was 15, as we lived in Keswick where there are plenty of opportunities to get summer jobs working in cafes, bars and hotels. Music has always been my passion, however, I love the pizzas. They are what used to be available before I bought the bar, and with a great pizza oven. We just tweaked and refined the menu.”
And as well as being known for great food and drink, The Pocket Café is now a music venue three times a week – with open mic night on Mondays, unplugged jam sessions on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, songwriters’ circle on the first Wednesday of the month, reggae night on the third Wednesday and weekly gig every Friday.
Kerry said: “I had always wanted to create a space for music in Keswick, and that’s the inspiration for the live music nights at The Pocket Café. Kerry is no stranger to bringing music to the town centre, as a teenager, she often busked.
She added: “I have always wanted to see the area become a bit of a hub for music and I am now able to do that myself. It has always been my dream to do this, however, it has happened quicker than I had expected!
“The cafe does create a nice space for locals to come together, where we can showcase our work and help support each other.”
The bar has received its five-star food hygiene rating and is open seven days a week from 11am until 11pm.
Kerry added: “I’ve got a really amazing team of staff, which really helps and the community are so important and supportive. And it’s not just the locals but other businesses in the town that have been encouraging too.
“It is a nice connection we all have to each other and we help each other out when we can. The support has been amazing from both the customer and business sides.”
