A latte with a view '“ how Paul is serving coffee on Kirkcaldy's waterfront
Paul Armour, who is well known locally for previously owning the popular Caledonia Coffee Shop in the west end of Kirkcaldy High Street, recently launched his new venture on the prom.
Paul runs the Nectar Expresso Coffee Company, and opened the new mobile unit, opposite the Dunelm store, last week. It will be open from Wednesday to Sunday.
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Hide AdThe 58-year-old uses hand selected coffees from the finest growers in the world and, uniquely, he freshly roasts them in the horsebox for customers to experience, while they enjoy the views along the waterfront.
Paul explained how he came up with the novel idea: “Last July I was sitting with the family and I wanted to do something a bit different,” he said.
“I have always had a passion for coffee, ever since I was a national account manager for a major coffee company.
“I set up the Nectar Exresso Coffee Company and imported a roaster from the United States and I work through a specialist green bean distributor.
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Hide Ad“My distributor works with individual farmers from different countries which are known coffee producers like El Salvadore and Colombia.
“I offer speciality coffee and either roast it and sell it as a drink or I also have an online shop selling beans or ground coffee.
“The opportunity to operate on the waterfront came about through discussions. I got permission from the licensing board for six months, so I am just going to see how it works out – but hopefully I will be here longer. It would be great to be part of the regeneration of the waterfront.”
He aims to tap into a constant passing trade.
Paul said: “I will probably get most of my custom from dog walkers or people out for a walk, but once people understand the roasting side of it and how this produces a higher quality of coffee, they will be interested to try it.”
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Hide AdPaul revealed he had some help from his son to set up his unique outlet.
“My son has an electrical business so he was able to do all the conversion work. We bought it as a horsebox and then stripped it down. I am hoping to use it like an open air cafe when the weather gets better.”
This will be the second business Paul has operated in Kirkcaldy after he previously owned the Caledonia Coffee Company, which used to operate from the premises now occupied by Ramsey Travel.
Paul and his wife ran it from 1997 to 1999 before he decided to go back to work in the technology sector which he worked in for over 15 years before opening the cafe.
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Hide AdThe opening of Paul’s mobile business follows the approval of an ambitious £1.4m project to regenerate the waterfront by connecting it back to the town centre through reducing the carriageway down to one lane each way.
Bill Harvey, manager of town centre BID group Kirkcaldy4All, said: “I wish Paul every success, it is great to see him taking the plunge. These are things that can happen to make the waterfront a real focal point for leisure.”