'In times of hardship people reach for the little luxuries'
SWITCH on the television or open a newspaper and news of the recession is hard to avoid.
Sheffield, like other cities, has had its share of bad news. But look beyond the headlines and there's a surprise in store. While many large companies continue to struggle, some local independent traders are finding that it is not such a bad time to be in business.
One such enterprise is Amanda Perry's cupcake shop Fancie in Sharrowvale Road, Hunters Bar.
Amanda had worked for BT for seven years. "I'd sold my soul to the corporate devil," she laughs. She started to take cakes she had baked into work, where they proved an instant hit. After taking them in every day for a month, Amanda stopped and waited to see what would happen.
"People started ordering and paying for them," she says. "It was quite a surprise but brilliant. I'm an entrepreneur in the true sense. I never had any money or commercial background. I just had an idea and there appeared to be a demand."
Yorkshire-born, Amanda lived in a number of places including Cornwall, Bristol and the Lake District before finally settling in Sheffield. "It was a pin in a map decision. I came to Sheffield for lunch one day and I decided then. It's got better and better the longer I've been here."
She began by working from home in "the tiniest kitchen you could imagine". The next step was to set up a commercial bakery, which she did last Christmas, and she opened Fancie last April.
"I've had amazing support from local business people and we're now members of the Made in Sheffield brand," she says.
Amanda accepts that a lot of people would be surprised at someone starting a new business in the worse recession for decades. "The current climate spurred me on. If you can succeed now, you can succeed any time.
"In times of economic hardship people reach for the little luxuries. They can come and sit in a nice place for half an hour, have tea and cake and forget about all the horrible things going on outside."
The shop has been set up to encourage people to linger and relax. "We've got papers and magazines, so people don't feel rushed. We're not trying to be Betty's of Harrogate or Starbucks, we're just trying to give them what we love, which is tea and cake."
The business now employs five staff and its reputation continues to grow. "We've had customers come across from Manchester and Nottingham and last Saturday we had a whole row of cars outside with people waiting for our second delivery."
Although some people have complained about the prices (1.95 for a cup cake), Amanda feels that she offers value for money. "I could make smaller cakes, with less toppings for less money, but that's not the point. We offer a real indulgence, with large portions. It's all about quality."
People can sample Fancie's wares at the Memo Market in Devonshire Green next Thursday and Friday. Described as "a celebration of Sheffield must-haves", it is a market of independent Sheffield traders.
Amanda is happy to be taking part as she feels it is an excellent opportunity to showcase what Sheffield has to offer. "Although the city has a lot of independent brands, it's not very often that you get an opportunity to see them all together. It's good for people to come and see everything that Sheffield should be proud of."
Sheffield, Amanda believes, is the ideal location to grow her business. To this end she is extending her range by launching a range of biscuits and desserts. "If you're having a dinner party and you can't be bothered to make a dessert, just phone us up on the day."
Fancie even offers cupcake decorating parties, which are proving popular. "It would be nice to open some more branches, perhaps including a city centre shop."
As well as its own products, Fancie sells Our Cow Molly ice cream, another locally produced brand, made on Eddie Andrew's farm in Dungworth.
"Although our dairy farm has been producing milk since the Second World War," says Eddie, "we only started producing ice cream two years ago. We had been getting such terrible prices for our milk that we needed to do something."
The new enterprise did not have an easy birth. "The first year was the wettest summer on record and then the second summer was when the credit crunch hit."
He spent 12 months researching his new business venture and this work is now paying off. "I feel a little bad saying this when so many people are having a tough time but we're doing really well."
Like Amanda at Fancie, this seems to be down to a mixture of a quality product, support from the local business community and, ironically, the recession.
"Ice cream is a treat. When all is doom and gloom it's important to have the occasional treat. When you have one, it's important that it's something decent."
Our Cow Molly will also be at the Memo Market. "There are such a lot of good things in Sheffield at the moment," says Eddie, who is keen to use only locally sourced products in the manufacture of his award-winning ice cream.
Everything from the stickers on the tubs to point of sale items are made in Sheffield.
"I'd like to think that our success is not just because of what we sell but also what we're doing."
www.fancie.co.uk
www.ourcowmolly.co.uk
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
