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Adam Purnell, known as ‘The Shropshire Lad’, has launched Embers Cafe in the Green Wood Centre after being supported with a business start-up grant through Telford & Wrekin Council’s Pride in Our High Street programme.

The cafe, which is Adam’s first fixed premises, is open six days a week and will serve up a series of tasty hot and cold dishes, drinks, cakes and snacks as well as offering themed menu days.

Adam has taken on a five year lease in the old Green Wood Cafe premises and is hoping his business will be a big hit with customers from Coalbrookdale and across the borough.

Opening times for Embers Cafe are Monday and Wednesday (8am-3pm) and Thursday to Sunday (8am-5pm).

Adam has a passion for cooking and is a self-taught chef who has never set foot in a professional kitchen but aims to create innovative, inspiring dishes that are exciting and accessible.

In 2017 he set up his own ‘Shropshire Lad’ You Tube channel to showcase his outdoor cooking adventures in Shropshire.

He is hoping to build on his success at The Ugly Duckling dine in restaurant and takeaway in Longswood where Taco Tuesdays were extremely popular with diners.

Adam’s diary is busy until the end of July with festivals and TV bookings but from September he is fully committed to growing Embers and hosting a series of events at the venue featuring fire cooking working alongside a series of top chefs.

To launch Embers Cafe, Adam has appointed eight full-time staff with a wealth of experience and a varied background which he says will really support the business when he is away.

Adam said: “I’m delighted that Embers has opened and we are really looking forward to welcoming customers to the cafe.

“Our team have worked together for less than a week, but already they are working tirelessly and are determined to make the cafe a huge success.”

“I’m really grateful for the support we’ve received from the Pride in Our High Street programme which has been such a huge help with our start-up costs and getting this business off the ground.”

Business start-up grants provide funding to help businesses open in empty retails units on the high streets in Dawley, Madeley, Ironbridge, Oakengates, Wellington and Newport.

The grant is used to support business set-up costs such as building refurbishment, fixtures and fittings, utility connection costs and marketing and branding.

From August to September Adam will offer Sunday lunches in the hall at the rear of the premises before offering themed Sunday lunch menus in the new year.

Councillor Lee Carter (Lab), Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for place (the economy & neighbourhood services), said: “Adam is well known in Telford and Wrekin and across Shropshire and we are really pleased to support him with this new café in Coalbrookdale.

“Embers will definitely bring something exciting and different to the area and it’s fantastic that Adam wants to grow this business and create an enviable reputation for it in a place which is local to his roots.

“With the events and range of themed menus he has planned, working alongside top chefs, Adam can make Embers Café a real success.

“These business start-up grants give businesses like Embers help with start-up costs so they can really make a name for themselves on our high streets across the borough.”

You can find out more about the Pride in Our High Street programme and the grants and support which is available to businesses here.

Photo: Cllr Carolyn Healy and Adam Purnell, centre, with the Embers Cafe team.