By Deirdre Huston

This has been quite a year for H (Helen) and Damon. They took over The Corner Café in February. “Within two weeks, we had lockdown,” recalls H, “and cafés and gyms closed. We shut completely but then, after four weeks, we did takeaways: breakfasts, burgers and sandwich-type light lunches.”

From May The Corner Café reopened, but initially with only three tables. They installed a perspex screen and placed hand sanitiser on every table. They added more tables outside and you only have to walk past to see how popular it’s become. “Some customers may be vulnerable,” explains H, “so I help them maintain social distancing.”

Tegan and Megan who work at the café are their daughters, and H’s son helps Damon in the kitchen so it’s a family concern, but H is keen to help other young people gain experience if she can. “I like to give people a chance who haven’t got qualifications or experience. I might not be able to offer much, but I can give them a couple of hours so they can learn the ropes.”

Damon moved here from Essex. He has previously run two very different cafés, a sandwich shop and one at Southend Airport. H has lived in Brighton and Hove all her life, came to know Hassocks about eight years ago. “It’s a lovely village,” she comments, “I moved my mum here so she could be a part of the community.”

To read more about the café, H and Damon you can read the full article in October’s Hassocks Life magazine.