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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Entertainment
Damien Edgar

The Co Down café aiming to bring music, coffee, people and pets together

A pet shop owner, a wedding band frontman and a café owner walk into a café in Saintfield. If it sounds like the start of a joke, it's not, and the three mentioned are all the same man, Robin Martin.

Having operated Beechill Pet Supplies in the Co Down village for 10 years, Robin was already well known in Saintfield before he took over Saints Café in June.

He spoke to Belfast Live about the decision to go back to the catering industry after 20 years away from it and how business has been amidst the cost-of-living crisis.

Read more: Derelict Bangor Court House transformed into Northern Ireland’s newest live music venue

"I've always loved that wee coffee shop," he said.

"I took over this pet shop from my mum about 10 years ago and this has been growing nice and steadily, but I always loved that place across the road.

"The opportunity came up to buy it and I thought it may be a crazy time, but sure is any time a good time to buy a business really, so I just decided to go for it."

He said that the price of fuel has been a "nightmare" but said he doesn't regret seizing the opportunity to try something different.

"It's a massive change and it took me about a month, I was completely out of my comfort zone and you do have that fear," he said.

"But once I got my head round all that and who to talk to for advice, it's been a lot easier.

"I think you have to do that once or twice in your life though, throw yourself out of your comfort zone and it makes you a better person for it - it keeps you active and keeps the mind going.

"I'm really lucky though, a lot of the catering industry is struggling for staff but I've got a really good team here in the café, the guys are fantastic."

Robin has big plans for the future of Saints Café and wants to bring together all his passions within the four walls of the popular spot.

"I've always had a vision for it - what I want to do eventually is amalgamate the two of them, this pet shop and across the road," he said.

"I want it to be dog-friendly, so my plan is to put a pergola out the back of Saints, an outdoor coffee area for dog-owners, cyclists and the like.

"I want to make it into a community hub, more than just a coffee shop or a deli, I want to bring it all back into it."

When he's not in the pet shop, or the café, Robin can be found front and centre singing in wedding band The Big Kahuna and that love of music will also finds its way through the door of Saints.

"Music is a massive part of my life so it's always going to be incorporated into it.

"I want people to be able to do album launches in the café at some stage and have wee candlelit music nights and things like that.

"I want it all to be affordable for people though because I know things are going to be tight for the next year for them.

"At the minute all I want to be able to do is pay my bills, because I can make my money out of the music."

He said he feels lucky to be able to take a chance like this in Saintfield, because he has always had such strong support for the pet shop.

"The people of Saintfield are fantastic and I think people here really care about their village and they really do support their local businesses," he added.

"It wouldn't work in a lot of other villages and towns but I think Saintfield still has that real love of its town.

"It's lovely, I couldn't imagine being in a better place to be honest.

"I'm a people person, everything I do keeps me involved with people, the pet shop, in here in the café and the music, so that's where I get my enjoyment from, is being with people every day."

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