Luke Coathup is the owner of The Green Grocers, a successful wholefoods shop, bakery and café in Norwich. Rising through the ranks in a number of East Anglian hospitality businesses, from pot wash to managing a chain of restaurants, it was studying a degree at UEA as a mature student that finally gave him the leap of faith to develop and grow his own business focusing on his passion of food, people and wine.
He chats with Gina Long MBE.
What does it mean for you, now the hospitality industry can welcome back inside diners? It's fantastic news! Covid has bought the most challenging environment possible to the hospitality and retail industry. Customers are everything to us, they are what make the business.
To have them back in enjoying the food and catching up with them is just a wonderful feeling. The café side of the business is a real hub in the community, from regulars who pop in two or three times a day to sit and have a coffee while doing the crossword, to families enjoying an after school treat. It’s definitely the simple things in life that make it seem like things are slowly getting back to ‘normal’.
The team are raring to go and to deliver some delicious dishes using local produce from East Anglian suppliers and producers. From the point of view of being a supplier too, through our wholesale bakery, there was nothing better than when the orders started picking up again from local independent eateries.
Just knowing that they’d managed to survive such a tough period and hopefully now can get back to business is wonderful. It’s full steam ahead for what I hope will be a fantastic year for the local independent scene.
What is your connection to East Anglia? I was born and raised in Norfolk. My parents moved here in 1977 and never looked back I grew up with my brother and sister in Norwich’s Golden Triangle, a stone’s throw away from The Green Grocers.
In fact, it used to be a shoe shop back in the day, where we’d go and get our school shoes from. Growing up I spent a lot of time in North Norfolk, running feral in the countryside, riding horses, and cooking on a camping stove.
I’ve lived and worked in Cambridge and spent fair amount of time at the The University of East Anglia as a child waiting for my dad to finish work, and as a student studying business. In a previous career I’d worked in India and Hong Kong, but it’s the ‘everything on your door step’ nature of East Anglia (beach, countryside, city) that pulled me back home.
What is your East Anglian Heaven ? The fact that within half an hour I can either be deep in the countryside, at the beach, or in a bustling city. Combine this with the number of fantastic independent business that East Anglia has to offer, and I can’t think of a better place to be.
What is your East Anglian Hell ? I really can’t think of one.
What’s your favourite East Anglian landmark? Thetford Forest. I've got many great memories as a child, riding my bike on what was then a simple track amongst the pine trees. Throughout my youth, riding with mates, doing jumps and now with my son, George, daughter Bonnie and wife Jodi – it’s a great day out enjoying the bike and music trails, playing and having a picnic. .
What’s the best thing that happens in East Anglia every year? Spring! When the region starts to burst into life, the local produce starts filling the shelves, people are out and about enjoying the diverse range of festivals and foods. There’s nothing better than joining hundreds of others at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, watching weird and wonderful acts and soaking up the atmosphere with a local food and drink.
What your specialist Mastermind subject? Juggling or spinning plates (in a business sense!).
What is always in your fridge? Cold beer
What’s your simple philosophy of life? You can do anything and be anything. You just have to keep moving forward and learn as you go.
Your favourite film? Flash Gordon! Apparently when I was young I thought it was ‘Flash Gordon a protein… he saved everyone of us.’ I’ve only recently found out it’s actually ‘Flash Gordon approaching’. It’s a classic.
What was your first job? I had a series of jobs as a youngster. My parents instilled in us that we had to work for things we wanted. So, I’d litter pick, cut the lawn, do odd jobs around the house to earn a few pounds. My first after school job was being a courier for a dental technician. I’d deliver false teeth, pick up impressions and keep Norwich smiling. My first job in food was washing the dishes at the Waffle House Norwich – this is when I knew I wanted to work in the hospitality industry.
What is your favourite restaurant/s in East Anglia? The Woolf & Social on Nelson Street in Norwich. Francis and Felix create the most exciting and delicious small plates showcasing our region's finest seasonal ingredients. Its affordable fine dining,. Their pork belly and fennel is a must!
What is your most treasured possession? It has to be my vintage VW camper, Taloula and Beetle Bugsy. I’ve enjoyed two trips around Europe in the camper and the Beetle comes out when the sun shines. You get a real joy from driving them and people love seeing them out and about.
Who do you admire most? It has to be my family and extended Green Grocers family. We all had to make different sacrifices when the lockdown happened. For me it was adapting the business and working extra long days to ensure we could continue, staff had jobs, and suppliers had somewhere to sell their produce. My wife and children held the fort at home, and the staff rose to the challenge of working in an environment that simply changed over night.
What is your biggest indulgence? Nutty chocolate - any chocolate that has hazelnuts in it has to be a winner.
What do you like about yourself most? I always put others before myself, it was a family motto growing up. It’s about doing things to the best of your ability and for the good of all.
What’s your worst character trait? I watch a lot of Youtube videos. If there’s something I want to find out about or learn to do, then I can spend hours just watching. I’ve even been known to leave the video playing while I leave the room, much to the annoyance of my family.
Where is your favourite holiday destination? Pre-Covid we’d spend the summer holidays travelling in the van through France and down to southern Spain. Manoir de Longeveau is a favourite of ours, just a fab place for the kids and to catch up with friends. We’d camp along the way too. The kids love being in the open and experiencing the sense of freedom that camping brings.
Best day of your life? There’s never just one best day, so here’s a few of the highlights. Graduating from UEA. Marrying my wife. And the birth of my two children. It’s my family that keeps me going.
What’s your favourite breakfast? Generally, I only have time for a quick Aeropress in the morning, but if I was to have breakfast It would have to be an East Anglian from GG’s! With extra sourdough toast and lots of butter. Over the years we have built up a strong relationship with DJ Barnard butchers from Shropham, they really can’t be beaten on the quality and flavour of their meats. They deliver fresh from the farm daily to us.
What’s your favourite tipple? Estrella Spanish beer.
Your hidden talent? After a few of my favourite tipples, I love to do a walking handstand.
What’s your earliest memory? Driving through France as a kid with my family on summer holidays. Me, my brother and sister would be in the back of an old Citroen, windows down and Queen or Eurythmics playing on the cassette player.
Tell us something people don’t know about you? I used to work nine to five in an office. Learnt lots but it just wasn’t for me.
What’s the worst thing anyone has ever said to you? I once had an ambition of being a dentist but a teacher at the time said, “That will never happen, you’re not clever enough!”
Tell us why you live here and nowhere else? Simply Norfolk and East Anglia has provided me with everything I need, my feet are firmly in its soil.
What do you want to tell our readers about most? It’s time to enjoy ourselves, and be grateful for the region we live in. It has been a challenging year for us all. I have been lucky enough to keep The Green Grocers’ doors open throughout the pandemic.
This was due to adapting our business and the amazing support of the local community. I really hope that we as a region continue to grow and support the independent retailers, producers, supplier and be thankful for all the greatness that is right on our door step. thegreengrocers.co.uk
If you have a story, email gina@hallfarmfornham.com or follow Twitter: @geewizzgee1 Instagram: @ginalong_geewizz
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