Maggie Mays, previously Walton Dam Nation, is under new ownership and they simply can’t wait to meet you.
Walton residents for 20 years, Andy and Donna Vaughan have been serving up great coffee since reopening on April 12, not to mention fabulous cakes, snacks and drinks in their outdoor space, and by the time you read this (Ed: and all things going to plan) they’ll have space open for indoor meet ups.
Walton Dam Nation has always been a busy hub on Breckland Road at Walton shops for the last four years but was run as two separate businesses. By day it was a coffee shop run by Donna and in the evenings a real ale micro pub run by Stephen and Cheryl who have now retired.
“We knew the business was going to be available early in the year,” Andy explains. “Donna and I expressed an interest in buying it outright, and after a few conversations we were excited to get our hands on the keys in April this year.
“It’s now a single business, it’s always been busy, but we feel has the potential to offer more, and we have some plans in place that we hope to share soon that I’m sure will go down well with food lovers in the area.”
Andy has a background in local government but recently took the opportunity to step aside from the corporate world. He clearly loves the new business and when we met was happily greeting each customer and ensuring their time at Maggie May's was enjoyable.
So why Maggie Mays? Sadly, Andy lost his mum, Margaret, to COVID in November last year, “she was a social, fun loving lady and it only seemed right that we name the business in her memory, she would have loved it,” adds Andy.
Andy jokes, that it’s a ‘lifestyle business’, one that works around their life, and not life around the business. “It’s important that everyone is welcome”, he says. “We have over 4000 people living within a few minutes walk of the micro pub and coffee bar and over time it would be fab to have served them all a drink, but please don’t all come at once!”
I agree with Andy, it’s a relaxing friendly place, you’re made to feel welcome and there is a sense of community, a place to meet friends or call in on your own for a chat and a coffee without any pressure.
Andy has plans for a Community Fun Day, where everyone gets together, he is discussing various ideas with Ashgate Hospicecare for a community fund raising day on the August Bank Holiday, just one of a number of ideas he has for the months ahead to ensure we have a laugh and put some large smiles on our faces.
Andy and Donna have certainly made the most of the local business community already, the refurbishment was done by Walton based architect, Josh Botham, Joe McGuigan Carpentry, James from JT Electrical, and flooring from Kevin at Ideal Flooring, good friends of Andy and Donna.
The shelves are stocked with local produce, Brampton Brewery on tap and bottled ales, Ashover Brewery, Peak Ales, Silver House from Staveley to name just a few plus a few of the more well-known brands to keep all drinkers happy.
“Going for a coffee or a beer is a social event,” explains Andy, “people have really missed the social side throughout lockdown, it’s great to see people face to face, community is so important, we get to know each other, support each other and look out for each other. That’s what we hope to bring from our business, everyone is welcome, and you’ll get the same warm greeting if you call in for a coffee and cake at 11am or a real ale at 7pm.”
Maggie May's is open 9 to 9 Monday to Saturday and 10 to 7 on Sunday.
Pop in and see them; there is no need to book a table and be sure to follow them on social media to help keep up to speed with special events... and as always, tell them where you saw them, S40 Local.
Maggie May's
Breckland Road
Chesterfield S40 3LJ
FB @CoffeeBeanNation
Words: Paul Chapman
Images: Maggie May's