Exciting chapter for daughter and mum chef team

THEY FINALLY OPEN CAFE IN 'PERFECT LOCATION'

- By LYNETTE PINCHESS

WITH so many empty shops, you'd imagine most landlords would jump at the chance of a new tenant. But that wasn't the case for Xhuana Hoxha, who applied for many properties but didn't get a response.

She'd almost given up hope of opening a coffee shop with her mum when her phone rang out of the blue one day to ask if she was still interested in a vacant unit.

"Nobody replied so I lost my hopes and said okay I'm just going to be a chef and try to save some money for whenever we can create something that's ours," said Xhuana, who had been working in the kitchen of Venezia Italian and Seafood Restaurant in Upper Saxondale until recently.

"Suddenly one day my phone rang and asked if I was still interested. I couldn't remember which shop it was because I applied for so many."

The property on one of Nottingham's busiest roads turned out to be the "perfect location" for Chapter & Cafe.

Xhuana works behind the counter serving customers, while her mother Majlinda Hoxha, 50, is the chef - a job she has done all her life.

The cafe can be found in a parade of shops opposite the Rose & Crown pub, in Derby Road, Lenton close to the Queen's Medical Centre, the University of Nottingham campus and local residents.