CADBURY and Arsenal will concentrate their initial attention on Arsenal fan favourite and local landmark, the Little Wonder Cafe.
The cafe was forced to close its doors to customers for the first time in its 100-year history during the lockdown and has been struggling for financial survival due to the loss of matchday and local custom.
Whilst its doors have been closed to dining-in customers, owners Murat and Ferhat Eric returned to the cafe, establishing it as a vital hub for the club’s Arsenal in the Community workers, who have continued their initiatives to support local north London residents throughout the pandemic. To help sustain this continued support of the club’s community workers, Cadbury will be donating 500 meal vouchers to the Little Wonder Cafe.
Whilst the cafe has now reopened to the public, customer numbers are down 85%, capacity at the cafe has been reduced to allow for social distancing measures to be put in place, and customers’ eating habits have changed, with many selecting smaller, quicker orders.
To recognise the unerring role the cafe has and continues to play in supporting the local community, and helping ensure its future, Cadbury will donate digital advertising opportunities from the club partnership to the Little Wonder Cafe, to help drive wide awareness, return custom and match day footfall when fans return to the stadium. This includes email newsletters, digital advertising and match day programmes.
Murat Eric, joint-owner of the Little Wonder Cafe, said: “This generous donation means a lot to us. From a business perspective, it will bring more people to the cafe, whether a local coming in or new visitors that may become regulars. From an advertising side, we haven’t been able to do anything like this in the past, so a big thank you to Cadbury and Arsenal. This makes us feel a lot more confident about our future.”
Ian Wright, Arsenal legend and Cadbury ambassador, helped launch the collaboration between club, Cadbury and the Little Wonder Cafe, with his own menu special named after him added to the cafe menu to commemorate the occasion. He explained: “The Little Wonder Cafe is like so many local businesses that survive on match day trade, and with recent games being held behind closed doors, the local community has been hit hard. I am so happy that Cadbury are lending a hand to help a local family run business bounce back. The Little Wonder Cafe holds a very special place in my heart and it’s an honour to be involved and have the Ian Wright Special on the menu too!”