The operators of a new café that will be at the heart of a sustainable waste recycling centre promises that customers will be ‘blown away’ when it opens later this year.
As Moray Waste Busters plan their new facility at the Forres Enterprise Park, we spoke exclusively to the people behind the new eating facility that will be at the centre of the operation.
Amanda MacArthur is the founder and managing director of The Highland Weigh in Nairn, and her company has been awarded the contract to run the café inside Strathcona House, a former call centre at the enterprise park, when it opens this summer.
The Highland Weigh is an environmental social enterprise which believes it is possible to run a café with less food waste and less packaging. It has a clear environmental and social mission. Its team members are paid employees while a volunteer board of directors with various skills help to ensure it upholds its purpose.
Second site
Amanda said they’d been discussing opening a second site: “The Highland Weigh has been open in Nairn for three and a half years, it felt like the right time. And then… what feels like the perfect opportunity and an ideal fit just comes along.
“We are a sustainable social enterprise with a mission to reduce packaging and food waste. We do this in a myriad of ways. We track our food waste and review how to keep it as low as possible, we use cotton napkins, we don’t use disposable takeaway cups we encourage customers that want a takeaway to bring their own cup or borrow one using our scheme, we make our own delicious jam and serve it in individual portions, we source products as locally as possible and shout about our local suppliers.
“Moray Waste Busters saves household items from going to landfill, so together we can increase our impact. We love creating an interesting space with pre loved furniture, showing people what’s possible and Moray Waste Busters have a store full of furniture and household items looking for a new home.”
Warm, friendly space
“Their new shop is an impressive space, lots of parking, and highly accessible. Having chatted to their team, but without giving any surprises away, I’ll just say visitors are going to be blown away.
“And when I’m not in Busters or The Highland Weigh there is a good chance I’ll be in their shop looking for gems! It really will be a destination spot with the store and café.”
Busters will create the warm, unique, friendly space that customers have come to love and expect at The Highland Weigh. There will be a designated family area for visitors with young children, a reading nook, and bar counter seating looking over the garden.
There will be some shared seating for that community vibe but also individual tables. And there will be space to welcome your four-legged friends. (Note: We have been advised since publication that dogs will not be allowed.)
Busters will be sharing its journey of transforming the space on social media. Check out and follow the dedicated Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bustersforres
What’s on the menu?
There’s a lot of work to be done as they gain access to the building, but when the time comes, Busters will have a selection of vegetarian and vegan choices, and also meat on the menu.
“Meat will be sourced locally from a butchers that ticks the boxes for us in terms of local, sustainable and ethical. This means we serve a quality product to our customers whilst keeping our impact as low as possible,” Amanda said.
“We are a business that is rooted in the community, welcoming families, individuals and groups, we love having some communal tables that encourage conversation and reduce loneliness, we will have a pay it forward board so customers can buy an extra drink or meal that can be enjoyed by a visitor that for any reason will benefit from it. Our team are hard working but enjoy friendly banter and understand that our core value is kindness.
“Anyone that know Moray Waste Busters will recognise these core qualities in their business.
“They care for our corner of the world, support and celebrate our community and they do it with humour and kindness. I think both businesses we grow and learn from each other.
“The café will have around 70 seats, and it will create employment opportunities, looking for individuals that fits the ethos; friendly, hard working and with a passion for their community and the environment.”
Best bacon butty on the A96
“We will be retaining all the elements that our customers love about The Highland Weigh, our incredible coffee, much acclaimed almond croissants but we are also going to attempt to throw down a gauntlet and serve the best bacon butty on the A96.
“We have the advantage of a great local butchers and bakery and we are also secretly a bit competitive (don’t tell anyone!) so feedback from our customers will be crucial, so be prepared to come in give us your opinion and how we can perfect it!”
Pictures show founder of The Highland Weigh, Amanda MacArthur (right) and board member Catherine Fox at the building.
