The sale of Scottish coffee house chain, Beanscene, to Fifi and Ally, has rescued the company after going into administration, with the result that 130 jobs have been saved.
Beanscene went into administration in July, leaving its many employees unsure of their future. With the news of the sale to restaurant and retailer, Fifi and Ally, employment fears have been laid to rest, for the short term at least.
Catriona Scott, 22, a fourth year Geography student at the University of Glasgow, who has worked at the Beanscene in Kelvingrove for two years, spoke to Guardian about how the buy-out will affect her.
She said: “To be honest, I was never really worried that they were going to close it down but the sale to Fifi and Ally does mean everything feels a bit more secure now.”
Catriona added that whilst she never seriously thought about having to find another job, the possibility of being unemployed had concerned her slightly.
She explained: “It was always in the back of my mind that the chance of Beanscene closing down was there but I never actively went looking for another job. It isn’t a bad company so I knew that there would be somebody who would buy it.”
Fifi and Ally is a Glasgow-based company established by Fiona Hamilton and Alison Fielding. Along with the newly acquired Beanscene chain, Fifi and Ally also has a highly-acclaimed restaurant in Glasgow’s city centre.
Speaking about the purchase of Beanscene, Fiona Hamilton explained the company’s future plans.
She said: “We are delighted to have acquired a strong Scottish brand as part of our expansion of Fifi and Ally. It is our intention to build on all that is good about Beanscene.
“The two brands will complement each other well – Sex and the City meets bohemia – and some of the branches will, in time, rebrand as Fifi and Ally’s new express food concept, while others will retain the Beanscene identity.”
She emphasised the way in which the company’s strengths will help to prevent Beanscene from facing administration again.
She said: “We have a loyal customer base and combined staff of 200 committed individuals, as well as strong funding and a new management structure to drive the brands forward. We are well-equipped to flourish in the long term.”
