Culbokie Community Café: Feasibility Study, Options Appraisal, Community Consultation & Business Plan.
Estimated Cost
£16,500
Culbokie Community Trust (CCT) is seeking a grant of £16,500 (inclusive of VAT) to commission an updated Feasibility Study, Options Appraisal, Community Consultation, and Business Plan for a proposed Community Café.
The café represents the final piece of the ambitious Culbokie Community Hub development—a transformative project situated on a 0.5-hectare site in the heart of the village. Having already delivered a vibrant community greenspace, six affordable homes, a rapid EV charging point, and public toilets with a volunteer base, the Trust is currently progressing the construction of 'The Space' (a mixed-use community and business building scheduled for completion in mid-2027).
While community support for a café has remained consistently strong, previous feasibility studies and business plans dating back to 2015 are now significantly out of date. To secure capital build funding and ensure long-term operational sustainability, CCT requires updated, professional appraisals that reflect post-pandemic economic realities, local demographic shifts, and current operational models.
The proposed Community Café is designed as a 23-cover facility integrated around an attractive shared courtyard alongside 'The Space' and the public toilets. It will complete the physical and social regeneration of the Culbokie village centre.
Project Aims & Objectives
The primary objective of this funded stage is to produce a market-tested, bankable roadmap for the café. The ultimate aims of the resulting Community Café are to:
Complete the Physical Hub: Realise the final structural element of the central village development, converting the site into a fully integrated, accessible asset.
Provide Essential Social Provision: Deliver a warm, inclusive, day-to-day gathering space offering morning coffee, light lunches, and afternoon teas, complementing (rather than competing with) existing local services such as the local church's once-weekly afternoon café and the Culbokie Inn.
Generate Local Employment & Training: Create direct local jobs and offer structured work experience, volunteering, and skill-building opportunities for young people.
Support Local Enterprise: Function as a showcase and sales outlet for local micro-businesses, crafters, artists, and regional food producers across the Black Isle.
Enhance Hub Viability: Cross-subsidise site running costs (including daily toilet maintenance) and serve the hot-desking, professional, and wellbeing clients utilising 'The Space'.
Offer Flexible Multi-Use Space: Utilise the building in the evenings for community bookings, youth groups, open-mic nights, pop-up dining, and educational workshops.
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