We hear from Ashanti Bentil-Dhue, the entrepreneur behind Benhue – the Catford coffee shop with the community ethos.
Benhue is a coworking and events space with a public coffee shop. Started by a local Catford resident, we provide a ‘home away from home’ working environment which connects creatives, entrepreneurs and people working from home. Guests can pay as they go – it is £5 for a desk for half a day or £11.50 for a whole day. We will be launching a monthly membership package in late October 2019.
We have the Made In Catford podcast which shares tales from the coffee shop and conversations with Catford’s community. We also power the Catford Gift List which is a free directory designed to make it easy for consumers to buy from businesses in Lewisham Borough.
The community ethos
Safe, comfortable and inclusive places to work outside of the traditional office setting are essential to modern day life. Places which genuinely support and facilitate career and business growth are needed in Catford.
As an experienced business consultant and freelancer, I worked in coworking spaces for years. I often wondered why I had to travel in order to work when I could just work in my local area and meet the other creatives, makers and intrapreneurs living in my neighbourhood.
Our guiding principle is be local, support local and buy local. This is reflected in how we source our current suppliers and our Made In Catford podcast, the Catford Giftlist and the Catford Craft Fair.
This is a home away from home environment. We know the names of our customers, what they do for a living and more importantly what motivates them to do it. We are founded by a local resident of 30 years, so community, connection and courage runs in our veins. We also provide affordable event space for professional and social occasions.
Fostering entrepreneurial talent in Lewisham
Lewisham is heaving with entrepreneurial as well as intrapreneurial talent. It’s this talent that makes the borough so vibrant and dynamic. We have seen evidence of this already as indicated by the amount of individuals signing up to our masterclasses, attending networking events and the interest shown in the Catford Craft Fair.
You can find details re the podcast, our masterclasses, events and the Catford Giftlist on our website – www.benhue.com and our social media.
The Catford Craft Fair will be taking place on 7 November 2019. For more details or if you are a trader interested in selling at the event: https://www.benhue.com/catford-craft-fair-2019.