Ellie Cox: A Greasy Spoon’s tale - the struggles of London’s family-run cafes

Ellie Cox: A Greasy Spoon’s tale - the struggles of London’s family-run cafes

Cllr Ellie Cox is a councillor in Merton and a former 2024 parliamentary and London Assembly candidate. In this article, I’ve chosen to tell the story of London’s family-run cafés from a different angle — through the voice of a fictional long-standing East End greasy spoon. Speaking as if it has a life and spirit, the café reveals the real struggles these traditional British local spots face in today’s tough economic climate. It’s a reminder tha…