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New café venture from MacGregor's Bar aims to bring something fresh to Inverness city centre


By Calum MacLeod

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Opening of Wee MacGregor's Café owners Bruce MacGregor and Jo De Sylva (front) with team members Mark Bruce and Sarah Hendry. Picture: Gary Anthony.
Opening of Wee MacGregor's Café owners Bruce MacGregor and Jo De Sylva (front) with team members Mark Bruce and Sarah Hendry. Picture: Gary Anthony.

A popular Inverness bar has branched out by creating its own café to offer something different to visitors and locals alike.

Wee MacGregor's Café has opened in a side room next to MacGregor's Bar on Academy Street from 9am each morning, utilising a relatively little used space.

"The room is really busy at weekends, but even then it is only running at 70 per cent capacity, so we wanted to do more with it," pub owner Bruce MacGregor said.

"The idea is that is will be a café by day and a restaurant at night with proper table settings and proper table service. The atmosphere will change quite considerably."

Wee MacGregor's Café will maximise use of space at the Academy Street venue.
Wee MacGregor's Café will maximise use of space at the Academy Street venue.

His wife Jo De Sylva added that the inspiration for making it a café had come from close to home when one of the staff at the bar had said how difficult it was to get a breakfast in Inverness before 10am.

As with the bar, the café will also prioritise local produce and local businesses with its coffee coming from literally across the road from Inverness Coffee Roasting Co on Chapel Street.

Other ingredients might come from slightly further afield, but with an emphasis on supporting Highland businesses, the café is ensuring the freshest of ingredients while cutting down on food miles.

Wee MacGregor's Café will prioritise local suppliers, with its coffee coming from near neighbour Inverness Coffee Roasting Co. Picture: Gary Anthony.
Wee MacGregor's Café will prioritise local suppliers, with its coffee coming from near neighbour Inverness Coffee Roasting Co. Picture: Gary Anthony.

"Rather than have a set sandwich list, we will make use of the best ingredients on the day. It will be all about using fresh local produce and using what is absolutely the best that day," Jo revealed.

"We have always supported local producers, right from the outset. We have got such incredible producers and produce here in the Highlands, why would we go anywhere else? And one thing the pandemic has taught us is the importance of nurturing relationships with our local suppliers."


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