A former teacher from Hazlemere has opened a new cafe at her local youth centre, with a name that pays tribute to her 'local legend' brother who passed away in 2013.

Nicky Smith, 42, grew up in the village just outside High Wycombe and had worked at Manor Farm Preschool on Rose Avenue for 20 years before deciding, on something of a whim, to launch her own café in an empty unit at Hazlemere Youth Centre in April.

Once the decision – a “leap of faith” that was “out of her comfort zone” – had been made, Nicky quickly began arranging for a six-week renovation to coincide with the school summer holidays and set plans in motion to open the new venue at the beginning of September.

True to her word, Smiffy’s Café began serving hot food, drinks and cakes from the centre – also on Rose Avenue – yesterday, Monday, September 2, and, according to the 42-year-old, the business is off to a flying start.

The inside of the cafe at Hazlemere Youth Centre (Image: NQ)

“Opening a little café or bookshop was something I’d always wanted to do at some point, but it took my partner saying to me, ‘You volunteer at this youth club which has an empty café space in it’ for me to realise what a nice idea this could be. 

“I used to come to the club as a child and went to school down the road, but I played with the idea for a while before making a firm choice because it was a big change. But it has paid off - there were lots of people here yesterday, especially between around 10am and 4:30pm. It’s great to see.”

The café is a family affair through and through, with Nicky “poaching” her chef son Peter, 23, from another job ahead of the opening and other siblings dropping by to offer their help – but it also holds a deeper meaning for the Smith family, named after the nickname of Nicky’s beloved older brother Steve, a well-known and popular local figure who sadly died from bowel cancer 11 years ago.

Steve and Nicky as teenagers (Image: Nicky Smith)

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“Steve was pretty big around Hazlemere. Everyone knew him and growing up, I was always Smiffy’s sister, no one knew my real name!

“There’s a bar on Hazlemere Rec called Smiffy’s too. When I was thinking about what to name the café, I just thought it had to be done. It was really nice to see some of his mates popping in on opening day and I’m glad we’ve been able to make it a way to remember him.”

The café isn’t just for grabbing a coffee and some food – Nicky’s six-week refurbishment included decking out an old computer room with wall-to-wall soft play, perfect for restless under-fours and, in keeping with her original vision, a bookcase by the door constituting a free mini library, with a selection of reading material for customers to browse over their breakfast or take away.

The soft-play area and mini library inside the cafe (Image: NQ)

She’s also already secured a number of local suppliers – Bishop’s Roast Coffee, Darvells Bakery and Nathan’s Fruit and Veg – and has a range of gluten and dairy-free food and drink options.

What's more, Nicky is hoping to capitalise on the activities, including youth club, gym sessions and for-hire events, regularly held at the centre to build a catering arm of Smiffy's – which marks the first use of the space since The HYC Café closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smiffy’s Café is open from 8am to 5:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 8am to 8pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 8am to 2pm on Fridays. For more information, visit https://shorturl.at/nEqu3.