In the early stages of creation and development, Namaste café will be the first exclusively vegan eatery within miles of Oldham.
My name is Paul Burgess and I have lived in Oldham all of my life.
I spent twenty years as a vegetarian before becoming vegan myself in June 2014. Since this change I have learned that vegan food is not only very good for you, but can be incredibly tasty, and I really want to share that with as many people as possible.
You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy vegan food. I hope you will come and sample our food when we open.
I have recently started a kickstarter campaign.
I already have £4,000 saved and waiting to plough into this project, it is going to take a lot more to get it off the ground. I am happy to take only £200 p.m. in drawings (wages) for myself for the first six months at least, as I have a husband working full time who is more than happy to support us, and who believes in this project as much as I do.
Right from the start I would like to employ a young person who happens to be vegetarian or vegan, and would like a career in food. I would like this person to grow with me and the café, and not to have to train and learn in an environment where foods they do not touch are prepared.
Imagine, if you will. A café and shop, selling wonderful baked goods, hot and cold food and drinks, and some items to buy and take home. A relaxed atmosphere. A place where every single item on the menu is vegan. Every item sold is vegan. Regular afternoon teas, bistro and hot & cold buffet evenings, even a vegan ‘carvery’ on a Sunday. Cooking workshops for those who want to learn more about how great vegan food can be. Volunteering opportunities for those wanting to build confidence and people skills.
Help us to make it real. 
If you’d like to see me talking on local TV about veganism, please see these links. Part 1: Part 2: