The GALE Centre Community Café will be getting ready to open its doors on Tuesday 17th January , but this time, with a difference. As a means of helping our community with the Cost of Living crisis, GALE is offering everyone the chance to ‘Pay What You Can’ for food and drink.
The menu is the same; a mixture of toasties, jacket potatoes, soup, and salad plates, as well as cakes and hot drinks; but the means of payment has changed. Once you’ve ordered, you simply go to the till and ‘Pay What You Can’. If you want to pay normal prices, they will be displayed on your ticket, if you want to pay more to support the work of GALE, it will be gratefully received, but if you’re financially struggling off the back of the cost of living crisis, and can’t afford to pay, there is no need to do anything. Just enjoy the warmth, the food and the company. Leave when you are ready to do so. It’s that simple!
Janet Miles, Managing Director, says “We believe this is a very important initiative. It gives the opportunity for our community to not only have somewhere warm to sit and have something to eat, but also be able to do it at a cost which is affordable to everyone. At a time when so many are struggling, the importance of being able to socialise and spend quality time with friends should not be underestimated.”
“In terms of how long this initiative will last, well that depends on uptake. GALE has been awarded £1260 from Highland Council’s Cost of Living Support Fund. We will make those funds go as far as possible, which is why we are asking everyone to pay what they can until the funds run out. If you want to pay our normal prices, you’ll find them on your menu. If you want to pay more, to support our work, please do. If you are struggling financially, just pay what you can. If you can’t afford to pay anything that’s fine. As and when the funds run out we return to set prices and we will publicise that on our Facebook page and within The GALE Centre.”
The GALE Centre Community Café is open seven days a week, with the ‘Pay What You Can’ scheme running on Tuesday and Thursday to Sunday inclusive. On Monday and Wednesday, there are similar alternative options already running at the Community Hall and Gairloch Museum.