Why Angus businesswoman gifted brother her cafe

Growing up, Lucy Nicholl and her younger brother did everything together.

Their sibling bond has continued into adulthood – and last week the Angus businesswoman handed Ben Nicholl the reigns to her Forfar cafe.

Ten57 on the town’s Myre Road has been a popular eatery since it opened at the beginning of last year.

It replaced the much-loved Little Green Cafe social supermarket, which went into liquidation in 2023.

Lucy, who had worked at The Little Green Cafe, was keen to provide good quality food and a place for the local community to get together at the same site.

Now, after building up Ten57 over the past year, mum-of-two Lucy is ready to pass it on.

Ben, 28, a former chef at The Old Course in St Andrews and Apex Hotel in Dundee, and current cafe supervisor Dawn Morning now will run the business – which is closed for the next two weeks for a revamp.

Best friends growing up

Forfar-born Lucy, 30, is keen to spend her time focussing on her HR consultancy, Nicholl HR, which provides bespoke solutions for small firms and start-ups.

She said: “It feels great to be passing Ten57 on to my brother.

“We have always been close and were best friends growing up as there is only two years between us.

“He sometimes frustrates me, like all younger siblings, but we have never fallen out.

“It’s the best gift I could give Ben, as he’s a great chef, and I trust him and Dawn to make a go of it.”

Lucy invested around £5,000 in refurbishing the cafe after taking it on.

When Ben and Dawn came on board as her staff in late 2024, the trio decided to add an outdoor pergola.

Now, Ben and Dawn, who previously worked in the local Costa coffee shop, are planning an exciting new bistro menu and regular events.

Lucy added: “I see Dawn as one of my best friends now and have every faith in her and Ben to do a great job.”

Dawn, 33, said: “We are both so excited and very grateful to have been given such a great opportunity.

“We hope the cafe continues to be successful, known for good food and service and with great community spirit.”

Forfar cafe name has historic meaning

The name Ten57 is a nod to Forfar’s history.

According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, the Scottish Parliament met in Forfar in 1057 to “confer titles on the nobility”.

Lucy wanted to build on that history with the cafe name Ten57.

The Little Green Cafe was a social supermarket in Forfar which aimed to tackle food waste.