Day in the Life: North Berwick cafe owner runs us through her day under lockdown

Jo McNicol, director and owner of North Berwick clifftop cafe Drift, tells us about her life at the helm of her business.
Jo & Stuart McNicol, Drift Cafe, North Berwick - Agritourism monitor farm East Scotland 2019.Jo & Stuart McNicol, Drift Cafe, North Berwick - Agritourism monitor farm East Scotland 2019.
Jo & Stuart McNicol, Drift Cafe, North Berwick - Agritourism monitor farm East Scotland 2019.

6:30am

I like to get up and take time for myself in the morning, which means having breakfast and getting ready for the day ahead before the rest of the house wakes up. Breakfast is usually gluten-free cereal, but as a family we might have pancakes with creme fraiche and seasonal fruit. I believe that if you make an effort in the morning then it helps you feel professional and ready to go for the day – even if it’s just for a Zoom call.

8am

I’m usually taking my son to school at this time, but as we’re home schooling for now, I have time to take the dog for a quick walk around the farm and check in on the horses. It’s great to get some fresh air and take in the surroundings especially on a nice crisp, dry day.

9:15am

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I like to start the working day by checking my emails and Drift’s social channels and reply to any comments or questions we’ve had. I love seeing people engage with us, whether it’s feedback, comments, or images from customer visits.

10am

DriftDrift
Drift

The rest of my morning consists of meetings, one of which is my monthly meeting with the Scottish Enterprise Agritourism Monitor Farm. Being part of this group allows us to get help and advice from a wider group within the agritourism sector and encourages us to consider new opportunities.

The main focus at the moment is business development, which currently involves creating an exciting new menu for Drift and working on the growth of the business, which includes expanding our agritourism footprint by developing an events space.

12:30pm

With the whole family at home right now, it makes for a much more social lunchtime. It’s vital to rest your brain for at least an hour of the day before getting back to work – I find it makes me so much more productive in the afternoon. In winter, my go-to lunch is homemade soup with a seeded roll or oatcakes.

1:30pm

At least twice a week, I try to spend my afternoons at Drift where I can catch up with team members, speak to customers and keep in touch with what’s happening on the ground. Being there also lets me gather social content and, of course, grab a coffee and take in the amazing views. It’s become a running joke to see which item from the menu my husband has ‘sampled’ each day.

5:30pm

It’s home time before I know it and usually I need to be home for my daughter returning from school. I enjoy making dinner and sitting around the table for a family meal.

Supper is always cooked from scratch with nothing bought in. Our family favourites include chicken curry, pan-fried smoked paprika and oregano chicken with seasonal roasted vegetables and salmon with chorizo.

7:30pm

The kids go to bed and this is the time my husband and I get to put our feet up and watch whatever takes our fancy on TV.

10pm

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Ideally I’m in bed for 10 o’clock and after a few pages of a good book, it doesn’t take me long to drift off.

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