Church in Scotland gets a taste of cafe service

A Borders restaurateur has decided to open up on Sundays on the advice of a Church of Scotland minister.

John Robertson, owner of Le Jardin in The Knowles, Kelso, said he was taken aback by the suggestion of the new opening time by the Rev Marion Dodd’s idea.

He said: “I was very surprised that a minister of all people would ask us to open on the Sabbath, but after discussing it with my wife we decided to give it a shot and follow pastoral advice.”

Rev Dodd, of Kelso Old and Sprouston Parish Church, is a regular at Le Jardin who wanted her congregation to help the business out as trade quietened at the end of the tourist season.

She even stopped one of her Sunday morning services after the sermon to invite people to join her at the cafe and finish worship there.

Instead of having the usual collection, members of the congregation were encouraged to buy tea and cakes.

She said: “We’ve been very fortunate financially in recent years, and it felt only right that we were helping our neighbour.”

She also said the church has become richer for the move, as many non-churchgoers who had been in the cafe at the time have now taken an interest in Kelso Old and Sprouston.

The Kirk Session is now exploring plans to hold the occasional service and other events at Le Jardin, in an endeavour to better link the church with the local community.