Breakers cafe

Go Digital benefits Breakers Café and the wider business community in Cromer

Go Digital helps ambitious businesses across Norfolk use technology to grow. Martin Rodwell, who runs Breakers Cafè in Cromer, explains how it's helping his business contribute to the overall visitor experience and why that benefits other tourism enterprises in the area.

"Our café is in the heart of Cromer, near the famous pier," he says, "so you might think it could just rely on passing trade. But visitors increasingly use the internet to research an area first. If you have a good online presence, an attractive website and active social media accounts, they are more likely to find and visit you.

"I knew that - but I also knew I needed help reaching those people and providing them with digitally enabled services. I was particularly keen to launch an online picnic ordering service to cater to holidaymakers. I saw Go Digital initially as a way to get £500 towards development costs but benefitted as much from the free digital marketing advice."

Getting a Go Digital adviser

Martin's adviser was Nathan Lomax. "He understood our business and opened my eyes to new digital marketing ideas and using technology more widely in the business. For instance, we had a high-tech till - but we didn't know how or why to use all the functions. Thanks to Nathan's advice we now use it not just to take orders but also to connect with our accountant, manage inventory and delegate work to team members."

Nathan encouraged Martin to set up the online ordering service.

"We were busy once lockdown ended and the new service has proved really popular with people ordering not just picnics, but also food at the café, and click-and-collect meals. Nathan showed me how to use web analytics too, so now I can see that people spend longer on our website when we provide them with useful and relevant information about Cromer."

Seeing success

Breaker Café's website tells customers which local producers supply the food, as well as things like tide times and what's on in the town. Martin has also added links to local Airbnb hosts, who offer their guests vouchers to use in his café.

"Go Digital adds versatility to your business: it's the way forward," he concludes.

"People now visit Cromer specifically because they found us online and know we're the place to enjoy good food."