Minister of State for Employment Esther McVey arrived in Brixton on Monday to take a tour of Parissi – and to get a lesson in icing cakes.
Last year owner Spyros Parissis opened the cafe after taking part in the government’s New Enterprise Allowance.
The scheme offers mentoring and financial support people on benefits who want to start up their own business. They get advice from a business mentor who helps develop their idea and to put together a business plan. If the business plan is approved, they are eligible for a weekly allowance, to the total of £1,274, over 6 months.
The shop sells coffee and cakes, as well as lunch and dinner, prosecco and cocktails. Spyros also works with Bad Boy Bakeries, the bakery from Brixton prison, who provide a “lovely sourdough”. Spyros hopes to soon be able to offer a work scheme for ex-prisoners in his cafe.
McVey said: “It is great to see entrepreneurs like Spyros taking up the support. And in return, he is giving back to his local community by supporting Brixton prisoners who want to turn their lives around.”
The New Enterprise Allowance has produced 60,000 start-ups, with 450 of those in Lambeth.
McVey said the success rate for businesses on the scheme was around 70 per cent. “Those who it doesn’t work for realise that maybe self-employment isn’t for them and that’s fine. Who it is for is those who want to do their own thing and its great we can give them support.”
