New owners expand the reputation of Milton Keynes’ Woodside Café
Taking over a highly successful venture is a challenge for any new business owner. While you may come in armed with ideas for how to improve the offering, the top priority is to keep the established customer base loyal. The new husband and wife owners of Milton Keynes’ Business Centre’s eco Woodside Café have not only risen to the challenge – they’re now attracting customers from even further afield.
A shared dream to run a café
When Stuart and Charli Hepden first got together 13 years ago, they often talked about running a business, such as a café together. But with five young children between them, it wasn’t a dream they could fulfil immediately. But it was a passion that Charli kept quietly fanning, sharing with colleagues at the pre-school where she was deputy manager that it was something she and Stuart had always hoped to do.
Fast forward to 2025, and Charli was having lunch in The Woodside Café at Milton Keynes Business Centre, when her colleague asked her whether she was aware that Kelly, who had run the café since it opened five years earlier, was selling it?
It was an opportunity that Charli and Stuart jumped at, as Charli explains: “I literally sent the business opportunity to Stuart and it just snowballed. It was the most spontaneous jump ever and it just happened. I’m very much of the view that everything happens for a reason and that was meant to happen.”
Initial challenge: learning to cook
Given that Charli had long dreamt of running her own café, it comes as a bit of a surprise to find out that before taking over The Woodside Café, she was a very reluctant cook: “I could cook, but the pressure of time and everything, because I try and do everything at the same time, I would get really flustered. I didn’t really enjoy doing it.
“The original plan was that Stuart was going to do the cooking; I was just going to do front of house. Then his other business (Bespoke Creations MK, which does woodwork and green burial ground plaques and posts) was taking off, so he couldn’t really have time to do the café bit. So I ended up just jumping head first and learning it all.
“I worked alongside Kelly for three months before we actually took over and she taught me everything, even poaching an egg. Now I can do all the cooking, and it’s taken a 180, and I do actually enjoy the cooking side.”
Stuart goes further than that: “Charli is an amazing cook now. It’s irony — she even cooks at home. I used to do all the cooking at home, but she even cooks for the family on occasion now.”
The husband-and-wife team have been helped massively in this by the existing staff who stayed on when they took over: “Kelly’s sister-in-law Louise was going to leave when she sold, but we worked alongside one another when I was training and got on really well, so she stayed,” explains Charli. “She’s obviously got the knowledge from when they opened, so she’s trained us both up. She’s been a huge part of our continued success.”
Developing a recipe for success
Charli and Stuart were keen to respect the successful formula that Kelly had honed for the café, but also wanted to introduce their own ideas. “The pressure was on to maintain what everyone really enjoyed. We didn’t want to go in and change everything,” recalls Charli. “I’ve learned all of the dishes that were done beforehand and as time has gone on we’ve just added our own little bits. 
“We’ve got breakfast, so you’ve got your full English breakfast, eggs your way, beans on toast, porridge, and then we’ve got lunch menus as well — jacket potatoes, loaded wraps, paninis, toasted sandwiches, chips, ham, egg and chips.”
Their first initiative was proactive marketing, including leaflets and promoting the café on Facebook and Instagram. But they’ve also reviewed the operations. “We’ve got the breakfast cook times down from around 16 minutes to about eight minutes by rearranging the kitchen and different procedures,” explains Stuart.
And they’ve reimagined the interior to respond to customer need. “We implemented a breakfast bar because we’d find that people would want to come in and work, but if they sat down at a table on their own there would be nowhere for the people who wanted to dine to sit,” comments Charli. “The breakfast bar means there’s somewhere for those who want to come in and work for a little.”
They’ve also recruited their first member of staff that they have appointed themselves, with whom they say they “struck gold”.
The proof of the pudding is in the impressive average 4.8/5 that they have from 31 reviews on Tripadvisor, as well as the growing client base that The Woodside Cafe is attracting. As well as the established clientele from other firms on Milton Keynes Business Centre, Charli and Stuart are beginning to get regulars from further afield. “We’ve had customers coming from Bletchley, which is probably about 20 minutes away,” adds Charli. “I think it started off as they were in the area, but they are returning, so it’s a bonus to us. So they must like it.”
Juggling different roles
While Charli and Stuart took over a successful and well-established business, building on that reputation has brought its own challenges.
For Stuart, it has been managing the café alongside his other business: “It can be tough at times because I’m only really needed in the cafe when we’re short staffed, which means I’m always under pressure when I’m there.”
For Charli, having made the shift from a salaried position to a business owner, the key challenge has been learning to switch off: “I find it really hard – that’s definitely been the biggest challenge for me. I’m trying to learn to keep work at work.”
Being part of the Milton Keynes Business Centre community
Running The Woodside Café has catapulted Charli and Stuart into the heart of the strong community at Milton Keynes Business Centre: “You forget that people don’t actually know each other because we’re the hub, so we know all the other people,” explains Charli. “Everyone’s been really welcoming.”
Central to the success of the community is the support they receive from the centre management team. “Capital Space themselves have been really lovely. I can’t really fault it,” enthuses Charli. “Anything we’ve said to them, they’ve always been very communicative with us.”
Future business plans
Having honed an already successful business recipe, Charli and Stuart don’t intend to keep still: “We want to keep growing and keep thinking of new ideas,” outlines Charli. “We want to put some pods in the garden so for the winter those that have their dogs and still want to come to the café have got shelter and can sit outside.”
They’re also thinking of partnerships that would enable them to service a wider customer base. “We’ve just gone onto Uber Eats and Just Eat, and we’re in early discussions with some other sites around here about how we could provide food for their staff and visitors,” says Charli.
Top tips for other business owners
As they approach their first anniversary owning and running The Woodside Café, Charli and Stuart have practical advice for other entrepreneurs and those thinking of setting up their own business.
“Let people help you,” insists Charli. “Definitely don’t try to take it all on yourself. I’ve learned that the hard way.”
Stuart has a slightly different take: “Always listen to your husband!”
The Woodside Café’s success demonstrates the value of being part of a supportive business community where ambitious entrepreneurs can turn long-held dreams into thriving businesses.
