Ru’s Bubble Waffles in Leigh Road has been a hit with families and residents, offering a mix of bubble waffles, sundaes, ice cream and drinks.
But now, owner Ru Hudson, 27, has made the difficult decision to shut down his small business.
He said: “I’ve always dreamed of having a little business. And I had a lot of experience in food and sort of gap in the market and thought, oh, OK, you know, there’s not an ice cream shop up along this way.
Shop – 27-year-old Ru ran the small business for six years (Image: Ru Hudson)
“Unfortunately, the high costs of products, the increase in rent and electric bills have become too high.
“It’s all just too high at the minute and so is the cost of living with everything else, which turns down businesses everywhere, including me.
“You can’t keep working to not make a living, really, can you?”
The business would not have gotten to where it was, if it was not for Ru’s mum Trudy Hodges, who supported him as his business partner and also runs the Interior Modern Curated, a modern design pieces shop.
“I want to thank my mum for everything,” Ru said, “Without her, I wouldn’t have come this far.”
Sad – Ru had to make the difficult decision to close his ice cream parlour (Image: Ru Hudson)
Ru’s Bubble Waffles survived the hurdles of the Covid pandemic, but the new economic climate has made it even more difficult to run the day-to-day business.
However, Ru has enjoyed running his shop and put a lot of passion, heart and effort into it.
He said: “The highlight of it all has just been the people that I’ve met along the way, all the families and the little kids that I’ve seen grow up throughout the years.
Creation – Ru served a range of bubble waffles in his shop (Image: Ru Hudson)
“It’s been a real nice thing to be a part of all their lives. And I think that’s been the real highlight for me, to be a part of everyone is coming into the shop and be part of their lives.”
After standing behind the counter for six years, seven days a week, Ru will take a break before returning to work.
Maybe one day he will return as a business owner, he said.