Aynuk & Ayli Café opens for business in Black Country

An old Victorian fire station which has been converted into a community café at the heart of the most deprived areas in Dudley was the toast of the Black Country when it was officially opened by MEP Michael Cashman.

The Aynuk & Ayli Café – named after the Black Country comedy double act - in Northfield Road, Netherton, near Dudley, is a £200,000 project funded by Advantage West Midlands, the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund and Dudley Council.

It is the final piece in the jigsaw of the £4.7 million Savoy Centre regeneration complex, a neighbourhood centre which acts as a gateway for the local community to a range of employment support services and skills training courses since it opened in 2006.

Surrounded by photographs of Black Country nostalgia, visitors to The Aynuk & Ayli café can enjoy a range of main meals, afternoon teas and all-day snacks.

Michael Cashman said: “The Savoy Centre complex is a superb testimony to the regeneration work that is getting underway in the Black Country.

“Today is a day to celebrate the partnership work that has gone between the local community, Europe, Dudley South MP Ian Pearson and regeneration partners including Advantage West Midlands, Black Country Housing Association and Dudley Council.

“This is your achievement, your success. Own it with pride.”

The Savoy Centre is funded by Advantage West Midlands, the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and Dudley Council. It is managed by the Black Country Housing Group and Dudley Council.