Our Story

Built by Community, Driven by Purpose

The Hill Station Cafe was born from an act of collective vision. What began as a
forgotten space beside St Catherine’s Church became transformed by a group of
dedicated local people. Their collaboration brought the corner back to life and led to
the formation of the charity, Bold Vision. Following extensive community consultation,
the need was clear, they wanted a central gathering point—a vibrant community
café, where they could all come together.

This transformation was powered by the generosity of our neighbours through both
sweat equity and vital financial pledges from our Bold Backers. We must thank all
those who backed this project from beginning. The Hill Station simply would not exist
without this foundational act of community resilience and support. They got the job
done, and for that we are grateful. We are also very thankful for all the ongoing
support from St Catherine's Church. Since the beginning they have recognised the work, we do in the community and have always supported us with a fair rent and in lots of other practical ways such as us being able to borrow their tables and chairs for our The Big Lunch. We collaborate with them to bring a variety of events during the Telegraph Hill Festival.
 

More Than a Cafe: A Commitment to Inclusion

In 2013, our founder Jacqui and her friend Stephen took on the challenge of running
the space. Jacqui who was raised in South London and became deeply rooted in the
Telegraph Hill community. Jacqui’s personal journey, including navigating a mixed-
Heritage background in a challenging era and experiencing the care system instilled
a profound belief in the importance of kindness, inclusion, and opportunity.
This belief is the bedrock of The Hill Station. 

We operate not just as a business, but as a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to our local community. The journey has been challenging at times, including persevering through the complexities of running a food business, adapting during lockdown by offering the space over and helping launch Feed the Hill, where we delivered food to those isolating across the area, and we turned our old electrical substation into our outdoor takeaway coffee hub. 

Later this was to become home to Dinner for One hundred what has become a very
successful Pizza Company started in owner Jacobs mum's front garden.
 

Today, our commitment to community is visible in every aspect of our operation:
Empowering Our Team: We proudly hire and train individuals who face barriers to
employment; approximately 40% of our staff are neurodiverse or have special
educational needs. A truly global team — Polish, English, Irish, Albanian, Italian,
French, Japanese, Nigerian, Jamaican, American, and Spanish — all bringing
something unique and wonderful to the table.
 

Supporting Local Economy: 

The Hill Trader, our in-house shop managed by Ruth, features and promotes the work of more than sixty local designers and makers. Many of these individuals are women who operate independently within cottage industries.  This gives them connection and a vital network.

We use local suppliers wherever we can all our beer for instance, come from Breweries
Villagers (Deptford) or Signal (Croydon). Our bread is baked in Brockley by Francis of
Coopers Bakehouse (Brockley) as are our Vegan buns, made by Nic from Breaking
Bread. Meat we buy from Bill of legendary Well-beloved Butchers, Shhhh! we
know he closed, but between golfing rounds he still runs a little private round of his
favourite customers.

Cultivating Creativity: 

We operate as a registered Grassroots Music Venue and a
flexible platform for arts, culture, and new ventures. We regularly host supper clubs,
theatrical performances, and film screenings, providing essential space for new food
businesses and emerging artists. 

Our Values in Action

The Hill Station is, at its heart, about people. Our sustained success is a direct result
of the energy and love poured into this space from the volunteers who laid the
earliest foundations.

Our wonderful staff reflects the diversity and dedication of the community we serve.
The Hill station is more than a café, we are a living, breathing part of Telegraph Hill.
Our mission is to keep this space open, creative, and welcoming, ensuring The Hill
Station remains a vital hub for connection and opportunity for all. Our Founder Jacqui speaks for all the team when she says. “One of the reasons people come here is the sense of connection and the warm welcome from our staff. It feels like they belong here, and they do!”