By Margaret Sheard ….
How time flies, it doesn’t seem like a year since Tim’s Cafe/Bar opened at Selvi Strip, Ozankoy.However, on Saturday 6th April, there was a celebration party at Tim’s to celebrate their first year. We were only able to stay for a short while but it was nice to see a large gathering of people who had come along to join in the celebration and listen to the brilliant music of Blue Tears.
Following is the Facebook birthday quote issued by Tim’s Cafe/Bar
So, this weekend marks one year to the day, since Tim’s first opened its doors. From a conversation about “doing something in TRNC” back in February last year to the thriving community that is the Tim’s family doesn’t feel like it’s taken a year but time flies when you are having fun.
It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, with many, many highs, lots of fabulous music, great food and fantastic staff and customers that has led us to where we are now.
So, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers and our staff for making Tim’s such a roaring success. We of course wouldn’t be here without the investment of Eray, and the organisation and commitment of Ayshen and Tim to making Tim’s one of the best places for food on the island (especially but not restricted to breakfast), along with our dedicated and hardworking staff – we won’t name them all but special thanks to the lovely Grace and Chris for sticking with us through thick and thin and helping make Tim’s what it is today. Tim’s isn’t just about food, it’s also a place where you can get the best advice, support and help whenever you need it. We’ve made a lot of new friends, re-connected with some old ones and hopefully given you all a lot of fun and we look forward to sharing the next 12 months with all our customers and friends (no distinction there though – everyone who comes through the door becomes part of the Tim’s family).
We had a chance to speak briefly with Tim and his partner Ayshen as well as Aydin who has now joined Tim and looks after the evening customers. They were all very busy as the customers were by then arriving in large numbers, as well as helping Blue Tears to set up ready to play for the evening. The kitchen was also busy preparing and laying out the buffet which would be available for the guests later.
We also spoke with the Blue Tears artists, Naim Korudağ, Dean Bridges and Koray Bali and also Naim’s son Ersan, who has a couple of spots with the group during their performance. We have previously seen Blue Tears perform at another venue and know they would be giving the guests at Tim’s Cafe a good night of entertainment that evening.
Blue Tears formed 5 years ago with the ‘extremely talented’ musician Naim Korudağ on Lead guitar/Vocals, ‘the animal’ Koray Bali on Drums, with Kelvin Burke on Bass… Charlie Harty, Özlem Özenç, Arman Tatlıcıoğlu, and Onat Davulcu, are some of the talented local musicians that played in the first 3 years and now in the current formation is Welsh born bass player/backing vocals Dean Bridges who has been with the group for 2 years.
Unfortunately we had to make a move to go home and left to the sounds of the group starting their evening performance. Chris took a few photographs while we were there and we are also adding one or two from Tim’s Cafe Facebook page of the party in full swing.
Well done Tim, Ayshen and Aydin and the rest of the staff and here’s to another successful year ahead and a 2nd birthday celebration.
Tim’s Cafe/Bar Facebook quote after the event.
Thank you to everyone who came last night to celebrate our first birthday.
The music from Blue Tears was, as ever, fantastic, a little rain didn’t stop play and the party continued into the small hours.
Big thank you to all our staff again for their hard work especially Chris, Tracey, Sacha and Aydin who kept the food and drink flowing.
Tim and Ayshen are grateful and appreciative of the lovely things said by many customers and look forward to welcoming you regularly over the next 12 months.
