Wander along the platform, and jump on a train and you may be forgiven for not seeing the caf\u00e9 run by would-be Bake Off contender, Alex Light.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Major new plans for sports club at city shopping centre car park<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n But step inside the caf\u00e9 and you are immediately transported from the hustle and humdrum of everyday life.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a space to chill out and watch the world go by, while munching on a Canadian-style bagel or a cake while supping a brew.<\/p>\n Alex was in the running to appear on the 2016 Bake Off series and made it to the last 16, but just missed out on the televised section.<\/p>\n Folklore is an homage to Taylor Swift and one of her albums. Owner Alex, a self-confessed Swiftie, gave up a career in HR to start it last year and it is more than a caf\u00e9, it’s a community.<\/p>\n Alex has brought his love of Montreal bagels (chewier than the shop-bought versions) and fine Origin coffee to Sutton\u2019s railway hub.<\/p>\n While I ate a hand-rolled, chewy poppy seed bagel and sipped an Americano I listened to a customer debating the best may to make an espresso martini.<\/p>\n I ordered a bagel with cream cheese. You could have Nutella or pesto too \u2013 and a plain or sesame bagel if poppies are not your thing.<\/p>\n They are \u2018thinner, chewier and more delicious than their New York cousin\u2019 says Alex.<\/p>\n Tasty yes \u2013 but for me perhaps more a snack than a main lunch item, and for \u00a39.20 with a coffee, I was left wanting more – and more I had later!<\/p>\n I then watched as the caf\u00e9\u2019s resident cat, Betty, came over and took an interest in what I had.<\/p>\n But the friendly feline nearly brought the caf\u00e9 to cat-astrophe to the venture.<\/p>\n READ MORE: I visited Sutton’s accidental bakery at its first permanent home<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Earlier this year Alex became embroiled in a bitter row with Birmingham City Council over Folklore\u2019s most ardent regular, in a row which meant either they went or the caf\u00e9 risked being shut down.<\/p>\n Betty was a cat living on the streets of Sutton and caught Alex\u2019s eye as he was walking through the town centre.<\/p>\n She had been living by Knights House at the end of the Parade, and had three kittens when Alex intervened.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cWe rescued Betty in April or May. Her and her three kittens.<\/p>\n \u201cI walked through the town and saw her walking around and something didn\u2019t look right.<\/p>\n \u201cShe was a straggly-looking cat so I followed her for a bit and found she was living behind the hoardings at Knights House. She was malnourished.<\/p>\n \u201cI went in the area and she showed me her kittens and it pulled at the heartstrings.\u201d<\/p>\n READ MORE: Inside plan to build Sainsbury’s store in pub car park<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Alex fed the cat for a month and asked for advice from cat charities and cat rescue and they told him to \u2018just let her go\u2019, he said.<\/p>\n But he decided to give her, and her kittens, a home, until she had been spayed (neutered) \u2013 and \u2018she never left\u2019.<\/p>\n They were kept in a \u2018humungous dog crate\u2019 to start with but when Betty rejected one of her kittens, Alex took the kitten home. The other two were also found homes.<\/p>\n But Betty was \u2018properly feral\u2019 to start with and stayed. Within two months though she was approaching people. Alex said \u2018she woke up friendly\u2019 \u2013 and is now properly domesticated.<\/p>\n But Betty\u2019s presence sparked concern from a disgruntled \u2018customer\u2019 who complained to the city council\u2019s Environmental Health department in September.<\/p>\n Alex said: \u201cWe had not received any complaints but one day an environmental health guy walked in and said there was a risk to public safety.<\/p>\n \u201cHe said he was here in an enforcement notice looking for contamination from the cat and from rodents. The person complaining also said that see a cat caused them \u2018emotional distress\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we were certain we had all the precautions in place, and our food preparation areas were safe. But we couldn\u2019t put some measures they required in place, in the timescale of 28 days, because it\u2019s a listed building.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex said a \u2018thorough\u2019 inspection was carried out, and no signs of contamination found in the food or drink so he said \u2018case closed right\u2019.<\/p>\n But the council asked for a stringent set of changes to be carried out. Otherwise either the business had to shut or the cat had to go.<\/p>\n Alex said: \u201dOne of the options was closure and the other was to take Betty out of the premises, which had become her home and we did not want to do either.\u201d<\/p>\n Alex was given 28 days to change the set-up or risk losing his business.<\/p>\n But he had other ideas and said: \u201cWe were presented with a series of measures we could enact. But most of which were unreasonable both within the space, time and budget that we had available to us.<\/p>\n \u201cOr the only option left, the only feasible option, was say bye bye to Betty.<\/p>\n \u201cBut instead we moved all our food production off-site to a micro-bakery called Evermore.\u201d<\/p>\n Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He moved the kitchen and said: \u201cI do genuinely think it\u2019s a good move.<\/p>\n \u201cThey [Environmental Health] have been out a couple of times since and they are happy with what we have done and what we have got in place, our procedures.<\/p>\n \u201dIronically, what was the kitchen in the caf\u00e9 is now Betty\u2019s bedroom.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s her home. We now have customers bringing her Christmas presents. The kids love her!\u201d<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Folklore-shop-frontjpeg.jpg\")
The front of the Folklore caf\u00e9 at Sutton Coldfield Railway Station’s Platform 2<\/p>\n![\"An](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Folklore-coffee-and-bageljpeg.jpg\")
An Americano and poppy seed bagel with cream cheese at the Folklore caf\u00e9 at Sutton Coldfield’s railway station <\/p>\n![\"Alex](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_IMG_6722jpeg.jpg\")
Alex Light, the owner of Folklore at Sutton Coldfield Railway Station <\/p>\n![\"Betty,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Betty-Folklore-catjpeg.jpg\")
Betty, Folklore caf\u00e9’s resident cat, was taken in by the owner earlier this year but sparked a complaint and environmental health investigation which could have led to the venue being shut down <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Folklore-outside-widejpeg.jpg\")
The Folklore caf\u00e9 is located on Platform 2 at Sutton Coldfield Railway Station but busy travellers rushing for trains could easily not notice it <\/p>\n![\"Betty](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Folklore-catjpeg.jpg\")
Betty has been transformed from a feral cat living in the wild to the friendly Sutton Coldfield station cat at Folklore <\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1_Folklore-Ginger-Loafjpeg.jpg\")
A slice of ginger loaf from Folklore <\/p>\n