“We don’t just make coffees, we make connections.” That is the reason Cafe at the Station owner’s daughter Amy Barbour says the business was set apart from the competition.

The cafe based on the Vernon Street side of Saltcoats train station scooped the ‘best cafe’ prize at the Ayrshire business awards at the start of the month.

Amy also credited her mum, Susan Barbour’s, “unmatchable work ethic” for helping them on their way to victory.

She said: “We were nominated alongside other fantastic cafes from all over Ayrshire and did not attend the ceremony expecting to win. We were just happy for the opportunity to support other local businesses.

“When we won, we didn’t know how to react. Our Apple watches placed our heart rate at 180+ beats per minute!

“My mum was surprised, but I had an incline that we were winners having witnessed her unmatchable work ethic over the last four years as she built the cafe from a customer an hour to a bustling and vibrant community establishment.”

Despite winning in the best cafe category, Amy believes the business offers so much more than that to the local area.

She continued: “I think we were set apart from the competition as we are not only a business, but a community enterprise. We don’t just make coffees, we make connections and foster a positive environment where people no longer have to feel alone. As much as my mum jokes about the cafe being her dream and work not feeling like work - she is the hardest worker I know. She eats, sleeps and breathes for the community and always gives her everything.

“Whether it’s sponsoring local football teams, delivering shopping to regular customers who are too ill to make it over the door or opening our doors on Christmas Day (free of charge) to anyone who would otherwise be alone, she is forever finding ways to improve life for local people.

“I am indescribably proud of all that my mum has achieved and the family that she has created for us.”

The cafe is operated by only three staff: Amy, Susan and Helen Crawford, who they say feels like family to them both.

Amy said: “We’d like to thank all of our customers for their positivity and cheer.

“We’d like to thank our golden girls who make us laugh every morning, our veterans who could charm the pants off of anyone and we’d above all like to thank our cook Helen for becoming part of our family”