In 2011, Scott Youngson bought the Central Bar and Hotel, Top Joe’s Bar and Caffe Cardosi from his cousin, Brian Cardosi. It was more than simply a business deal. It was also about maintaining a family tradition. Scott Youngson is the great-grandson of Joe Cardosi who set out from Tuscany before WW1 to settle in Thurso. The fifth generation is represented by Scott’s cousin’s son, Scott Shearer (manager of the Central).
Trading for five generations
a) Scott Youngsons’s great grandfather, Joe Cardosi, was born in 1885 in Barga, Tuscany and moved to Caithness in 1910. Together with his brother he had the Bay Café in Swanson Street, Thurso.
b) In the 1930s Joe took over what is now Caffe Cardosi. Joe’s son, Andrew Cardosi, came back to Scotland after the Second World War and worked alongside his father in the café.
c) Andrew had two sons – Richard Cardosi and Raymond Cardosi – and a daughter, Anne Cardosi (Youngson). Richard and Raymond ran the businesses as they are seen in the town centre today. They went on to buy the whole building which at the time was Hepworths drapery store.
d) Richard developed the Central Bar upstairs while Raymond carried on the tradition of the café.
e) Another section of the building was bought from Hepworths in 1982 and developed into Top Joe’s.
f) Richard’s son, Brian Cardosi, took on the mantle of running the businesses in more recent times while Brian’s sister, Anita, and Richard’s wife, Dora, handled the kitchen.
g) With the announcement of the sale this week, Brian has now handed on the family businesses to his cousin – Anne’s son – Scott Youngson.
h) Scott Shearer, who manages the Central, is Anita’s son and marks the fifth generation of the Cardosi family to be involved in the Thurso café and bar trade.
Link: New owner of Thurso Bar keeps Cardosi links alive. Use browser arrow key to return.