Tribute paid to former owner of Northampton cafes who was ‘full of life’ and ‘everyone could count on’

A tribute has been paid to the former owner of a chain of Northampton cafes, who has been described by a friend as “full of life” and someone “everyone knew they could count on”.

Ibrahim Unsal, who founded the Jenny’s cafes in Abington Street, Gold Street and Weston Favell, passed away suddenly on December 8 as a result of a heart attack – aged just 56.

His friend Mehmet Yetkin, owner of Alberto’s in Abington Street, wanted to pay tribute to his friend of 19 years, who was originally from Turkey but lived in Northampton since the late 1990s.

Ibrahim lived in Wootton with his wife, daughter, who has just graduated from Birmingham University, and his son who is a few years older, and founded the Jenny’s cafe chain in the early 2000s.

Over the decades that Ibrahim lived here, Mehmet says he had a positive impact on the Northampton community and would go out of his way to help anyone.

Mehmet, who first met Ibrahim in 2003, said: “I had him on speed dial. Nothing was too much trouble and those who knew him knew they could count on him in any situation.

“He was full of life and cheered people on. He was everyone’s friend and I knew no one who had a bad word to say about him.

“He is one of the nicest people I have ever met and I wish more people were like him.”

Ibrahim owned a number of businesses, which provided many job opportunities to Northamptonians.

He sold Jenny’s in 2010 to people who used to work for him as Mehmet says “he always saw the potential in others”.

Despite the rising costs Ibrahim faced as a business owner, Mehmet says he still helped others financially and took a chance on people who needed jobs – even if there were no vacancies.

Mehmet said: “He will be really missed and people have taken every opportunity to talk about him and what he brought to Northampton since his death.”

Ibrahim’s funeral was on Monday (December 19) and hundreds attended to pay tribute to the well-known member of the community, who will be buried in Northampton.