14/10/2026
❤️THE PERSON BEHIND qube CAFÉ BAR – MY STORY
Before I begin, I would kindly ask anyone who is tired of hearing about recent events involving qube, or who feels this post is not for them, to simply scroll past.
This is not a publicity stunt. This is not an attempt to gain sympathy or attention.
This is simply me, a human being, sharing a little of my life with those who may not know me, and perhaps with some of those who have formed opinions about me or my business without ever knowing the person behind it.
My name is Anca Bell, and I am originally from Romania.
More than 25 years ago, I left my home country in search of opportunities and a better future.
My journey took me to Dubai, where I lived for eight years.
I started working at the well-known Rock Bottom Café, then moved into retail, working for Levi’s, before building a career in sales, including working as a sales executive in the motor industry.
I am also a qualified nurse, with experience and knowledge in business and marketing.
But one thing I learned very early in life is that when you leave your country, your qualifications, experience and previous achievements don’t always mean very much.
Sometimes, you have to start all over again. From zero.
And that is exactly what I did.
Dubai opened my eyes to a completely different world.
I still remember enjoying cocktails at Long’s Bar back in 2001, visiting beautiful restaurants, experiencing incredible hospitality and discovering places that, for a girl who came from a modest background in Romania, once seemed almost unimaginable.
I was fascinated by the atmosphere, the presentation, the creativity and the way hospitality could bring people together.
Little did I know that those experiences would one day inspire something of my own.
During those years, I met my husband, a golf professional originally from Stamford.
We married in Romania, surrounded by family, and went on to have two wonderful children, Jack and Arianna.
Today, one of them is at university, while the other works at qube, helping and supporting our family business.
Like any mother, I am incredibly proud of them both ❤️
Our lives have taken us around the world. We lived in Dubai, relocated to Beijing, spent time in America Orlando and travelled to many countries.
But something very special happened when we came to Corby in 2008.
I fell in love with this town.
And I mean that sincerely.
The people, the friendships, our lovely neighbours, the sense of community — everything made me feel that this was where I belonged.
Believe it or not, even during the four years we spent living in America, I would find myself feeling homesick.
Not for Dubai. Not for Romania.
I was homesick for Corby.
Because Corby had become my home.
My children were growing up here went to primary school here . Our friends were here. Our memories were here.
And wherever life took us, I always wanted to come back.
❤️ HOW qube BECAME PART OF MY LIFE
Over the years, my husband and I worked incredibly hard to build a successful golf online business.
Through that hard work, we eventually had the opportunity to become involved as shareholders in qube Café Bar.
And I want to explain something that perhaps many people have never understood.
I didn’t become involved in qube because I thought it would make me rich.
We already had another business.
I became involved because I saw an opportunity to create something beautiful for the town I loved.
After years of living overseas, visiting wonderful places and experiencing different cultures, I wanted to bring some of that inspiration back to Corby.
I wanted to create somewhere people could come for a lovely cocktail, a delicious meal, a celebration or simply a friendly conversation.
Somewhere people could laugh together, celebrate birthdays, meet friends, enjoy music or even come in when life wasn’t going particularly well.
A place where someone walking through the door alone could still feel welcome.
I wanted qube to be more than just another bar.
I wanted it to have a heart ❤️
And that is what I have spent years trying to build.
There have been countless sleepless nights.
Countless hours asking myself what we could improve, what we could introduce, what we could do differently.
There have been financial difficulties, sacrifices, tears, moments of happiness and moments when I genuinely wondered how we would manage to keep going.
Like so many hospitality businesses, we have faced incredibly difficult times, particularly since COVID.
People sometimes see a busy Saturday night and assume a business must be making enormous amounts of money.
But what they don’t see are the bills, the rent, the wages, the repairs, the rising costs and the constant pressure of keeping everything running.
A busy bar does not automatically mean a profitable business.
And although our financial struggles are mine to deal with, I want people to understand something.
We are not some big money-making machine.
We are a family business trying our very best to survive, just like so many other independent businesses across the country.
❤️ BEHIND EVERY BUSINESS ARE REAL PEOPLE
When I think about qube, I don’t just think about the building, the cocktails or the food.
I think about our staff.
Some of them have been with us for years.
I think about their families, their mortgages, their children and their responsibilities.
I think about our regular customers, many of whom have become friends.
I think about the people who come through our doors every week, the friendships that have been formed, and the memories that have been created.
We try to look after our regulars, support our customers, offer discounts where we can and give something back to the community, support charities etc
Because to me, hospitality has always been about people.
When you attack a small family business, you sometimes forget how many lives are connected to it.
And I also want to say something about myself.
I know I am not everyone’s cup of tea.
I can be strict. I can be direct. I have high expectations of my staff and of how the business operates.
I do not tolerate aggression, unacceptable behaviour or people who put others at risk.
But there is a reason for that.
When you work in hospitality, people trust you with their safety, their food, their drinks and their wellbeing.
That is a responsibility I take extremely seriously.
I would rather be called strict than ever compromise on the standards I believe in.
You don’t have to like me personally.
You don’t have to like our music, our cocktails, our food or even the atmosphere.
And that’s absolutely fine.
We are all different, and no business can please everyone.
But there is a very big difference between not liking a business and making serious allegations against it.
❤️ WHY RECENT EVENTS HAVE AFFECTED ME SO DEEPLY
I have heard gossip about qube over the years.
Some of it I have ignored. Some of it has hurt. But I have always tried to rise above it and continue doing what I believe is right.
However, the recent allegation that qube sells fake alcohol has affected me in a way I honestly struggle to put into words.
Perhaps some people think I am overreacting.
Perhaps others think I should simply ignore it and move on.
But I cannot pretend that something like this doesn’t hurt.
Because behind this business is my name.
A name I have worked my entire life to keep honest and respectable.
I have worked since I was young.
I have started from nothing more than once, in different countries, speaking different languages and adapting to different cultures.
I have worked hard, paid my bills, raised my children and tried to treat people with respect.
I have never claimed to be perfect.
I have made mistakes in life, as we all have.
But dishonesty and knowingly putting people’s health at risk are not things I would ever accept.
To have such a serious allegation circulating publicly about a business I have poured my heart into is devastating.
And yes, I am going to admit something very personal.
Right now, I am not in a good place mentally.
I am exhausted.
I feel hurt, disappointed and overwhelmed.
I have found myself thinking about this situation constantly, struggling to switch off and wondering why, after everything we have worked through, something like this had to happen.
We were so excited about the months ahead.
We had been planning our Christmas events, preparing entertainment and looking forward to welcoming families, friends and our wonderful customers during the festive season.
Christmas should be one of the happiest and most exciting times of the year for a hospitality business 🎄
Instead, I have found myself dealing with accusations that I never imagined I would have to defend my business against.
And it has taken away some of the excitement and happiness I usually feel when planning things for qube.
I am only human.
Sometimes the strongest people are simply the ones who have become very good at hiding how much they are struggling.
People see me working, smiling, organising events, responding to customers and carrying on as normal.
But they don’t necessarily see what happens when I go home, close the door and finally have a moment to myself.
They don’t see the worry, the pressure or the emotional weight that comes with trying to keep everything together.
I don’t share this because I want anyone to feel sorry for me.
I share it because I think sometimes we forget that business owners are human beings too.
We have families.
We have feelings.
We have our own personal battles that nobody knows about.
And sometimes a few careless words on social media can cause far more hurt than the person writing them could ever imagine.
❤️ TO THE PEOPLE OF CORBY
I want you to know that despite everything, my love for this town has not changed.
Corby welcomed me all those years ago, and I have never forgotten that.
I have met some truly wonderful people here.
People who have supported us, encouraged us, laughed with us and stood by us during difficult times.
The kindness and messages of support we have received over the last few days have genuinely touched my heart.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
To those who don’t know me, I hope this post helps you understand a little more about the woman behind qube.
I am not a celebrity.
I am not a millionaire.
I am not someone who has had everything handed to her.
I am a Romanian woman who left her country many years ago, worked hard across the world, built a family, made Corby her home and tried to create something special for the community.
That is my story. That is who I am.
And to those who may not like me or qube, I respect your right to have your own opinion.
You are under no obligation to visit us, support us or even read our posts.
But I do ask for one thing.
Please remember that words have consequences.
Before repeating something you have heard, think about whether you actually know it to be true.
Think about the people who could be hurt by it.
Think about the families and livelihoods behind the business you are talking about.
And think about how you would feel if somebody made a serious public accusation about something you had spent years building.
I will always welcome genuine feedback, criticism and opportunities to improve.
But I will also continue to defend the integrity of my business when serious allegations are made without evidence.
Not because I enjoy arguments.
Not because I want publicity.
But because I believe that honesty, fairness and respect still matter.
❤️ ONE LAST THING…
I don’t know what the future holds for qube.
Running a small independent hospitality business is becoming more difficult every year.
Maybe we will be here for many more years. Maybe life will eventually take us in another direction.
Nobody knows.
But whatever happens, I will always know that I gave this business everything I could.
My time, my energy, my creativity, my determination and, sometimes, more of myself than I probably should have.
And if there is one thing I hope people remember, it is that behind the name qube Café Bar was never just a business.
There was a dream. There was a family. There was a woman who believed she could create something beautiful for the town she loved.
At the moment, I need to find a little peace, gather my strength and remember why I started this journey in the first place.
I hope that, with time, the hurt I am feeling today will pass, and I can return to doing what I love most — welcoming people, creating happy memories and seeing our customers enjoying themselves.
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my story.
And to everyone who has shown us kindness, friendship and support, please know that it means more to me than you could ever imagine.
With love and gratitude,
Anca Bell ❤️
The person behind qube Café Bar
