Family ‘devastated’ at death of Perthshire dad and Dundee cafe owner, 39

The family of a Perthshire dad and Dundee cafe owner say they are “utterly devastated” after his death at the age of 39.

Scott Cannon, who ran The Cannon on the city’s Union Street, died from esophageal cancer while surrounded by family at his parents’ home in Balbeggie on Monday.

The dad-of-two was diagnosed with cancer six months ago and had been undergoing chemotherapy.

Scott’s parents, Stewart and Helen, say the death has been difficult to deal with.

‘We want to focus on the happy parts’

Stewart told The Courier: “There are no words for this. We’re devastated, utter devastation.

“But we have faith as a family and that will get us through this.

“We want to focus on the happy parts. He’s remembered with such love.

“If you met him once, the way I feel is that you wanted to meet him again.

“He was just one of those lads who wanted to engage with you – you could be in a room full of people and he wanted to speak to you.”

Scott was raised in Balbeggie and worked alongside his parents at their coffee shop in Meigle before moving to Australia in 2005.

While there, he worked in a cafe and married his now ex-wife, Jacqueline, who he had two sons with – Austin and Angus, now aged 10 and 12.

In 2012, the family moved back to Scotland and started up the Flame Tree Cafe in Dundee.

Scott later moved on to his own venture at the former Palais Tea Room, which he converted into The Cannon – opening in October 2021.

Dundee cafe to stay open

His parents plan on keeping the cafe open in Scott’s memory.

Stewart said: “We’re doing it in tribute to him because he loved it.

“We felt it appropriate to keep it going.

“The staff who work there are so good and they really are the ones who have kept it going for the past few months alongside Alex, his girlfriend.”

Stewart and Helen have also praised Scott’s dedication to his loved ones.

Stewart added: “Scott was a great family man.

“He loved his boys and loved everyone around him.

“His sister too, Jillian, they were just inseparable.

“We’re a very close family, so when we say we’re feeling this it means there’s a whole extended family feeling this.

“He was such a beautiful human being.”