Couple open town centre cafe - and they've got the tanning salon too

Familiar faces have opened a quaint cafe. Couple Andy Lowe, 55, and Mel Lea, 56, have opened Caffe Latte, on Liverpool Road, in Kidsgrove.

The couple also own The Tanning Loft just over the road and decided to open their cafe after the closure of Jessie's Coffee Shop and Tea Room and snapped up the unit once it became empty. Andy and Mel saw how the opportunity would benefit the community, as they’d heard many people in Kidsgrove were saddened to lose a social spot.

So far the couple say they’ve received lots of support from customers, and business has been busy. As well as a range of hot and cold beverages, they sell a range of baked goods - including croissants and cake - which is made by their friend who is a baker.

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Andy, from Kidsgrove, said: “This is our first cafe, we saw this opportunity come up so we thought we’d have a go. We’ve been busy, it’s been good, we’ve had lots of support.

“It’s been a learning curve for us - it’s a lot different to running The Tanning Loft as you can imagine - but we’re getting into a routine now. It’s been mad at times but everyone jumps in and helps each other.”

Andy added: “The previous cafe was a go-to for elderly people, so they’re glad one has opened again because they were upset when Jessie’s closed. It’s a good place for sitting down with friends and chilling.

“Everyone tries to keep local in Kidsgrove, it’s a good community that wants to support each other. Everyone we’ve spoken to has asked us not to change the interior much because it’s special to people. So we’ve kept all the photos from the locals and the tea sets which have been passed down through generations. We’ve changed the decor a bit to put our stamp on it, but that’s it.

“People come in for a chat and it makes their day, because some people don’t have anyone else to talk to and can get a bit lonely. Kids love it, they're confident to come and order themselves which is nice to see. We welcome people with special needs too because we have a family member who has special needs, and my mum worked with special needs children.”

Caffe Latte also offers afternoon tea, with a platter priced at £20 per person. It is open from 9am until 3pm from Monday to Friday, and 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

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