A NEW coffee shop which has opened on the outskirts of Newport is hoping to act as a social hub to bring the surrounding community together.
The Coffee Lodge in Penhow – a small village in the east of city – opened its doors on Monday, April 4.
It’s the brainchild of resident Jon Tayler – a former carpenter – and is next to Penhow’s community shop, which has been a mainstay in the village for 14 years.
A stone’s throw from Wentwood Forest, the café is beautifully styled with a wooden exterior to reflect the nearby surroundings.
“Me and my wife Sarah moved here about ten years ago,” Mr Tayler told the Argus.
“We had the opportunity to buy the house next door to us, so it was something that was in the making pre-covid.”
Mr Tayler opened the café with the full support of his wife, Sarah, and Libby Fehler, who is the chairwoman of Penhow Village Shop.
“It’s been brilliant,” Ms Fehler said.
“We’re getting people coming into the shop – buying a newspaper and now they’re going to sit outside at the new coffee shop.
“It’s such an important facility to have – particularly for elderly people who have had to deal with so much social isolation over the past two years.
“It’s about bringing people back into the village and it’s a real asset to the wonderful community we have here already.”
The cabin took Mr Tayler around a year to build after planning for the project was approved around three years ago.
It’s a snug but lovely space inside – offering a range of coffees, traditional cakes, and milkshakes.
What’s more, there’s plenty of seating outside with heaters fitted to encourage people to enjoy a brew there all year round.
“We’ve spoken to more people in the last five days that we have in ten years,” Mr Tayler’s wife, Sarah, said.
“For us it’s really important that we get all our produce locally, so we use farms nearby to us.
“I think there’s a real strong community spirit here – people seem really pleased to see something like this in the village and we’re really proud of it.”
Mr Tayler, who has hired a manager for the café, is now hoping to launch a full food menu for The Coffee Lodge.
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