A NEW stylish coffee shop is bringing the cafe culture experience to the community it was designed to serve.

Bridge Coffee, Bolton’s newest independent coffee shop, opened its doors yesterday, serving its first customers from 7.30am.

The coffee bar, off Bradford Street, The Haulgh, which has been built as an extension on to Bridge Church, has reinvented the concept of community cafes to bring the high quality experience at affordable prices to everyone.

Money made from the shop will be reinvested into the area by funding the church’s vast community programme to make a difference to the lives of people in Bolton.

No expense has been spared in creating a plush coffee shop providing high quality drinks and food, including breakfast and delicious homemade cakes, which can also be taken away. And say staff there is nothing average about Bridge Cafe — which is as far removed from the ‘canteen style’ often associated with community group cafes. It is set on a ground floor and a mezzanine floor, with a feature fire place — to be lit when the nights draw in and days become colder — in the centre

Baristas were trained in Cornwall where the speciality coffee is also sourced from.

Work on the coffee shop started before Christmas and was built was Paul Galloway, from Breightmet, who also attends the church.

Manager Becki Melia said: “We are so pleased with it. We had a community cafe in church every Thursday and it was very popular this coffee shop grew from that. We want it to be at the heart of the community and designed to be a hub for people to pop-in.

“We provide high quality speciality coffees at competitive prices. As it develops we will have specials on because we have a good team in the kitchen. We also have parking on site.

“The mezzanine floor is a quieter space for those who want to have a business meeting or just a quieter place to sit. I could not like it any better. I think it is perfect. This is Paul’s vision he has put his heart and soul into it.”

She added: “We had customers in as it opened and we have seen new faces as well as members from the church come in — and my family came in to have a look.

Mr Galloway, from Galloway Construction Ltd: “It’s a great experience when you see the faces of people when they see it for the first time.”

The coffee shop is open every day from 7.30am to 4pm and until 6pm on Thursday.

Visit The Bolton News website to see a video of the new coffee shop and the menu.