Community cafe celebrates

A PLYMOUTH coffee shop with an incredible ethos has become like a 'second home' to some of its customers, providing a much needed community space.

- KATIE TIMMS

The b.kinda cafe, on Plympton Ridgeway, has been open for a year and has brought a real sense of community to the area. The cafe, which is in the former FINLA unit, has created a warm atmosphere for its customers.

Coffee shop manager, Helen Shepherd, says she loves what the cafe is about and it really lives up to its name - with customers treating it like a 'second home' and returning daily.

Helen, who has many years of hospitality experience, said: "I absolutely love what I do. You put into it, and you get back 100%. People see that you are going the extra mile, and they appreciate it. It is so rewarding." Prior to managing b.kinda, she was a front of house practical skills teacher at City College, which she loved, but felt a yearning to be back in a customer-facing role.

"I think working for a charity that is well-known, and the name of the coffee shop, drew me to b.kinda. It really means what it says. Visiting the hospice at Turnchapel underlined that for me.

"I get really close to the customers here; they are like family members. I adore the dogs and the babies too.

Because we work for St Luke's, all the staff have the same mindset.

"We really engage with one another and because of that our customers can feel relaxed too. It is like their second home, and some of them come in every day."