A Bristol man who opened a tiny coffee shop inside his garage says he hopes it will contribute to his neighbourhood's growing sense of community. Rob Savage sells cakes, coffees and cups of tea from his garage, which measures just 3ft by 6ft in size.
The enterprising neighbour converted the space along Lancaster Street, on the border of Redfield and Barton Hill, during the lockdown. Named '3ft 6' after it's dimensions, Rob opened last month and believes the eaterie is one of the smallest in the UK.
Despite its compact size he says the does a roaring trade and even offers seating on the paths outside his terraced home. One reviewer on Google raved: "I bumped into the coffee shop rather accidentally while walking around.
Read more: I tried the 'grim' cooked breakfast at Bristol Tesco Extra café
"They make superb cappuccino. Cakes also were very fresh." Another reviewer wrote last week: "Great coffee and friendly owner, welcome addition to the neighbour and opposite the [Netham] park."
Open on weekends between 10am-3pm for the moment, Rob built the tiny cafe out of his garage that he uses as a workshop with limited resources. Rob, who is also an artist and designer, said: "It's very much about being a neighbourhood cafe.
"I made it in response to a demand that became apparent during lockdown where basically there was nothing around. I realised that actually there was something lacking in the area for the local community.
"We came up with this idea of making a small takeaway coffee and cake place for the neighbourhood." The cafe took around a year to construct, opening in March 2022, and is described as being a "little bit like tetris" behind the counter.
Rob said: "I've been here for nearly 20 years and I've seen a massive change in people caring. There's a real sense of community, a real sense of neighbourhood - and hopefully this adds to it."
