There’s no shortage of coffee shops on Whiteladies Road, but a new cafe near Durdham Down is already proving popular with locals as it seeks to offer a space where “everyone is welcome”. For owner Sophie Asghar and her husband, Coco Clifton is their first venture into the hospitality trade, but looking around at the chic, well-appointed interior and a sweeping menu of cakes and coffees, you’d be hard-pushed to guess they were newcomers.
Previously Sophie worked for 20 years in telecoms but says a career in coffee was something she always dreamed of, particularly when she was on maternity leave with her three children and would spend time in cafes daydreaming about one day running her own. As with many people, the pandemic prompted a reconsideration of her priorities, so she decided to pursue a change.
Speaking to Sophie, a self-confessed coffee obsessive, she’s spent a lot of time meticulously planning every aspect of Coco Clifton, from its location to its decor, right down to the insistence on not charging extra for alternative milks, something she says her customers are often surprised by. As her children all attend schools nearby, Sophie says she’s got to know the area well and wants Coco Clifton to be the type of place people can feel comfortable stopping in for a caffeine boost, whether with adults, with children or solo.
