The Coffee Chain is not what you might expect. It's nothing to do with Costa, Starbucks or any of the other major chains that dominate the high street.
Instead, it is a locally-owned coffee shop where one of the owners has a passion for cycling - hence the chain reference and all the cycle frames on the walls and memorabilia. Located within Newark’s old Warwicks and Richardsons' Brewery, it's on the outskirts of the town and somewhere customers seem to stumble across by chance - either that or through word of mouth.
But it hasn't affected trade, with the cafe proving so popular with everyone from ladies who lunch to cyclists that it's expanding. The 40-seater cafe opened in August 2019 selling 200 Degrees coffee, sandwiches, scones and cakes.
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There's space for another 30 or so outside on the terrace - and because it's undercover and mild it's still popular. Now the cellars below are being transformed into a cosy seating area for a further 30 customers.
Cycling enthusiast Jody Betts, who runs the business with his wife Amanda, said: "It is busy. We're running at capacity a lot of the time. There's lovely vaulted ceilings down there. It's got an underground den, speakeasy kind of vibe to it, still with a cycling theme to it.
"We're so proud our coffee shop. The place has a lovely atmosphere. The team are fantastic and the customers are all like our friends whether there here for just an hour or they come every day.
"We're tucked away. We're not in the town centre - we're right next to the retail park. We don't overly publicise ourselves so it's word of mouth."
The former brewery building is sandwiched between two retail parks. To the rear is the new M&S food hall at the Maltings Retail Park and in front there's Northgate Retail Park with Pets at Home, Boots, and TK Maxx.
"Every day we get people saying we were recommended to come here or we just found you," said Jody, who previously managed pubs for Marston's and Mitchell and Butlers for 25 years. He can usually be found downstairs tinkering with cycles in his vintage bike shop in the cellars, The Bike Chain, while Amanda and the team run the coffee shop.
Jody, who is chairman of a cycling club in Lincoln, said: "I've always had a passion for cycling and racing myself and I had a professional cyclist who worked for me and I was just chatting to her about my pipedream one day and she said why don't you just go for it, so I did and found somewhere that was ideal and it's worked.
"It's a cycling-themed coffee shop so it's got bikes on the walls and memorabilia but it doesn't alienate anyone. It doesn't feel like you have to wear LYCRA to come in. There's lots of ladies doing lunch and old dears who say 'what's these bikes? My son used to ride in the Tour de France so you get all these stories come out."
The Coffee Chain is open seven days a week from 10am and customers will soon be able to sit downstairs once the heating and CCTV is sorted out.
Visitors heap praise on the food, service and surroundings. A recent customer said: "Only had cake and drinks, but always been nice. Polite and friendly staff. A lot of people may not know this place because it's a bit out of the way."
Another said: "Another great chance find, this time en route between Newark Northgate and Newark Castle stations on foot. Although next to a retail park, it is in a really interesting building, spacious and airy, with outdoor seating. Perfect for a weary traveller or shopper. Good selection (and sensibly limited) of snacks and light lunches and drinks and sweet treats."
Drivers passing through have also found it a useful pit-stop just off the A46 or A1. One woman said: "Stopped off in Newark on the way to TK Maxx and found this little hidden coffee shop. A great welcome by staff and excellent service, happy to adapt to suit diets. Recommended as easy free parking and no need to go into the centre of Newark."
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