Cosy Club is set to open the doors to its latest bar and restaurant in Harrogate today – so we went for a sneak peek.
The new venue is designed to bring “relaxed dining and drinking with a touch of timeless glamour” to Cambridge Street.
Cosy Club Harrogate has an arts and crafts feel with wallpaper originally designed in 1895.
Diners will find handmade table lamps throughout the restaurant and an eyecatching bar with bespoke, handmade stained-glass.
The all-day menus will include “fresh and modern classics” with “extensive brunch, gluten free and vegan options”.
The venue had a special opening evening last night.
Loungers Ltd runs the Cosy Club and Lounge brands. As of March 2022 the company operated 193 sites in England and Wales, including Claro Lounge in Ripon.
Amber Wood, managing director at Loungers Ltd, said ahead of the opening that Harrogate “has been a target of ours for some time”. She added:
“Our new restaurant offers a very strong location, linking the main retail and leisure pitches within the town. The externals of this historic building have been extensively renovated by our landlord, Broadland Properties.”
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Loungers Ltd was founded by a trio of friends from Bristol: Dave Reid, Alex Reilley and Jake Bishop.
They opened their first first venue in Bristol in 2002 and then opened the first Cosy Club in Taunton eight years later. They set up the separate Cosy Club brand to cater for larger sites.
More photos from inside the Cosy Club
Sirius is a new cafe on Beulah Street that offers homemade food inspired by Turkey.
Istanbul is said to have the world’s oldest cafe culture, and Cuneyt Yazicioglu wants to bring some flavours from his home city to Harrogate.
Dishes at Sirius include kumpir, which is a Turkish jacket potato with a wide range of toppings to choose from.
Homemade sweets include the pistachio-flavored baklava. Turkish coffee and tea are also available.
Inside Sirius on Beulah Street
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Mr Yazicioglu has lived in North Yorkshire for 24 years and previously ran a Turkish restaurant in Ripon.
Pictures of famous Turkish singers, actors and comedians adorn the walls of the cafe, which used to be a card shop and is next door to Costa.
It’s the ‘Turkish breakfast’ that takes top billing on the menu. It’s a twist on the English breakfast and includes feta cheese, olives, Turkish pepperoni and honey.
As well as offering Turkish treats, the kitchen serves English breakfast, sandwiches, pizza, paninis and omelettes.
Sirius is open from 9am to 5pm seven days a week at 9 Beulah Street, Harrogate.
First look at Harrogate cafe helping disabled people into jobsA new ethical cafe in Harrogate, which provides jobs for people with disabilities, has opened.
Artizan International quietly opened its South-American themed cafe in the former Game unit on Cambridge Road at the start of the week — and it’s already drawing a crowd.
Demand is so high that the cafe is looking to accelerate the renovation of the first floor to make way for more seating.
The charity opened a shop around the corner on Oxford Street in 2020, which helps visually impaired people overseas earn a living by selling their craft work.
However, Artizan International founder Susie Hart discovered there were “countless” young people with other disabilities in North Yorkshire. As a result, she set the cafe on a different path by giving them the opportunity to find employment.
Read more:
The cafe serves a speciality Peruvian hot chocolate. All of its coffee, tea and sugar are from Fairtrade sources. It also stocks a range of soups, panninis and cakes.
It is open from 10am until 5pm Mondays to Saturdays. The cafe is closed for art workshops for children on Sundays.
Liz Cluderay, UK programmes officer at Artizan International, told the Stray Ferret:
“The long term aim of the project is very much about reaching local businesses. We want them to see young adults with learning disabilities and just how capable they are.
“Work like this is particularly important because of coronavirus. In the first lockdown they were sent home and, for the most part, their work opportunities have not returned.
“But people shouldn’t come here because they feel sorry for the people who work here. We want customers to come here simply because it’s a brilliant cafe with amazing coffee and food.”
More pictures from inside the cafe
There is plenty of food and drink on offer.
The cafe has been decorated beautifully.
Matthew is cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
A new cafe will open in Harrogate next month to help people with disabilities learn skills and get into the job market.
Artizan International will open the South-American themed cafe in the former Game unit on Cambridge Road, just around the corner from its shop on Oxford Street.
The charity has taken on a large space set over three floors. The ground floor will be the main cafe and craft area, the first floor will have more cafe seating and the second floor will be for offices and storage.
With such a big space, the cafe will be run by four to six staff and volunteers who are there to support up to four adults with disabilities.
When it opens the cafe will serve its speciality of Peruvian hot chocolate. All of its coffee, tea and sugar will come from Fairtrade sources. It will also stock a range of soups, paninis and cakes.
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- ‘Drab’ Harrogate town centre street to get colourful makeover
- Harrogate’s own chocolate factory
Susie Hart, who founded Artizan International, told the Stray Ferret why she wanted to invest in the cafe:
“We are going to be training young adults. The idea is they get training here and get to a level of proficiency where we could then help them find work in other cafes in town.
“At the minute everybody in the hospitality industry is desperate for workers. Meanwhile there are loads of young people with disabilities who would love to have a job in a local business.
“It really could be a win-win for those who want the work and those who need the workers, it is a really exciting time for the charity.”
Ms Hart was originally planning to replicate the success of cafes she ran in Tanzania which were staffed by deaf people.
She worked with North Yorkshire County Council and found that local deaf people were managing to find work.
However, she found out that there were “countless” young people with other disabilities on the council’s records looking for practical training, work experience and employment.
Artizan International is looking for more volunteers to join the team and help run the cafe, which will be open Monday to Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.
Are you interested? Send an email to Sarah Davis by clicking or tapping here. Alternatively call 01423 561556 more more information.