Monday 22 July 2024

The Friend’s of Bristol Cathedral launch new Café fundraising appeal

The Friends of Bristol Cathedral have kick-started the Friends Café Fundraising Appeal. The café refurbishment, already underway, will transform the space into an accessible, modern, and welcoming Café with a new level access floor, increased capacity and better connection to the beautiful Cathedral Garden.

Supporters of the Café Appeal will have the opportunity to include their name or name of a loved one recognised within the new Café window decals. Inspired by the nature of the Cathedral garden and architectural features found in the Cathedral, the window designs will bring to life the sustainability ethos of the new Café.

“The Council of the Friends are delighted to lend it’s support by launching the Friends Café Fundraising Appeal. We want to ensure this new space can be fit for purpose in order to welcome our congregation, community and friends, and hope others will join us by donating towards the appeal too. Our grateful thanks go to the generosity of donors and members of the Friends past and present for enabling us to support this exciting project with an early £40,000 grant…”

– Rachel Barrett – Chair of the Friends of Bristol Cathedral

The Cathedral Café is a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee and enjoy the tranquillity of the Cathedral garden. It’s been a social hub for visitors, volunteers and the cathedral community to gather.

The café space required significant accessibility improvements however, the entrance contained a series of steps which made it challenging for individuals with mobility issues.

The new designs include raising the floor to provide level access to the café for the first time in the Cathedral’s history, adding large glass doors to connect the café to the garden and creating a modern kitchen fit for a modern café.

The capital works undertaken by Avent include:

• Raising the floor to create much needed level access, making the space to be accessible for all
• Level access between the Courtyard Garden and the café
• Altering the windows and adding ventilation to better control temperature
• Relocating the kitchen to the opposite end of the café, significantly increasing seating capacity
• Installing sliding glass doors from the Café to the beautiful Cathedral Garden

By improving the accessibility and functionality of the new café, Bristol Cathedral can better welcome more people to the Cathedral and continue act as a hub for social gathering and cohesion in the city.

I am excited to see the café plans come to life, and look forward to welcoming our community and visitors to the beautiful new space in the heart of the city.

– Frances Bircher – Visitor Experience Director at Bristol Cathedral

“…. Avent Interiors are privileged to be undertaking this long-awaited refurbishment project for the Bristol Cathedral. The new café will greatly enhance the visitor experience and it’s great to see DDA accessibility improvements as part of the project to enable access for everyone to enjoy this new facility…”

Otto Avent – Commercial Director

Support the Friends Café Appeal

The Friends Café appeal has been launched to support the Café project works. Further support will help us transform the space into something truly wonderful.

Please consider donating to the Friends Café Appeal. Kind supporters will be featured within a special motif design on the new Café windows once open. Inspired by the architectural nature features around the Cathedral, you too can become part of the fabric of the Cathedral.

To find out more and to donate please visit the Café Appeal page. Thank you for your support!