Neal Street Espresso (NSE) opened in February 2020 not only providing a first-class coffee shop in Covent Garden for residents, workers and tourists but also with the purpose of supporting ex-offenders who are looking to turn their lives around. After a short break in trading due to Covid-19, the coffee shop has reopened its doors.
NSE is The Message’s first enterprise centre outside Manchester, but its focus remains the sam – to be part of the process of transforming lives. At Neal Street Espresso each of our trainees has a full-time job that pays above London living wage, and is getting accredited training, mentoring and the support they need to turn their lives around. We have teamed with Kings Cross Church to provide mentoring and discipleship to all the trainees as they navigate their journey.
The world is a very different place as we reopen, and the staff at the coffee shop face a range of challenges; especially preparing food and drink in an environment, that whilst elegant and comfortable, is not very big. Neal Street Espresso was not designed for the two-metre guidance!
The team have worked hard to ready the space for customers, the whole place has been deep cleaned and initially we are opening with a take-away menu only. This will be reviewed regularly and as soon as it is safe to do so, we will be operating a full menu, and welcoming people back inside, to sit and drink in the warmth and comfort of the building.
The team are really excited to be being back at work after the lockdown. There are a lot of people who are living in fear but we want Neal Street Espresso will be a place of peace, where staff and customers are able to relax. Despite only being able to open for take-aways, the centre will still be very busy, as it doubles as the office space for the London Hub of the Message. Schools, youth and prison work will all be based from here for the foreseeable future creating a real centre of excellence in central London.
