A new community space takes shape in Beanhill, Milton Keynes
What do you do when the local community café space stops serving? Well, you start your own, obviously!
That’s exactly what’s happening at Beanhill Learning Centre in Milton Keynes, where a lovely central room is being transformed into a welcoming café space for the local community.
The idea got a boost when a colleague successfully applied for a small grant from Woughton Community Council. This will help fund the essentials, including a new fridge freezer, coffee machine and other equipment needed to get the café up and running.
It’s always interesting to see a new project taking shape. We often hear about the finished result, but there’s something special about seeing all the ideas, problem-solving and teamwork that happen behind the scenes.
So we asked Debbie, who’s leading the project, how things are going. The answer? It’s been all hands on deck. Johnny and Simon, who attend the learning centre, have been helping to manage the project, together with colleague Andrea, while the manager of MacIntyre’s Coffee Shop and catering business in nearby Great Holm has been sharing her knowledge and helping the team understand what they’ll need to make a community space like this work.
There’s plenty to think about. The team is developing ideas for the menu, getting to grips with food hygiene and other regulations. Lots of hard work outside too, as the gang is clearing ground in the garden for a pergola to create outdoor seating.
For now, things are still informal. Groups of people who draw on MacIntyre’s support locally have been invited in for cake and a cuppa while work continues in the building and garden.
But the plans are steadily coming together. The hope is to open the doors to the wider community soon, creating a friendly local space where neighbours can stop for a coffee, meet other people and spend some time together.
Café Bean will initially open on Thursdays, giving the team a chance to see how it goes.
It’s a lovely example of what can happen when people work together, share what they know and spot an opportunity to create something useful for their community.
We’ll keep you posted as Café Bean gets closer to opening its doors
