Cafe offers 'slice of happiness' to the lonely and vulnerable in Clitheroe

The friendly team at The Secret Garden Cafe on New Market Street have seen first hand the effect of lockdown on local residents, particularly those who live alone or who have maybe been isolated from family and friends.

“We’ve got lots of regular customers who were so glad when we opened the cafe back up,” explained manager Kayleigh Smith. “For many people, just being able to have a cuppa in the company of others is a welcome respite and long overdue after the past year or so.

“We have a large private outdoor courtyard for those preferring to sit outside rather than inside the cafe, and we’re offering, every Friday, from 10 to 11am, a cuppa with a slice of cake, toast or toasted tea cake for the special price of just £3, in the hope that we can attract people who need a bit of a pick me up!”

Kayleigh, who some local residents may recognise as she was a former fitness instructor at Roefield Leisure Centre, added: “We’ve got an amazing small team of the friendliest staff here at The Secret Garden Cafe who love to have a good natter and will quite happily engage any of our customers in conversation if that’s what they want.

“Lockdown has exacerbated feelings of isolation and loneliness with some people not speaking to another person all day! “We want to do anything we can to help reduce these feelings and hopefully our new Friday ‘Slice of Happiness’ initiative will help.”