The Blackbird Café celebrates positive opening at Chapel Row

The Blackbird Cafe in Chapel Row is celebrating its first month of welcoming customers under new management after shutting its doors in mid-January.

New owners Efi Zachou, from Athens, and Steve Ruddick, from Coventry, took over the independent coffee shop, opposite The Bladebone gastropub, almost a month ago.

Boasting a revamped menu featuring mostly local produce and extended opening times, the café has so far proved popular with local residents.

“The reception has been really good,” said Ms Zachou. “We’ve just been getting busier and busier. It’s given us a chance to find our feet.”

The pair have lived and worked locally for a number of years, and Mr Ruddick currently serves as co-chair of governors for Bradfield Primary School.

“We’ve been local for a few years,” he added. “I’ve worked in here, so we know it. It’s very local, very community driven.”

“I think that was part of the whole lockdown thought process. Yes, it’s about getting food somewhere else, but it’s also about a community really. Places where people can gather over food.

“My background is from Greece, and gathering over food is a really important thing.

“Over Easter, we did some lamb tacos, and that was local lamb from the farm at the end of the road.”

And the café will also be opening over the Coronation Bank Holiday weekend.

Its current opening hours are from Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 3pm, with Friday’s opening extended until 5pm, and Saturday from 9am to 3pm.