Waterstones at Roman Gate to launch new cafe

News Desk
Authored by News Desk
Posted Wednesday, September 28, 2016 - 9:56am

On Saturday 8th October, Waterstones at Roman Gate will celebrate the launch of its new bookshop café with a day of family entertainment.

The launch will be a community event with the opportunity for customers to meet some of the café’s local suppliers and to enjoy a free hot drink with every cake purchase*. Roman Legionaries will patrol the bookshop courtesy of Living History Group Leg II Avg and popular local jazz quartet City Steam Jazz Band will perform live  instore. Storytelling and face painting will keep the children entertained.

Waterstones café at Roman Gate will champion the best local produce. Bread, pastries, teacakes and scones will be delivered daily from Oliver’s on Magdalen Road. Handmade cakes and traybakes will come from Peck and Strong in Crediton and there will be fresh organic soup from Shillingford Abbot's Rod and Ben's. Café manager Emily Ferret and her team will prepare a fresh range of sandwiches and toasties each morning and the café will serve a bespoke blend of triple certified coffee from Matthew Algie.

Bookshop Manager, Helen Russell, says “It’s been a joy researching the menu and it’s a privilege to be able to champion local businesses and produce. My team and I couldn't be more excited about the café. Who can resist grabbing a coffee, choosing some cake and settling down for an afternoon's reading? It’s the perfect combination!”

James Oliver from Oliver's says “For our breads to be stocked by Waterstones - with its major high street presence - this is huge for us. We are a small family run business and we are thrilled that now even more customers will have the opportunity to sample our breads and pastries.”

John Peck from Peck and Strong says “We were particularly pleased to be approached by Waterstones. The marriage of a high profile, high quality bookseller with a maker of high quality baked products is one made in heaven”

Sophie Veen from Rod and Ben's  says “As local producers of Honest Tasty Organic Soup, Rod and Ben's are really excited to be supplying Waterstones Roman Gate Cafe. We're really proud to be working with Waterstones and wish them the best of luck with the new cafe.”

The café will be home to a busy events programme that will launch on 14th October with a brand new book club for lovers of genre fiction. In November local favourite Veronica Henry will give an evening talk about her new novel How to Find Love in a Bookshop with many more events to follow.

Furnished in shabby chic style with an eclectic mix of contemporary and vintage furniture and bespoke artwork on the walls, the café will be the perfect city centre spot to relax with a book and a coffee or to meet up with friends and family.

*Free hot drink with every cake purchased offer valid on Saturday 8th October 2016 at Waterstones Exeter Roman Gate only.

Waterstones, Roman Gate, 252 High Street. Exeter EX4 3PZ Tel 01392 423044

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