• CAFE NUMBER ONE

In the leafy Upton suburbs, I meet special guest Cllr Lord Mayor Sherin Akhtar for a philosophical chat at Cafe Number One on Weston Grove. Sherin made history in May becoming the the first Lord Mayor to wear the hijab. Its Tuesday morning and the cafe is busy, with one hard working member of staff working alone. After getting our drinks we go to the upstairs seating area, which Sherin tells me, is used by community groups and some Parish council meetings. ” Why are we so scared of pain? We live once, why can’t we just face our fears” says the Lord Mayor as I sip my cappuccino, discussing self doubt and the unknown outside our realms of experience.

We are then joined by a group of 4 friends who set up for their weekly social /arts meeting. “We wish they did soup but otherwise its fine!” says one of the members as she paints a watercolour of a starry sky. The group make suggestions on finding an artist who could paint an official portrait of the Lord Mayor, as I look down at the autumn colours on the street below. Sherin also takes the chance to engage with the artists about any local issues troubling them. Downstairs , a regular to the cafe, Patricia, comments “This is the best coffee ever! Whenever I go on holiday , I still come back here and say , Sam this the best cappuccino ever!” With excellent service , a friendly welcome and peaceful surroundings, the cafe is clearly much loved in the community.

• THE BISTRO AT BELONG

Located on city road, this cafe is located inside Belong Chester, the canalside intergenerational care village offering households for residential care, apartments for independent living alongside an integrated children’s nursery, a gym and a hair salon. The Bistro is open to residents and the public and is open 7 days a week from 9-5.

Joined by today’s special guest, my own insecurity and self doubt , I receive a warm welcome from the staff on duty, with smiles from everyone. The atmosphere is calm and unpressured, with art decorating the walls and shelving, fitting Belong’s therapeutic community role for residents and guests.

I select a large breakfast costing £7.40, with drink included. Truly a hidden gem, Belong’s offers a pause from the world, as I watch the cars pass by silently on City Road. There is also a canalside balcony offering views of Harkers and the Steam Mill as well as Harker’s spitfire from this summer’s raft race. The advertised mushrooms are substituted for tomatoes and the black pudding is burnt to a crisp, but I don’t mind because the venue is so friendly and welcoming. Later on a staff member comes round handing out “Autumn staff appreciation packs”….“Thank you for being amazing!” she says to the cafe server.

• SHARE SHOP

A bleak Monday morning is illuminated by a visit to the Share Shop on Pepper street, accompanied by special guest, property expert Tim Kenney. Tim co founded KenneyMoore in 1995 and has been a big player in the Chester scene for 30 years, also being a founding director of CH1ChesterBID ( now just called Chester BID). He also co founded Chester GAS (Great and Small) a group of business owners and stakeholders seeking to improve the city. “I let this place to Share. I’m a massive supporter of everything they do” he says proudly. The Share cafe within the 5000 square feet charity shop is a major source of income for the charity, which supports people who are homeless and refugees in Chester and beyond.

Housed beneath a brutalist car park (built in 1972) and topped by the famous stone lion, as well as the award winning Rooftop Social, the cafe is spacious with some wooden shed style booths as well as a children’s play area and a meeting room.

Tim’s knowledge of Chester and how it operates is very clear. We discuss the forthcoming vote on the tourist tax/accommodation BID, as well as his frustration at dealing with the council and basic problems that Chester has failed to address, including the vague public toilet provision. Other vague concerns are poor communication and the fatal combination of disinterest and entitlement in some Cestrians. “People are just not arsed..” I note.

To those complaining about Chester not needing any more hotels, Tim gives a long list of stalled hotel projects, which received planning permission but were never built… Mecca Bingo, Argos, Nicholas street and others are mentioned. “Labour costs have gone up since we left the EU” Tim notes. Share have been doing great work in Chester for years and I leave the cafe enlightened by Tim’s knowledge.

• LITTLE ROODEE CAFE

Located on the busy Little Roodee car park, this cafe was an early adopter of a green/living roof and is operated by Vivo Care choices, the council’s care provider. They use the site as a training venue and for work placements for adults with learning difficulties. Today’s special guest is my former nemesis, Cllr Mike Jones, leader of the Council from 2009-2015. The cafe was set up under his leadership, with a similar operating model once used by the cafe in the park.

The cafe is light and airy with high ceilings beneath the arched roof, outdoor seating, view of the greenery of Handbridge. Popular with cyclists, dog walkers, families and car park users alike, this cafe is another hidden Chester gem, also offering public toilets, which even I wasn’t aware of until I visited. The walls are decorated with Chester imagery as well as food safety certificates achieved by staff members. The location here is my favourite so far, I imagine the cafe’s high glass windows under siege by a horde of zombies.

Returning to reality , Mike comments, “One of the ideas was to put Storyhouse here.. because the Labour council didn’t buy the cinema when they were offered it” he claims. Somewhere in the multiverse there is a Chester with a student village, and an arts centre next to the River. What would have happened to the Odeon in that universe? Mike talks about his strategy of cultural revival across the borough. “That’s why we built Storyhouse (opened 2017) the sports centre in Ellesmere Port..” He talks of wanting to set up a Roman history centre where Mecca Bingo was. Some of the plans he hopes to revisit should the Conservatives improve on their current standing at the next election in 2027.

After mentioning his love of Weinholts Steak and kidney pies, which were once served at the bakery in Handbridge, Mike mentions his disappointment with the Northgate car park and Market. He believes that apartments should have been built, exploiting the views of the Welsh Hills, a view that has been expressed by many. “I wanted a really good food generated market, like some of the markets in Paris.. We do a lot of food in Cheshire but we don’t have a centre for food excellence…”

After finishing our drinks and breakfast rolls ( the menu is more limited at the weekends) we discuss local apathy about politics and people’s obsession with scrolling their mobile devices. An existential challenge to the Conservative party is the rise of Reform, although Mike dismisses this as “just a Nigel Farage fan club at the moment” he believes they could take control in Wales. Credit to the wonderful friendly staff in this venue.

• KINGSWAY COMMUNITY CAFE

In the corner of the Kingsway shopping centre is this cafe, a venue run by volunteers from the local Church and the community . It is a sunny Thursday morning, the light hiding the winter darkness that is to come, and I expect the cafe to be quiet. Inside I am surprised to see it is packed with customers.

“Hello again Meryl !” (name changed) says a staff member to a returning customer. I sit down alone for a breakfast bap and cappuccino, costing just £6. The prices are mega cheap here, with a slice of cake costing just £1.26. The warm buzz of community is evident in this welcoming space that includes a prayer tree, and a biblical verse as the wi-fi password. A noticeboard is filled with adverts for community groups and local support, and next to that is a pile of bramley apples free for anyone to take. Two well stocked bookcases sit beneath a Faith Hope Love wall decoration, sitting against a cracked yellow painted wall, feeling beautiful and bleak at the same time.

I sit down with some inspirational Christian literature, browsing the multiple sub headings about death in the index of one of them. Shortly after sitting down a queue of 8 people has formed. A large friend group sit in the corner, and the window seats are all taken as well, as people watch the dreary going on in the street. In thy light shall we see light…

• BREN BREWS

The final cafe visit on the first leg of the tour is the new Bren Brews in Hoole, an offshoot of Bren Bikes. My special guest today is former councillor and ex Lord Mayor Jill Houlbrook. After 25 years of service she jokes “Its actually quite nice not having people ringing me up moaning.!”

The cafe is in a corner of The United Reform Church in Hoole. Jill, takes over on interview duties as we meet with the cafe manager Laura. The venue has free parking and the space has been transformed with the addition of a colourful parasol and floral displays suspended from the ceiling. The cafe has a smart branding on its cups and staff uniforms, clearly a lot of thought having gone into the project.

Laura joined the Bren board to offer her previous cafe experience to the project. Things came together in February when the Church cafe became available. The cafe opened on October 20th and all profits are redirected into the Bren project. ” We want to make it accessible, we want to keep the prices down , there’s nowhere on Hoole high street where you can get a coffee for £2.50″ says Laura “Only 30 percent of adults with autism are in work. There’s no need for any boundaries at all, some people just need a bit more understanding. We wanted this to be a kitchen where everyone is able. I think its about getting the message about what we do. People knew about Bren Bikes, they knew it was a community led bike service, but a lot of people didn’t know about the beneficiary element. We want to work with the community and integrate . We are here to give work based placements to people and level up the playing field to help them to get into the workplace. ” Bren Brews are hoping to get a small food menu launched soon alongside their coffee and homemade cakes and are also seeking to develop the cafe as a community hub.

We also spoke to Nicole, a hospitality coach at Bren Brews. She moved to the UK from Holland in 2007 eventually settling in Chester. “We help the beneficiaries who are on work placements with hospitality skills. I used to be a job coach with the Bren project since 2016. I have a child with learning disabilities myself.”

Thanks to all the guests who joined me. More cafes and guests in 2026