Flakefleet Primary set to open "swish" coffee shop for the community in school building

A Fleetwood Primary School is preparing to open its own community coffee shop.
By Catherine Musgrove
Published 8th Sep 2023, 10:57 BST
Updated 8th Sep 2023, 10:59 BST
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Flakefleet Primary in Northfleet Avenue has secured a “significant” amount of private funding to open Strive in it’s Satellite Centre.

An opening date is still to be announced, but it’s hoped that the cafe will be open from 8am-4.30pm Monday to Friday, offering quality coffee, breakfast, cakes, toasties, paninis and more.

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This is the hilarious exchange between Flakefleets head and a pupil over Yorkshire puddings

Strive has been a dream of headteacher Dave McPartlin for the past seven years. With help from healthcare company FCMS and other locals, this is now set to become a reality.

Mr McPartlin told parents in a letter: “This will be a friendly, safe and supportive place for our families and local community, somewhere we can work together to help address some of the challenges we face at this tough time.

He described it as a “bespoke (swish) coffee shop with a meeting room/art gallery for children's work and some private spaces to work and meet with families”.

Will pupils be involved?

Flakefleet Primary is set to open an independent cafe offering coffees, cakes and light bites.Flakefleet Primary is set to open an independent cafe offering coffees, cakes and light bites.
Flakefleet Primary is set to open an independent cafe offering coffees, cakes and light bites.

He added: “We will be offering opportunities for our local community to volunteer to work with us in a range of imaginative ways such as gardening, working in the coffee shop etc with staff receiving full professional barista training.

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“There will be other opportunities for children to be involved, for example working on a lunchtime and with the various clubs and groups we aim to offer. “These wil hopefully include new parent and toddler Groups, creative sessions and much more.

"When the weather is nicer, we will be able to go outside and make the most of our new outdoor ares that will accompany the coffee shop. We want our children, families and community to be involved in the development and life of Strive as much as possible - it Is YOUR coffee shop.”

How will it operate?

The coffee shop will operate as an independent and separate entity from school as a Community interest Company and there will be no cost to the school.

Ex-pupil Rupert Riley, regional manager at Caffe Nero has helped support the project, offering behind the scenes advice on how to get the project off the ground.

It is not a Caffe Nero shop, and their products will not be served.

Related topics:Yorkshire