A COMMUNITY café which closed down amid growing competition from chain restaurants in Yate is being reopened as an independent business.

The Ridgewood Café, based within Ridgewood Community Centre, shut on April 22 unable to compete with High Street brands Nando’s, Frankie and Benny’s and Costa which have opened at neighbouring £25million development Yate Riverside.

Members of groups which use the community centre mourned its loss and staff spoke of the loss to the community but less than a month later the café is due to reopen with a revitalised menu and later opening hours.

Former Waitrose and Marks and Spencer employee Cheryl Trew, who runs her own cake-making business, has taken over running the café as a separate entity from the community centre.

She said: “I am really excited and can’t wait for it to open.

“I think it just needs to have a bit more of a modern menu and needs to be open longer. Previously it shut at 2.30pm and was missing a lot of the people at the centre.”

The café will open from 9am to 9pm Monday to Thursday and 9am to 5pm on Fridays and, in another first, on Saturdays.

“I am going to be doing cooked breakfasts as well as healthier options like avocados on toast,” said Cheryl, who has re-employed the three staff who lost their jobs when the café closed.

“I will be doing a lot for people who like healthy food and will be running cookery lessons and children’s classes during the summer.

“It is going to be affordable for people, the price of coffee will be coming down and we will be running special offers.”

She said she was confident the café would compete with the chain restaurants nearby.

“I have my own cake business and have worked for Waitrose and Marks and Spencer,” said Cheryl. “I know what things people like to eat and most of our food will be homemade.”

Ridgewood Community Centre manager Anne-Marie Cook said she was thrilled that the café was to reopen.

Ridgewood Café reopens on Tuesday, May 10 at 9am.