Our residents are thrilled to have their bistros open again at three of our Stoke-based retirement living villages.
All three closed at Maple West, Oak Priory and Willlow Barns in the main due to the impact of the pandemic, but thanks to the determination of the local councils and our own teams, we now have two new cafe owners up and running at the three sites.
The Teapot Training Cafe CIC is now open at Maple West and Oak Priory, and the Grocott Centre is running the bistro at Willow Barns.
June, a resident at Willow Barns said “We’ve missed the bistro. It's a wonderful meeting place for us. The food is lovely, and there is a lot of choice. We had a chicken roast recently and it was beautiful. The puddings are nice too.”
Louise, Service Coordinator for Grocott Centre at Willow Barns, added, "From the moment the hatch opened there was a queue of residents as they filled the bistro with chatter and laughter. A family was visiting and sat with their Nan to enjoy lunch. It is a hub for residents.''
And it's not just for residents either! Anyone can pop in so please do as business is always welcome, plus they can host parties and small events.
Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for adult services at City of Stoke-on-Trent said, “It's extremely positive to have bistros operating again across the three schemes, as the bistros not only provide the option of freshly prepared meals but also offer residents and the wider community further opportunities to meet up and socialise with each other.”
