Society Spotlight: The Harbour Hub Cafe, Rhyl

Sheltered within Rhyl’s picturesque harbour, the aptly named Harbour Hub Cafe is a coffee shop that provides support, jobs and life skills for people with Learning Difficulties in the North Wales region.

The cafe is run alongside a number of businesses within the region, by Prestatyn-based Co-Options, all of which provide work opportunities to those with learning disabilities.

A bustling destination for cyclists, ramblers and seafarers, Rhyl sits at the mouth of the River Clwyd, where the cafe is perfectly placed for anyone looking to stop, refuel and recharge.

The staff are able to interact and work directly with the local community; the cafe and bicycle shop have steadily become part of the fabric of town.

Combining businesses

The Bike Hub – provides repairs, spares and advice all within the same building. Very quickly the Harbour Hub Cafe is becoming the destination of choice for some of the thousands of avid cyclists visiting this part of Wales every single year.

John Turner of Co-Options, explained to us the depth of the cooperative’s enterprise schemes: “Our business currently supports around 70 adults with learning disabilities throughout a range of small businesses, all of which are fairly diverse.”

The bike shop provides repairs, the coffee shop provides the drinks whilst you wait.

“The bike shop right next to the cafe, a 10-acre small holding – growing produce for the cafe to make all manner of food items – and a fabric recycling operation all part of our portfolio.”

We’ve currently got two young guys with learning disabilities working directly within the cafe, and they really enjoy it, we can see the confidence benefits already.

Instead of being placed within a social-care system, those included in the scheme are directly affect the local community.

Being made to feel like an integral part of the of the local area is a major theme of the cooperative’s work.

A busy and bustling location, cafe staff at the Harbour Hub ensure that the adults being supported are comfortable within the working environment. Support staff are always on hand to guide and lend a hand wherever necessary.

“We’ve currently got two young guys with learning disabilities working directly within the cafe, and they really enjoy it, we can see the confidence benefits already,” John explains.

Picturesque surroundings

Rhyl’s main seafront is accessible by an iconic ‘gull-wing’ bridge that links the main portion of the town to the harbour area, this is the perfect stopping point to take in the sights and sounds of the coastline.

“It’s a brand new facility within the area, which has had it’s fair share of problems in the past, but the amount of investment in everything from coastal defences to the town itself; we think it’s almost a flagship for Rhyl.

We’re proud of the local following we’ve built up since opening.

“The harbour is at the front of the cafe, the estuary and incredible views of the coastline are all visible from the cafe viewing and seating areas.

“One of the biggest compliments, in some respects, is that when it’s a sunny day; people will go out of their way to come and sit with a hot drink outside our cafe.”

The Harbour Hub’s seating area provides some stellar views of North Wales.

“We’ve seen a lot of cycling clubs use our location as a stop-off point, obviously it helps being on the route of a national cycling network!

“Having these communities interacting with our business not only helps us sustain Harbour Hub Cafe, but we can also provide a place for local clubs and societies to gather during the traditionally leaner winter periods.

“We’re proud of the local following we’ve built up since opening.”

Subsidised business model

Continued success means that any profits made by the business are put back into all areas within the cooperative.

As long as there are no negative effects on the day-to-day running of a particular enterprise, profits made from the Harbour Hub can benefit other schemes within Co-Options portfolio.t

This increases the reach and, of course, the positive effects within another portion of the community.

With a small-holding providing ingredients used in many of the items sold in the cafe, there is a true sense of self-sufficiency oozing from the Harbour Hub.

The inside of the renovated Harbour Hub cafe.

There’s even the chance and scope for cross-promotion within each ventures, the avenues for expansion and self-promotion are greatly widened.

Not only that, but there is a real ‘feel good factor’ for all those associated with the company.

We can only applaud the effort put in by all involved, it’s a truly sustainable business model.

How did they find Caffe Society?

“We we’re spending a lot of time searching online, but really wanted a ‘complete package’ or an ‘all-in-one’ solution

“Being able to supply a machine and accompanying coffee was important, as was having access to servicing and repairs. 

“It also helped that during the setup process we could access some Barista training.

“The coffee was also a major part of why we eventually chose yourselves as a supplier, the blend was something that wasn’t offered within our vicinity.

“We get a lot of positive feedback on Super Crema – which is always good when you’ve chosen a supplier.

“Luckily we had a trained Barista on our staff from day-one, so they’ve helped the entire coffee making process.”

The Harbour Hub currently uses the Expobar Markus as their espresso machine of choice (pictured).

Given the structure and support network provided by the people at Co-Options, we are sure that the Harbour Hub Cafe will continue to go from strength-to-strength.

Set in a brilliant location, it provides an excellent way for vulnerable people within the Rhyl area to gain valuable life and social skills, whilst also increasing their confidence.

We are committed to helping organisations such as Harbour Hub to flourish and grow, despite the myriad of obstacles they face.

Inspired by the success of The Harbour Hub Cafe? Want to embark on your own coffee-creating journey? We’d love to hear from you, give us a call on 01977 687 580 or contact us tab, and we will strive to help you get your business up and running.

Last updated by Damien Wilde on Monday the 5th December 2016