A Vibrant, Developing Scene: JACK MOCKFORD Explores Leicester | 25, Issue 14
Once an industrial powerhouse and exemplar of post-war urban modernism, the city of Leicester would eventually lose its place as the jewel in the crown of the United Kingdom’s East Midlands, overtaken by its aesthetically more majestic neighbor Nottingham.
The latter boasts a number of highly acclaimed specialty coffee roasters on the UK scene, yet Leicester’s own burgeoning coffee community has scarcely attracted wider attention. Despite near-miraculous football and archeological episodes capturing the public's imagination in recent times, Leicester gained a new notoriety last summer when it remained the only UK city in COVID-19 lockdown measures, despite a national easing of restrictions. Conditions for hospitality in the city have been especially tough, but how has specialty coffee in Leicester adapted to this crisis, and what plans does it have for the future?
Leicester’s specialty coffee shop story begins in 2010 with the opening of St Martin’s, an offshoot of a popular cookware shop that began roasting before opening the city’s first destination specialty café. Today, it’s abundant with diverse specialty coffee shops and roasteries. Take Café Conexion, whose integrated café and roastery space exudes a distinctively continental vibe. Another, Saints of Mokha, which developed its presence as a single origin roaster in 2020, has built a loyal following online with its colorful food offerings and flamboyant signature beverages. But as the pandemic took hold, specialty coffee businesses began to spring up outside the city, some providing a different kind of service to Leicestershire coffee lovers. St Martin’s recently unveiled a brand new roastery and coffee school in the nearby village of Great Glenn, offering customers free local delivery and generous discounts during lockdown. To the west, in the village of Kirby Muxloe, micro-roastery Wonderland Coffee is reducing waste by offering its roasts in reusable tins and plastic-free paper refill packets.
Back in the city, the original location of St Martin’s Coffee Shop continues to trade under new ownership, with manager Josh and his team working hard to safely serve visitors through a street-level hatch. Josh has also just launched a podcast, exploring the value of so-called “third places" to our everyday lives. Gail, director of the Leicester Coffee House Company (LCHC), expressed to me just how aware she has become of the value of these spaces, and how maintaining a semblance of normality in their café remains a priority. LCHC has continued to be open for takeaway, but back at the beginning of lockdown, focused on retailing its own coffee via regular home bicycle deliveries. With social enterprise and sustainability at its core, LCHC provides training opportunities for vulnerable young people, and seeks to expand its projects moving forward.
One of Leicester’s most established roasters, The Coffee Counter (TCC), recently enjoyed guest spots at the superb Bold Street Coffee in Liverpool, and at local West End café Ninety Six Degrees. Although director Ariyan closed his bar in January to focus on building its 2021 menu and soon-to-be-launched subscription service, the roastery and shop has undergone a full redevelopment and expansion. Indeed, TCC is unquestionably starting to push the boundaries of the Leicester specialty scene, and this impressive space is a clear indication of thinking ahead to busier and better times.
It has not just been Leicester’s established coffee businesses making plans, however: Out in the suburb of Stoneygate, a new specialty shop has recently opened its doors. Its owner Iqbal discovered specialty coffee while living in Australia, and has realized his dream of showcasing all that coffee has to offer in his hometown by opening The Coffee Obsessive. This is Leicester’s first café really focused on serving pour-over coffee, and an impressive range of both British and international roasters have already featured on bar. After COVID-19 restrictions end, Iqbal envisages the shop’s sizeable upstairs area will cater as a modular space used by those in the local community.
Leicester is vibrant, the UK’s most ethnically diverse city. Visitors can expect a wide range of cuisines and entertainments on offer, at least once normal service is resumed. Our coffee community is undoubtedly facing a major challenge, but I know that those right at its heart possess the talent and passion necessary to rise to it.
JACK MOCKFORD is a barista and freelance writer with a PhD in history. See more of his work @leicestercoffeeguy on Instagram.
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