A COMMUNITY café at a church grounds which suffered the devastation of having to close last Christmas following vandalism has celebrated its long-awaited reopening.
The Star reported last December after Mount Garden café, which opened in 2022 outside the ‘Mount’ Church on Traverse Street in Fingerpost, had its windows smashed on Christmas Day evening.
The outside area on the church grounds, which formerly housed the vicarage, launched after it was transformed, with shipping containers used to create the café, with external seating, and a stage area included.
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The Mount particularly does work to help residents and give them a sense of ambition, and among the church’s works is engaging with many young people in the community by running youth groups.
Shortly after 7pm on Christmas Day, December 25, two people threw stones at the Mount Garden café’, shattering the windows.
Reverend Tim Coates said it was “gutting” to have the incident happen and that the not-for-profit café, which is mostly volunteer-run, had to use church money for the repairs.
Volunteers gave up their time to clear up the site on Boxing Day, after the vandalism.
Reverend Coates said the church was excited as the relaunch of the Mount Garden premises was held on Wednesday, May 29.
Ahead of the relaunch, Revd Coates said: "The cafe will then be open 10am to 2pm Wednesday, Thursday and Friday every week and now stocks Pimbletts pies alongside amazing The Flourist Bakery cakes, homemade pancakes and Two Brothers Coffee."
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