The Poetry Cafe, WC2H, UK

The Poetry Café
22 Betterton Street
London WC2H 9BX
Email: poetrycafe@poetrysociety.org.uk
Telephone: 020 7420 9888

web site 

Create Cafe Project Activities 

critique sessions
open mic
poetry readings
yoga
young poets 

The Pendle Heritage Centre, Pendle, Lancs UK

Pendle Heritage
Park Hill, Colne Road
Barrowford, nr. Burnley,
Lancashire  BB9 6JQ   United Kingdom

To contact the Pendle Heritage Centre…
Telephone: 01282 677 150    E-mail: pendleheritagecentre@htnw.co.uk
To contact the Friends of Pendle Heritage…
Telephone: 01282 677 150 E-mail: pendleheritage@gmail.com

Web site 

Creative Cafe Project Activities  

• book events
• dance 
• exhibitions
• museum
• venue hire

 

Shire Hall Cafe, Dorchester, UK

Shire Hall Historic Courthouse
High West Street, Dorchester
Dorset DT1 1UY
Tel: 01305 261849

Web site  

Creative Cafe Activities

• art
• craft 
• live music
• talks 
• theatre
• writer in residence     

Report form Gail Aldwin, writer in residence

The Pantry, Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport, Dorset UK

Bridport Arts Centre
South Street
Bridport
Dorset
DT6 3NR

01308 424 204

 Web site

Creative Café Project Activities 

• art exhibitions
• comedy
• film
• live music  
• theatre
• writer in residence 

Read about a writing residency here.  

The Short and Sweet Company, Wimborne, BH 21

5A Mill Lane

Wimborne

Dorset
BH21 1JQ 

United Kingdom

01202 880444

Web site

Creative Cafe Project Activities  

• book events 
• book crossing
• writer in residence  

Read about a residency here.

The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry

Belgrade Square

Coventry
CV1 4AJ
024 7655 6762

Creative Cafe Activities

• live theatre 
• networking
• venue hire 
• writing group

The Happy Heart Cafe Solihull Review

The Happy Heart Cafe.                                                       

26 Richmond Road,

Olton SOLIHULL,

West Midlands.

Tel: 0121 706 8674

Nicolette’s lavishly illustrated website (www.happyheartcafe.co.uk) nearly says it all, except that the warmth of her welcoming smile sets the atmosphere of this home from home for many local people. Opened in 2014, people from across east Birmingham and north Warwickshire are drawn to the huge variety of activities for which the Happy Heart Café, Olton, is such a popular venue. This is helped by a location on major bus routes (30 and 37), and just a few steps from Olton train station (from and into Moor Street station in Central Birmingham).

Breakfast and lunch dishes are prepared and presented with a variety, love and beauty reflective of Nicolette’s firm philosophy that food is to be respected rather than processed. Vegetarian and vegan options are readily, though not exclusively, available. Her homemade cakes and biscuits are irresistibly offered to her customers in a most attractive display. They are as good as they look, as are her colourful and artistic salads, pastas, omelettes, baguettes, paninis, sandwiches, toasties and wraps.

Solid, scrubbed 6-seat tables, and a variety of chairs and squashy sofas, ensure comfortable capacity for casual visitors and participants in special events. Wall decorations are varied and undeniably cheering. Many a visitor for one purpose has found further fascinating events to attend on the wall-posters, and the eclectic collection of books for browsing and buying combines with good internet connectivity for ‘phone and laptop reading while enjoying a huge variety of teas, coffee, soft drinks and satisfying meals.

Regular, activities include music, literary readings, explorations of spirituality, well-being and mindfulness, and many forms of craftwork, during which casual visitors for a cuppa or a meal are more than welcome.

Review by Robert Ferguson, a regular contributor to CafeLit.