A CAFÉ in Bournemouth has been crowned Daily Echo’s Café of the Year.

The Welcome Inn at Victoria Park Methodist Church came out on top following a public vote. 

Amy Hunt, manager at the cafe was overjoyed at the win, she said: “We are so incredibly grateful, and humbled, to win the Café of the Year.

“We are only 16 months into trading and so to win this is an amazing honour - we are very thankful to the amazing community we are able to call friends.

“We have all been overwhelmed by the response to the café in the community - it has become a hub where our customers have become our friends and we all genuinely care for each other.

Bournemouth Echo:

The win was equally as special following the death of former owner, Sian Toffoletti at just the age of 50. 

Amy added: “Sian was passionate about providing an intergenerational space where people of all ages and from all areas of life could be welcomed and could spend time together whilst enjoying food and drink at affordable prices.

"Sian was able to open this cafe in March 2020 but sadly Covid meant that it was only able to open for a few days and it was then Sian very sadly passed away.

"The vision remained and a team of people from Bournemouth Methodist Church wanted to keep her vision alive and by May 2022 they had been able to employ a cafe manager and cafe assistant as well as a wonderful team of volunteers and the cafe was ready to reopen.”

"We do our best to ensure that everyone is made to feel welcome."

"It is also a chance for customers to pause and enjoy a coffee and a slice of homemade cake, an opportunity to chat with friends while the children play or a place to meet new friends for the first time."

The cafe offers a selection of light lunches and freshly baked cakes along with coffee and various children's lunches. 

The café situated in Jameson Road is open Tuesday to Friday between 9am and 4pm.