New community business espresso bar

Espresso East, situated on the Newtownards Road near the Holywood Arches in East Belfast, opened its doors for the first time on 8 September. The espresso bar sells a wide selection of speciality coffees and teas but also doubles as an internet cafe.

Customers visiting Espresso East commented on how "pleasant the surroundings" were and said that they would definitely call in again. Others commented on what a "friendly classy place" the cafe was. But most were just happy that there was at last a specialty coffee shop in the area. The non-smoking policy was appreciated by most of the customers.

All Espresso East coffees are produced using fairtrade products. The Fairtrade system ensures that producers in poor countries are paid a fair price for their product which covers both cost of production and enables future development. Also the food is supplied by Edgcumbe Catering Services, operated by the Orchardville Society. The Orchardville Society provides people with a learning disability "the opportunity to maximise their potential, achieve a real sense of fulfillment and be a valued member of society."

All the profits from Espresso East are used for community benefit, in this case through the East Belfast Partnership, an agency involved in the regeneration of East Belfast. Espresso East was established with support from the Belfast Local Strategic Partnership, using funds from the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.