Maidenhead & Windsor

It's all change at Maidenhead's popular community café Bridge That Gap next week with a trio of "specials" - a new home, longer opening hours and a bigger menu.

It will be service with an even broader smile as the popular community eaterie moves into its new home in the Desborough suite in the Maidenhead Town Hall, extends its opening times from one day a week to five and adds to its already popular and mouthwatering menu.

The thriving Maidenhead café – run by service users from Brunel and Oakbridge day centres - will now open Monday to Friday from 10am until 4pm, and its popular lunchtime fare will be extended from teas and coffees and sandwiches to include jacket potatoes, salads, hot soup and a range of panini snacks.

The kettle will be on and the doors will be open wide as the café celebrates its move with a housewarming party and official launch on Tuesday January 17 at 11am when deputy Maidenhead mayor Cllr Beverley Green will cut the ceremonial ribbon before inviting visitors to try out the mouthwatering menu.

Regular diners have been enjoying the Bridge That Gap hospitality since 2003 where it began life one day a week in St Mary's Church, High Street, Maidenhead. At the beginning of last year the café moved to the Methodist Church in the High Street and changed its opening day to Thursday.

The café's popularity inspired "second helpings" in 2004 with the opening of Bridge That Gap mark two in St John the Baptist Church, High Street, Windsor, where it will re-open at Easter serving tourists, shoppers and office workers.

Both Brunel and Oakbridge provide a popular service for Maidenhead adults with learning difficulties, with in-house activities ranging from computer training to kitchen hygiene, as well as outreach work including opportunities to study at local colleges, undertake
conservation projects and enjoy a variety of social outings.

Maidenhead Cllr Pam Proctor, lead member for social services, said: "I am really thrilled with the success of Bridge That Gap, and delighted at the response it has had from customers since it first opened.

"The whole venture is a huge boost to the self-respect of all our users – and it is wonderful to see them taking such pride in the service they are providing. By opening the café every day we are introducing the users to a realistic work ethic, as well as giving them the opportunity to put into practice some of the skills they learn at the day centres.

"I am sure the café will continue to go from strength to strength, enjoyed by both Town Hall staff and members of the public."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead