New community cafe opens in Inverness

Anya McDonald, Robbie Sheriffs, Tom Wall and Ishbel Barr at the cafe opening

AN ECO-friendly cafe has opened on the west side of Inverness - meaning residents will no longer have to venture to town for such a service.

Cafe-eco, a community facility striving to provide healthy living foods, opened its doors at the Charleston Community Complex yesterday, Tuesday.

Ishbel Barr and Anya MacDonald, pupils from Charleston Academy’s Eco-School Group, unveiled the new service when they cut a recycled paper chain across the entrance.

The project has been supported by Highland Council which owns the community complex and Charleston Community Complex Management Committee.

Welcoming the opening, Chairman of Charleston Community Complex Management Committee, Tom Wall said: "This is a great addition to the west side of the River Ness. Prior to the opening of Café-eco we had to go into town for a service like this. We are all working together for the benefit of the community, the school and the public."

Robbie Sheriffs, Cafe-eco’s Proprietor, said: "We are working hard to provide a sustainable solution to the café culture of Inverness and the Highlands. As we work towards achieving the Consumer Focus Scotland’s healthyliving award we will be offering a delicious food and drink selection that meets all the requirements of healthy eating including the exclusion of salt from our cooking."

For the local community, a loyalty card scheme for hot drinks will be on offer, where after the 9th drink the 10th drink is free and discount vouchers will also be available for local schoolchildren. Cafe-eco will meet Highland Council’s healthy eating policies and all coffees and teas provided will be Fairtrade supplied.

In keeping with Cafe-eco’s sustainable ethos, disposable plates and cutlery will be used. Made from 100% plant starch, all disposables will be composted over a six to 10-week period in partnership with Charleston Academy.

Cafe-eco is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm with hot breakfasts and porridge to start each day. Items on the menu will include: pasta pronto; a baked potato bar; square omelettes; fruit juices and mineral water; and fresh haddock on fish Fridays.