John Peel Centre and Chocolate Tiger in Stowmarket celebrate café launch in Market Place

A town centre café which sells locally sourced coffee alongside gig tickets has opened its doors.

The John Peel Centre for Creative Arts in Stowmarket partnered with Chocolate Tiger Coffee Company to open 11 Market Place earlier this month.

The café, which was formerly Natwest, offers a range of hot drinks as well as cakes, bakes and other treats including sausage rolls and scones.

Owner Adam Brown, 48, said: “It’s been going really well so far.

“We’re only three weeks in and we’re already starting to get regular faces come through the door.

“We’ve had the coffee business for years and once this opportunity came up, it just made sense to go for it.

“It’s great to work in such a historic building and to support the John Peel Centre.”

The café is hoping to introduce a breakfast and lunch menu in the near future and is open Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 2.30pm.

The space is then transformed into a bar for the evening serving wine, beers and spirits.

Customers are encouraged to look at upcoming events at the venue as the box office is in the same building.

The team was handed the keys to the unit in October 2022 and they have been busy refurbishing the former bank.

Isobel Dawe, of the John Peel Centre, said: “11 Market Place café bar is the outcome of months of hard work from our team, Chocolate Tiger Coffee and all our wonderful volunteers.

“It’s been a learning curve for all of us here, as opening something like this is no small feat, but the support and feedback from the community has been truly incredible.

“We’re very happy with the result - 11 Market Place has become a new bustling hub for Stowmarket, the home for the JPC box office and a supplier of top-tier coffee, bakes and local beers.”