We're highlighting the shortlisted coffee shops in our competition in the News & Star. Each of the establishments will be featured over ten issues.

The Coffee Lounge has been nominated by News & Star readers as one of the ten finalists in its 'Best Coffee Shop 2024' award.

The coffee shop is located on Brampton's Townfoot Industrial Estate and is run by mother-and-daughter duo Emma and Elizabeth Holt who opened the cafe in November 2023. 

After being informed that The Coffee Lounge had been nominated by News & Star readers to feature in the final ten of the 'Best Coffee Shop 2024' award Emma was on hand to express her delight. 

She said: "With no customers, you have no business so we always have our customers in first, second, and last place when we are thinking about anything to do with the business and we are always thinking about the needs of the customer.

"It means so much to us and in today's world, there are so many coffee shops so the fact that the customers we have here have taken the time out of their busy days to nominate us means a lot.

"It also means to us that we must be getting it right."

For Emma, The Coffee Lounge has become a local favourite in its first year in business thanks to its commitment to affordable, home-cooked, and locally sourced food and drink.

She said: "What comes forward in the reviews we get is that we serve fresh home-cooked food that is affordable because food these days can be very expensive.

"We use local businesses for produce so we love supporting local businesses and I think we are friendly, we are clean, and it is accessible.

"On the industrial estate, there is plenty of parking, we are on a flat so people who struggle walking and mum with prams can get to us easily.

Emma also owns The Lotus Rooms, a holistic centre which is located above The Coffee Lounge, and explained how the two businesses have formed a natural relationship that is open to the local community.

She said: "I found through Covid and coming through the other side of it people's mental health and the need to have a relationship with somebody where they can talk freely became important. 

"A lot of our customers will come and have a cuppa, a cake, and talk to me or my mum and then come upstairs for a treatment. 

"I just think the cafe is a hub, we also get a lot of people who come in on their own that come. Here the door is always open and they can come and have a natter."