Cafes in Chichester: Fenwick's Cafe's owners are excited to reopen its doors and unveil its new outside space in Priory Park

The Priory Park cafe closed its doors on January 6 for annual maintenance and so staff could enjoy a holiday.

Reopening its doors at 9.30am today (Tuesday, February 1) it now offers diners a more comprehensive outside space with heaters, sheep skin seating and blankets.

Dawn Bunker, who owns Fenwick’s with her husband Robert, said: "It will be great for our business. We have found with Covid more and more of our customers want to sit outside and don't mind it being a little chilly as long as it isn't wet, so last winter we applied for planning permission to get the parasols and ordered them."

Now 60 per cent of the outside space is covered with the parasols and detachable sides so even in the wind and rain customers can enjoy their food and coffee.

Dawn said: "All the staff are excited and glad they will be warm when they go outside to take orders.

"We have really enhanced the space. 60 per cent is now covered and because of the shape of the building we still have some tables that are uncovered, so if people prefer to sit there they can.

"In the summer the sides can come down and we can take parasols down but we find a lot of people still want a bit of shade.

"We feel we have also enhanced the space for wheelchair users as the outside seating is warmer and offers a bit more room for those that use a wheelchair."

Dawn adds that winter is usually their quieter time but this new space means they can offer their customers more all year round.

The business started in Hotham Park, in Bognor Regis before moving to Priory Park in 2014.

Dawn said: "We started in a kiosk that my husband had built and it has been great to see it go from strength to strength, from that kiosk to where we are today. We still have some customers who have been with us since the beginning."

In the summer the cafe is open later and on Fridays and Saturdays has live music and an evening menu.

The cafe serves locally sourced and freshly prepared food, homemade cakes and coffee, it is also a licensed premises so you can enjoy a glass of wine with your lunch.

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