Brand new cafe with soft play opening in Northampton this spring and owner hopes it will become ‘vibrant community hub’

A brand new cafe is set to open in Northampton this spring and the owner hopes it will become a “vibrant community hub”.

Genevieve’s Cafe is a family-run business coming to Dragonfly Way in Pineham village – offering drinks, breakfast, lunch and cakes with a soft play area to entertain children and a dog-friendly space.

The business was founded by Laura Hughes and, with the help of her partner Calum Brennan, the cafe will open to the public this spring.

When asked if the aim of the new business is to fill a gap in the market in Northampton, Laura said: “Exactly that.”

The business founder previously worked in recruitment for more than a decade and was told she was going to be made redundant, before going on maternity leave during the pandemic.

After that, she started an events business and bought a franchise of The Mum Club in Milton Keynes – which saw the start of her running brunches for fellow mothers in the area.

“I was going round the venues and seeing what they were doing,” said Laura. “In Northampton there’s not really any cafes that are child-friendly.”

Genevieve’s will remain as a cafe with entertainment for little ones, but Laura does not want to limit her customers to just parents and children.

She shared her experience as a mother that popular venues across the town are limited on space and you are not guaranteed to get a table.

The new cafe will seat between 40 and 50 people, with the potential to expand upstairs. The upstairs space will be the ideal location for people who want to work in the cafe, as it will be separate from the child and dog-friendly areas.

It is a small area at the front of the cafe that will be dog-friendly, as they hope to attract walkers and cyclists from the nearby Upton Country Park.

Both Laura and Calum have years of experience in hospitality. Laura worked in the industry for six years prior to her recruitment role, and Calum worked as a hospitality manager for 15 years.

Calum will assist Laura in getting the cafe off the ground and as he will remain in his full-time job, Laura will be in charge of the day-to-day running of Genevieve’s.

Pineham was the ideal location for the cafe as the pair live nearby and Laura said: “Sixfields has a lot of chains and it’s great we’ve got that, but there’s nowhere that’s more focused on the community on this side of town.”

The work on the building began last Friday (February 2) and it is being completely gutted – with new internals, rewiring and replumbing – so they can “start afresh”.

“We hope it’s going to be relaxing, friendly and focused on customer service,” said Laura. “We’re really going to focus on allergies and make sure we cater to everyone. Lots of children have different allergies.

“It’ll be warm and welcoming, and a vibrant community hub for this location.”

The team will offer breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea options and booking will not be required, which was an important factor for Laura.

They also hope to secure an alcohol licence to host ticketed evening events, such as supper clubs and candle making sessions, as well as being available for private hire.

Genevieve’s will be open seven days a week and Laura is currently in the process of recruiting staff. They are looking for four-to-six barista and front of house staff members, who can either be part or full-time. At least two chefs will be required in the kitchen, plus a couple of kitchen assistants.

Laura is proud of her commitment to supporting local businesses, with all the builders, electricians and plumbers involved in the refurbishment being recruited nearby. The coffee company they are working with is also based in Market Harborough.

Genevieve’s is interested in collaborating with local bakers when they open, by stocking their delicious creations.

“I’m really fortunate to be in a position where I can open a cafe,” said Laura. “I know so many people who live here and would have loved to do something with our space. I want to make sure I’m paying it back and supporting other small businesses. That’s a massive thing for me.”

There will also be shelving in the cafe that small businesses can rent. No matter what it is they sell, they can rent and create a mini shop front in Genevieve’s.

With a former role in recruitment that enabled her to help so many people secure jobs, it is important for Laura to continue helping others moving forward.

To keep up to date with Genevieve’s Cafe’s progress, or to express interest in the roles available, check out the business’ Instagram page here.