Meet the couple behind Northampton cafe that has been set up to help the whole community

The Study Room Cafe has educational purposes as well as an aim to combat loneliness.
Danielle Ayres, 34 and Jordan Ayres, 36 own The Study Room Cafe. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.Danielle Ayres, 34 and Jordan Ayres, 36 own The Study Room Cafe. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
Danielle Ayres, 34 and Jordan Ayres, 36 own The Study Room Cafe. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.

For one couple, around a year ago, owning their own business that could help the community was just a 'silly dream’.

Now that dream has become a reality and they are working hard to make sure their business is a success

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Danielle and Jordan Ayres, from Weston Favell, own The Study Cafe in Roe Road, Northampton and run it with help from their daughter and a volunteer English tutor.

The cafe is located on Roe Road, Northampton. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.The cafe is located on Roe Road, Northampton. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
The cafe is located on Roe Road, Northampton. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.

The cafe is home to group classes and 1-1s for school students and is a place for people to work and drink coffee, as well as somewhere that can help alleviate loneliness.

Danielle, who teaches part-time at Abbeyfield School, said: “It was a massively scary thing and a silly dream really.”

Jordan added: “It was last Christmas when we started discussing it, we started looking for premises and this one came up cheap and and it started rolling from there.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Study Room Cafe is a non-profit company that the couple hopes it will ‘provide for the community’.

There are plenty of inspirational quotes around the cafe. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.There are plenty of inspirational quotes around the cafe. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
There are plenty of inspirational quotes around the cafe. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.

Danielle, who also used to be a cafe assistant manager, said: “Evenings are formal. In the evenings we have GCSE related classes of about 10 to 12 people aiming to pass their GSCEs.

“They’re normal people who care a lot but do not naturally find it that easy.

“These classes are £5 for an hour and half because 1-to-1s price most people out.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We’ve also just finished a British Sign Language course as well so people can communicate with a neighbour or a family member.”

The downstairs of the cafe is open to the public 10am-4pm. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.The downstairs of the cafe is open to the public 10am-4pm. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
The downstairs of the cafe is open to the public 10am-4pm. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.

But the cafe is not just about exams and education, Danielle and Jordan are also keen to reach people who are isolated or lonely.

Danielle added: “We have a 'sit and sew' on Wednesday that is £5 for two hours to encourage people to get out of the house and come do something.

“It is open to anyone and we do get a mix.

“We get home schooled children come to these less formal classes but we aimed them more at older people.”

The upstairs of the cafe is the classroom. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.The upstairs of the cafe is the classroom. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
The upstairs of the cafe is the classroom. Photo: Kirsty Edmonds.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The cafe has been open since September last year and the couple says the educational side is going well, as they are nearly at full capacity for the 1-to-1s.

Danielle said: “The public side is what we would like to improve upon.

“We want to get the message out there that the public are welcome here. We want to tell people to come for a chat or come to sit and read.

“We are chatty people and we will sit and chat with anyone.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jordan, who has always worked in retail and previously owned his own business, added: “We don’t get the footfall here, but we are open as a normal cafe and people can come in for a coffee.”

The menu at The Study Room Cafe has recently been updated to include waffles and toasties and Danielle is hoping it will appeal to their younger customers.

Looking to the future, Danielle and Jordan are looking into setting up an after school club as well as targeting get older students.

Jordan said: “We would like to see more university students in general but if they want to come and teach here to get some experience they can.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Danielle added: “We’re up for doing what the community wants really. If you want a French class, if enough people want it, we will try to set it up.

“We just want the place to fill up really.

“I’m at my happiest when it’s busy here, like it is on a Monday night for classes.”

To find out more about what The Study Room Cafe is about, to book onto tutoring classes and to find out cafe opening times, visit its Facebook page.

Related topics: