Nostimo is Bishop's Stortford mayor's Business of the Month

Whether it is picking up a daily coffee, meeting a friend for a catch-up, taking the children for a treat or lunch with colleagues, visiting a café is an increasingly popular habit for many of us, writes Bishop's Stortford BID manager Gina Thomas.

Fortunately, our town centre is home to a wide selection, each offering something a little different but all with a warm welcome waiting.

Only this week there was a thread on a local Facebook group about where to breastfeed in Bishop's Stortford, and the overwhelming response from so many people was that all the cafés in the town have been welcoming to them.

Interestingly, the British Coffee Association states that on the high street, café culture is booming, with 80% of people who visit coffee shops doing so at least once a week, while 16% visit on a daily basis. This is very important for all our town centre businesses, as we all benefit from an increase in visitors.

Bishop's Stortford is home to well-known national coffee shop chains and a variety of independently-run businesses. With courtyard gardens, rooftop settings and even a soft play, there really is something for everyone right here. Next time you're in town, stay for a cuppa and perhaps try a new one out.

It seems appropriate, then, that the Mayor's Business of the Month award for August goes to Café Nostimo, the family-run business on the corner of Market Square and Bridge Street. Cllr Keith Warnell selected them as a result of multiple nominations commending them for excellent customer service and range of speciality products.

Mr and Mrs Phillips' nomination sums up why they were chosen as winners.

They said: "We've been customers for a number of years, even during lockdown, when Nostimo operated a takeaway service.

"This is not just a café/deli but a café/deli hub. A café where the customer always receives a warm welcome and a smile from Dimitri, Vaida and staff and where friendships are made.

"The food and drink are of high quality and there's a great variety of delicious gelati. We cannot imagine Bishop's Stortford without Nostimo. We always look forward to our weekly visit."

Our congratulations to the team at Café Nostimo. If you have a favourite town centre business, please let us know and they could be receiving the mayor's award for September. Just email the details to info@bishopsstortfordbid.co.uk.