Cycle theme puts new spin on cafe

Cafe chain owners Chris and Jonelle Jarvis are stepping outside the square with a new cycle-themed cafe, set to occupy the former Tuki Kitchen building on Te Mata Road.

"It's not going to be a Bay Espresso, with a cycle way track at the end of the road, we are going to call it Tandem," Mr Jarvis says.

"We will have racks so people can come along and park up their road bike or BMX and have a bite to refuel, re-nourish and tell stories about how great they are at climbing or how fast they can ride."

While the name and many of the features will be completely different, people can still expect the things they have come to know and love about Bay Espresso cafes.

"The key elements will still be there. The environment, service and great coffee won't change, so from that point of view it will be familiar."

The menu will allow customers to build their own brunch or breakfast with the option of cabinet or takeaway food.

"There will be plenty of healthy salads, people can even pack a backpack and head down to the river."

There are plans to hire tandem bikes from the cafe, and it is hoped the spot will become a popular meeting point for people from all walks of life.

"It's not just for cyclists, it can be for mums with kids, we're not going to build a playground or Fantasy Land or anything but there's certainly space for them to run around; plenty of parking, lots of places to park up kiddy buggies.

"The lawn is great, and there's no reason why we can't chuck a bean bag or two out there."

Much like their other break-away cafe, Adam and Eva's in Havelock North, Chris and Jonelle hope to experiment with new ideas at Tandem.

"I didn't want it to be a Bay Espresso, I wanted something we can try things on without being held to the Bay Espresso formula.

"Those cycle tracks are such an asset in Hawke's Bay, they are well used and I think they are only going to attract more interest."

While a concrete opening date had not been set, there was a goal to open by September 1.