The London Coffee Festival 2026

Really pleased to have taken part as a speaker at this year’s London Coffee Festival on the panel:

☕ “More than just a coffee: A spotlight on community”

A huge thank you to Nichola Reeder for inviting me to be part of such an interesting discussion alongside Jayne Cromwell from Carnival Coffee Roasters and Cemal Ezel OBE from Change Please.

We spoke about the changing role of cafés as community spaces and the reality that community doesn’t just happen by accident. It takes planning, adaptability, inclusivity and a huge amount of work behind the scenes from independent operators already juggling hospitality, staffing, compliance, social media and rising costs.

One of the most interesting parts of the discussion was exploring how both independents and larger chains are increasingly recognising the value of connection, belonging and community within hospitality.

It was a proud moment to represent Maple Park Café on a national stage and a good reminder that small independent cafés can still play an important role in bringing people together locally.

Thanks again to everyone who came along and contributed to the conversation.

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