Much-loved cafe returns to leading Midlands science park

A much-loved café has made a welcome return to a leading Midlands science park, following overwhelming demand from businesses based on-site.

Founded by Annmarie and Simon Crawley, Loaf & Co had previously operated at the Venture Centre, part of the University of Warwick Science Park, before the pandemic forced the couple to pause operations.

Now, with renewed energy and a fresh focus, the café is back - serving up made-to-order sandwiches, sausage rolls, pastries, cakes, and a carefully curated selection of teas and coffees.

“It’s absolutely brilliant to be back at the Venture Centre,” Annmarie said.

“Knowing that the tenants had called for us to come back was really nice to hear, and we’re hopeful we can be a part of attracting new business to the Venture Centre as well.

“Now we’ve relaunched, we’ve made a point of partnering up with independent businesses such as MOR Bakery in Stratford, and Coffee Architects in Leamington, to ensure the food we serve is of high quality while also supporting Coventry and Warwickshire’s catering industry.

“We also hope to use the Venture Centre as a base for our outside catering business. We had built up a strong network of clients in the region, and we’re aiming to rebuild this this side of the business alongside running the café.

“Loaf & Co has only been here for a short time but we’re already seeing very positive results. We can’t wait to see what the future holds – there may be scope for us to open further cafés at other Science Park sites if all goes well.”

Victoria Lynch, head of commercial at the University of Warwick Science Park, added: “We regularly survey our tenants around what they would like to see improve at the Science Park, and one thing that regularly came up at the Venture Centre was the return of a café serving fresh food.

“We knew that Simon and Annmarie were looking to get their catering business going again, so approached them to see if they would like to come back.

“It’s great to have Loaf & Co here. Not only will it please our tenants who have been asking for a new café, but should be an extra bonus for any new businesses thinking of moving in or start-ups using our new Ignite Business Lounge.

“With its community-focused approach, commitment to quality, and plans for future growth, Loaf & Co is set to become a vital ingredient in the continued success of the Venture Centre, and possibly beyond.”

Loaf & Co is open at the Venture Centre on weekdays from 8:30am to 2:30pm.

Anyone wishing to find out more can follow the team on Instagram at @loafandco.uwsp for the latest menu items, weekly sandwich specials, and exclusive deals.