New sustainable café opens to the public at Harwell Campus

A café with a conscience has been launched at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, ready to serve locally-sourced food and drink to the people of Didcot.

Lightbox Café will open to the community in south Oxfordshire, as well as those who work on campus.

By day it is a family-friendly coffee house, serving trendy brunches, artisan coffees and premium teas. A place where you can chill out with friends, bring the dog, pile through your emails, or even play a game of Scrabble!

On Wednesday to Friday nights, it transforms into a cosy bar perfect for post-work small plates, cocktails, and mocktails.

The menu features ingredients from local bakers, butchers and growers, as well as the Harwell site, with a focus on recipes that create zero waste.

Think hot smoked trout and crayfish sandwich, seasonal soup specials, pecan, date and coffee grind yoghurt pots, as well as cheese and tomato toasties.

Sam Mitchell of Lightbox Café, said: “Lightbox Café is a place where everyone, whether they are on site, live nearby or are just visiting the campus, is welcome. Somewhere they can relax, enjoy a meal or a drink, knowing that the environment has been considered in everything they buy.

“We hope it will be a space where future generations are inspired by the Harwell community and by our ethos of sustainability. But most of all, of course, it is about delicious food, drink, and snacks - and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.”

A partnership with United Fresh means the café has access to regional growers that champion the best quality seasonal produce. The project is inspired by contract caterer Eurest, which has won awards for its Net Zero commitment.

Bread and pastries offered at the café are from the Natural [CR1] Bread Company, and organic fairtrade teas are from Nemi, the social enterprise supplier. Fairtrade coffee is brewed every morning, with Lightbox Café donating 5p to Mental Health UK for every cup sold.

It is all part of an ethos to help grow the local economy, champion local social enterprises, and do the right thing for the environment.

For more information, visit: https://lightboxcafebar.co.uk/

 [CR1]Natural

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Editors notes

Part of the Compass Group global network, Eurest is the leading provider of foodservices in the UK, serving more than three million customers per day. It has been at the forefront of innovation in the industry for 50 years.

Seasonal menus and fresh British ingredients are key to Eurest’s offering, taking a new approach to workplace catering that supports workers across the UK to live happier, more productive lives.

Eurest places an emphasis on wellbeing, engagement, and productivity, priding itself on creating contemporary foodservice solutions, from the tearoom to the board room and everything in between.

A creative focus on responsibility, for instance by supporting local food supply chains, minimising food waste, or giving back to communities through charities, sets Eurest apart.

Employers can expect Eurest to bring exceptional culinary creativity and flair, as well as style and hospitality to inhouse restaurants, cafés and executive dining rooms operating across business and industry.