Chiltern Railways are very pleased to announce that start-up coffee shop Morning Sunshine will be opening at Warwick Parkway station this month. We sat down with Myles and Ashley to find out a bit more about them ahead of the official re-opening of Warwick Parkway station and Morning Sunshine coffee shop.
Tell us a bit about yourself
Ashley: I’m a 27-year-old caffeine fanatic - Espresso, Chemex, Aeropress or a quick instant - my day begins with coffee. I’ve been involved in just about every step of the coffee process from washing mugs and teapots, managing cafes and espresso bars, to visiting coffee at source with the farmers. When I’m not working I can be found in the peak district, at coffee festivals (that’s right they exist!), on my bike or climbing at local centres.
Myles: As a student, I witnessed the coffee scene grow in the Midlands. Student life also gave me the opportunity to help start-ups, run events and create my own side hustles alongside my University course. The business bug bit me hard! When not in business mode I can be found in coffee shops, knee deep in a flat white or peppermint tea, with my head in a book. I’ve played semi-professional rugby and love a good mountain hike.
How are you involved with the Prince’s Trust?
We were able to secure our place on the Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme last year. We entered an intensive course period where we were able to hone our business skills and work towards our end goal. For us, the most important element of the Princes Trust was access to a dedicated mentor. We’ve wasted no time in soaking up as much knowledge as we can and the help and advice from The Princes Trust has been invaluable.
Are you local to the area?
Ashley: Yes, I grew up in Kenilworth and moved to Nottingham after graduation. I’ve been living in Kenilworth for the last two years while working as a manager in several coffee shops.
Myles: Yes, after graduating from Aston University I moved back home to Coventry. I’ve just moved to Leamington - Coffee HQ!
What can customers look forward to?
Aside from a friendly face and a warm welcome, our customers can look forward to specialty coffee and gourmet teas as well as a range of hot and cold breakfast and lunch options. We plan to cater for dietary requirements wherever possible - we’ll be looking for feedback from customers on this.
We aim to provide a fast, efficient service for the busy morning commute and add personal touches like remembering customer’s names and daily order.
We are surrounded by some great local businesses and will be offering our customers the best of their baking produce as well as guest coffee blends to complement our homemade offering.
Finally, we can confirm - bacon and sausage options will be on sale throughout the day as well.
What makes you different?
Our commitment to high level customer experience. Put simply, we care about what we’re doing and hope this will shine through with the service we provide and the products we offer.
We understand waking up at the crack of dawn to start your commute can be stressful and tiring - we want to brighten up that journey and give our customers a positive start to their day.
We have ethically sourced high-quality ingredients for our food options and use biodegradable cups and lids to reduce our carbon foot print. We also have created our own re-usable bamboo cups, are working with local businesses and looking to hire within the local area.
How does it feel that Chiltern has given this opportunity to a local start up?
We’re excited. We have worked with Chiltern Railways previously when we managed Gourmet Coffee Bar & Kitchen and Little Italy Espresso Bar at Leamington Spa Station.
We worked hard to pitch our brand at the right level and feel supported by Chiltern. It’s great they recognised our hard work and commitment within the rail industry. It’s now up to us to show Chiltern Railways and the commuters of Warwick Parkway what we’re made of.
Debunk the Flat White Debate - What is a Flat White?
The Flat White is a trendy but no-nonsense coffee - espresso with steamed milk, finished with a thin layer of micro-foam. So, you get a strong flavour and velvety taste from the steamed milk. It originated from Australia and New Zealand and a staple of the UK coffee shop menu.
What makes the perfect cup of coffee?
We have our favourite blends, countries of origin, equipment used, baristas and venues, but for us, the perfect cup will be a combination of those - it’s different for everyone. A perfect cup of coffee might be the sneaky one before the kids get up; or the one from the bookshop you escape to on your lunch break. It could be the double espresso, caffeine hit, you gulp down to get through a tough meeting. The ‘perfection’ embodies the entire experience.
For more information and regular updates from Morning Sunshine Coffee, you can visit their website at: www.morningsunshinecoffee.com or find them on Instagram @morningsunshinecoffee or Facebook: morningsunshinecoffee.