A HEREFORD café has looked back to where it all began as it celebrates 25 years.

Bill’s Kitchen runs from inside All Saints Church, in High Town, and its owner Bill Sewell works with his team to feed the community and his loyal customers.

The cafes journey began in 1991 when Mr Sewell was approached by the church at his café in Ludlow.

All Saints Church’s spire had become unsafe but the church wanted to continue to keep the building open for the community.

This is when Mr Sewell was asked to oversee the project to renovate it into a café.

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He was meant to stay for three months, but he never left. It ended up being a five to six year project before the café opened in 1997 in the week of the Three Choirs.

“It was an exciting but very challenging time,” he said.

“The café allowed for the church to have a sustainable future and continue to give something back to the people of Herefordshire.

“The church and the café have been a team since it opened.”

Staff members who joined at the start or early years of the café still work there today.

When it started it served vegetarian food but after advise from local butchers it now serves an array of both meat, vegetarian and vegan options using locally sourced items.

The church is famous for its carving of a naked male figure in a lewd pose. It can be seen on a roof timber by diners at the cafe.

Mr Sewell works between both his cafes in Hereford and Ludlow.


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