WELL-LOVED café at the heart of the city is desperate for new home.

After eight years, the team at Café Bliss built up a reputation known for its unique Belizean food and its live music in the form of Lazy Sundays, before closing in May.

An idea was pitched for the new intended site, offering people a chance to envision how they’d like to participate within the new venue, in Carden Street. The aim is to build a community centre, offering dynamic space for those who are socially excluded, and for groups to enjoy the sense of belonging all under one roof.

Amanda Hickling, manager at Café Bliss, said: “We’ve located a site which is central and on a larger scale. The space offers rooms from where our existing groups and potential interested parties could function. It has a café where we can continue to share our love of food and culture, a place to educate, train and socialise, alongside a large open space where entertainment can bring people from diverse backgrounds together.

“I have so much passion in me that I feel the need to carry on. Everyone has said ‘we will come with you.’

“We were surprised at the number of attendees and it was great satisfaction to receive over 20 applications from interested parties wanting to play a part in our new venture.

“We anticipate that this will be a way of making sure that all communities are included and supported, completing the gap in the existing picture as a complementary service rather than a competitive one.”

Café Bliss became a hub for several local groups, enabling people to share their passion and knowledge with others who they wouldn’t usually be associated with.

Nicola Longworth-Cook, from LGBT charity, Out2gether, said: “Our group really benefitted having its own private meeting area to discuss matters.

“For this to work, it will depend on all of us coming together. It is the old school way of surviving.

“Worcestershire pride came out of Café Bliss, it’s where it began. We started visiting the café to discuss gay issues. It all snowballed from there.”

Coordinator for St Pauls Hostel Creative Group, Gerry Lowman, said: “It’s for all types of organisations to visit. The warmth that there is at Café Bliss makes you feel comfortable and it provides a loving atmosphere that you can’t get elsewhere.

“I’d love to have my weekly meetings there, hopefully the new venue will open soon.”

Amanda Hickling added: “We are independent thinking, offering a chance for people to have a voice and share their knowledge in a sociable safe environment. We have interested investors to make this happen and hope you’re able to support our venture in the near future.

“I’d like to introduce to you ‘Urban Bliss’ a wellbeing centre.”