Blakemore Retail has opened a new Insomnia coffee shop at the site of its recently-relaunched Spar Thurcroft store in Rotherham.

The Insomina coffee shop, which is located in the unit next door to the Spar, offers a selection of fresh coffees and cakes, along with breakfast and sandwich option.

It is Blakemore Retail’s second coffee shop addition through its partnership with Insomnia, with plans to develop further stores.

Blakemore Retail fresh & foodservice development director Matt Teague said: “In line with our foodservice development plans, adding the Insomnia coffee shop to the already successful Spar, Greggs and Subway stores has created another dimension to our Thurcroft store location, where we have generated an exciting shopping experience and a fantastic hub of choice for shoppers in the local community and surrounding areas.”

The launch of the new coffee shop was made special by local resident Fred Gething who donated a series of old photographs of the Thurcroft village, including the Thurcroft Hotel and colliery, to be used in coffee shop’s unique interior design.

“To add a real sense of local atmosphere, we have included a feature wall within the coffee shop, depicting the mining heritage of the village and we thank local resident Fred Gething for his kind generosity in donating the photographs used,” Teague added.

Blakemore Retail has made a £200 donation through its charitable trust, the Blakemore Foundation, to local children’s hospice Bluebell Wood at Fred’s request.

The new coffee shop has created jobs for six new members of staff, and offers indoor and outdoor seating for 35 customers.