Café 62 has officially opened in the heart of Newport, welcoming locals and visitors to a warm and inclusive space integrated within the Newport Health and Wellbeing Centre.
The vibrant new café – in the former HMV premises – offers more than just a great cuppa. It’s the latest milestone in the centre’s mission to bring people together and support joined-up physical and mental health services on the Island.
Run by Osel Enterprises Ltd, a local charity supporting people with learning disabilities, mental health challenges and other lived experience, Café 62 serves fresh, healthy, and affordable food and drink.
For over 30 years, Osel has supported Islanders with disabilities through social enterprises such as Wight Crystal bottled water, reinvesting profits into projects that create meaningful work and opportunities for people facing physical or mental health challenges.
Much of the café’s menu is supplied by the popular Scarrots Lane Bakery and Island-based suppliers. The café was also set up with the help of Island-based suppliers including Betapak, Island Tea and Coffee, and ICR Systems – further strengthening its local connections.
The café provides not only a welcoming space for patients, staff and passers-by, but also offers paid employment and work experience opportunities to individuals who may otherwise face barriers to the workplace. NHS staff also benefit from a discount, as a thank-you for the vital work they do. The café has already received interest from community groups looking to use the spacious venue for events and meetings.
Mags Gallop, Café Manager, has said:
“We want Café 62 to be more than a café – it’s a space where everyone feels welcome. Good food, friendly faces and a relaxed atmosphere are at the heart of what we do.
“The café’s large glass windows offer views of the bustling high street, while inside the space is bright, accessible and inclusive. Visitors can expect a rotating menu of healthy options, including vegetarian, vegan and allergen-friendly choices, with an emphasis on listening to customer feedback to shape future offerings”.
Lucy Abel, Clinical Director for the Isle of Wight at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, says,
“Café 62 embodies what the Newport Health and Wellbeing Centre is all about – connection, inclusion, and wellbeing. It offers real opportunities for local people with lived experience and creates a warm, social space for everyone who comes through our doors”.
Café 62 is now open, Monday to Friday, 08:00-16:00.
The island needs more good priced cafes.