Customers mourn loss of popular vegan cafe and community hub

A POPULAR café in Cambridge has closed - leaving many customers feeling "really sad" to be losing a community space.

- By AMY BRITTON

Darren Green opened Thrive on Norfolk Street alongside a group of friends five years ago to create a place that just served plant-based food.

The café originally opened right before the first Covid-19 lockdown, which Mr Green describes as a “stressful time”.

Thrive managed to survive this period and was able to attract “a lot of different communities” across Cambridge when it was finally able to welcome customers.

Mr Green said: “Although it was started as a place to serve vegan food, it became a safe space for lots of different communities around the city.

“There’s the trans community that came and dined regularly.

“It's got a really nice events space upstairs so it became a place for yoga groups and the Strawberry Fair committee would plan things there.