Bristol will be getting its first community bike cafe later this year when Roll for the Soul opens in what is currently Cafe Central on Nelson Street. The cafe will double up as a bike workshop; serve Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired food from breakfast through to dinner; sell cycling clothing, gear, art and another assorted paraphernalia; and host cycling events such as film screenings, skill-sharing sessions and talks.

Roll for the Soul will be opened in partnership with The Bristol Bike Project with a vision to be “a community-focused bike cafe for Bristol… to become the focal point for cycling in the city, celebrating and supporting our unique cycling culture”.

The driving force behind the project is Rob Wall, who has a PhD in transport psychology and was a project manager at Sustrans before leaving last year to commit to Roll for the Soul and also paint bike pictures as Bespoke Bike Portraits.

Rob says: “I ride a bike every day, love trails and tarmac equally, and will give everything to make Roll for the Soul work because I really believe in what it can be and what Bristol’s wonderful cyclists can achieve.”

The cafe’s inspiration comes from Look Mum No Hands! in London and Mojo in San Francisco, with a test run at the Parlour Showrooms on College Green during last year’s Bristol Cycle Festival proving very popular .

Even a not-for-profit cafe needs money from somewhere, and Roll for the Soul has had grant bids accepted from Bristol City Council and the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

But what really shows that the venture looks like being a success is that this crowd-funding site raised £12,917 – beating their original target by almost one thousand pounds.

www.rollforthesoul.org