Mansfield Woodhouse woman opens mining heritage café in memory of 'coffee-loving' grandfather

Kirstan Herriot is launching Arthur’s Coffee House in a former newsagent’s shop, off High Street, across from Morrisons in the town.

The café, which will commemorate the area’s proud mining history, has been named after her grandfather Arthur Herriot who died aged 87, in 2007.

Kirstan’s well loved ‘coffee-loving grandad’ worked for many years at Bestwood and Sherwood collieries.

Originally from Mansfield Woodhouse, Kirstan is experienced at owning her own business having previously run a performing arts school in Devon.

Now she is gearing up to officially open her new business selling coffee, teas, cakes, sandwiches and light snacks on June 21.

“I always wanted to do something to remember my grandad and pay tribute to the miners and the heritage of the the area,” said Kirstan, 35.

"Coffee was a a really big part of my grandad’s life. It was the first thing he’d would do when at the mine, brew a strong cup of coffee with lots of sugar.”

Bilsthorpe Heritage Museum has helped Kirstan set the theme for her café by sharing old photographs and images from the area’s mining industry.

She said: “Thanks go to the museum which kindly let me raid their stash of old photos. The café will include displays about the the miners and the collieries.

"It’s part of our communities’ heritage and the industry is a part of history many younger people know nothing about, yet generations of families were involved in coal mining.

"My grandad was a character. He was hilarious, he could be incredibly sarcastic. He was known by some members of the family as ‘grumpy granpy! He was well loved in the family. He’d like the café and he loved his coffee.

“Contractors are currently doing the cafe flooring, electrics and plumbing but I am really looking forward to opening.

"I hope it will prompt people to have a chat over a coffee, maybe rekindle a few memories of their own family connections to our mining history.”

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