Visitors to Abergavenny’s Linda Vista Gardens can now relax with a fresh cup of coffee after the opening of a new café in the Gardens.

Ambika Social is a coffee shop run by Abergavenny resident Nadia Pye who had previously sold coffee and light refreshments from a converted horsebox at Linda Vista, now with help from Monmouthshire County Council funding was given to expand Nadia’s business into a garden café.

Ambika Social café opened its doors for the first time on Saturday, November 13 with Abergavenny Mayor Tudor Thomas present alongside café owner Nadia Pye for the grand opening.

Nadia sells light lunches, cakes and biscuits as well as her coffees, using freshly-baked produce from local suppliers including The Angel bakery and Nay Bakes.

She decided to open the café to help people’s well-being and provide a space where people can come to relax.

Nadia also organises children’s events and yoga sessions to help with people’s wellbeing and is planning on expanding this to host more social events in the Gardens including book clubs.

Speaking to the Chronicle about the café opening, Nadia said: “I can’t talk about the opening of the new cafe without talking about the community support which has enabled it to happen.

‘‘I’m very thankful to Monmouthshire County Council and Mayor Tudor Thomas for their support in obtaining funding, the council on-site workers for the renovation work on the building as well as the hands-on support from my dear family and friends.

“I can’t not give a special mention to The Reuse Shop who gifted the project generously. But what underpins it all is the supportive enthusiasm from customers: the kindness from them never ceases to floor me and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to meet and build friendships with such a incredibly vibrant community, which I feel so lucky to be a part of.”

As a mother to a four-year old boy, Nadia was a frequent visitor to the Gardens during her son’s early years and having found the transition to motherhood quite overwhelming at times, Nadia found that the Gardens was a welcome place to visit and relax.

Having started selling coffees from a converted horsebox in Linda Vista Gardens in March 2020, Nadia’s business idea proved so popular in attracting more visitors to the area that Monmouthshire County Council decided to apply for funding to build a café in Linda Vista Gardens.

After they were successful in obtaining the necessary funding in November last year, an old disused storage stage occupied by the Friends of Linda Vista Gardens voluntary group was kindly donated as a new premises for the café, with renovation work commencing in the Spring this year before finishing in late summer.

Speaking at the opening of the café on November 13, Mayor Tudor Thomas said: “This is an excellent development in Linda Vista and indeed Abergavenny that arose from this very enterprising business woman.

‘‘Nadia started with a converted horse box which attracted a large number of customers, and as her business has grown it has been very good for peoples’ well-being particularly during the Covid 19 lockdown.

“It attracts customers from a wide age range and has become quite a meeting place, and I as mayor very much welcome this development and fully support it.”