Part of the Meet New Mills project.
On The Bridge Cafe: Meet Lauren, one of the owners behind New Mills’ wholesome and delicious cafe.
Name of business:
On The Bridge.
Where did the name come from?
Because we’re on the bridge! Union Road, the bridge across the River Goyt. It took us ages to choose a name but we really liked that suggestion. It’s also nice as it’s the bridge that connects New Mills and New Town.
What do you offer?
A lovely diverse menu – brunch, deli food, pastries, cakes, juices, locally sourced everything. It’s a lot of food from such a small kitchen!
How many people are in your team?
Myself and my husband Chris, and 7 amazing staff alongside us.
How long have you been open?
We opened in January 2024, but have both worked as chefs before and I’m also a qualified nutritionist. Â
Are you from New Mills?
We’re not, we’re actually from opposite coasts – Chris from Blackpool and myself from Whitby. We met in Manchester after we’d both independently moved there – 18 months ago we moved to New Mills as it was commutable. I actually interviewed for a job at the cafe and then we ended up buying the place!
What do you like about having your business in New Mills/living in New Mills?
It’s beautiful! It’s a gorgeous place, I love the countryside feel. The community is amazing – people look after each other, there’s a lovely vibe – it’s not pretentious at all. There’s a great music & arts scene too.
Is there anything exciting going on at the moment?
We’ve just been announced as part of the Good Food Guide 2025! We’re also going to start doing supper clubs and evenings – watch this space.
You can find On The Bridge Cafe at 34 Union Road, and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/onthebridgecafe/) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Onthebridgecafe ).Â
