Paris-style cafe culture is providing a model for community regeneration in Glasgow. The Linthouse Urban Village (LUV) Cafe in Govan opened its doors in July 2004 as part of a project by Linthouse Housing Association.
Demand for lattes, panninis and pastries in the area exceeded all expectations within its first year of trading and the scheme is now set for a pounds-100,000 expansion.
LUV also includes an art gallery showcasing local and new talent, and will lead to the transformation of dilapidated retail units through its Creative Shopfronts Project later this year.
John McBride, director of Linthouse Housing Association, said: "LUV was initially created for the local community, to provide an inviting and inspiring place in which to live.
"Both the cafe and the gallery have been warmly welcomed by the local community and we are finding more and more people from further afield are now also enjoying what LUV has to offer. This opportunity to expand has come at exactly the right time for us."
Communities Scotland funding has enabled the LUV Cafe to buy the adjoining unit, and work on the extension will soon be under way, doubling capacity and allowing improvements to the takeaway counter.
Shona Stephen, Communities Scotland Glasgow director, said: "The project is ambitious and successful. We provided pounds-84,000 to help with the expansion. The cafe encourages people to become involved in the regeneration of their community."
The French-styled interior design, with its trompe l'oeil and fin-de-siecle influences, will be continued into the new area, and in-house baking facilities will be installed.
Meanwhile, across the road at the LUV Gallery, textile artist Alexandra AM Ritchie will be exhibiting her first collection of textile fine art pieces until April 13. The Glasgow School of Art graduate has incorporated photography, digital print and embroidery techniques to create unusual surfaces and structures.
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