A new yoga studio and cafe is helping to create a community hub for Nansledan and bringing the neighbours together.
Couple Chloe Stock and Jimmy Blick were due to open their café and studio business called Shiva at the start of April but the outbreak of Covid-19 meant their plans had to be delayed.
Shiva eventually opened at premises in Stret Kosti Ver Woles in the Duchy of Cornwall development near Newquay in May offering a takeaway food service initially, before later being able to open fully as a cafe once restrictions had eased.
The second part of the business, a neighbouring yoga and Pilates studio, launches on July 25th when Government regulations enable fitness venues to reopen to the public.
“It’s been an incredibly busy and tiring few months, and both Jimmy and I didn’t know what to expect, trying to start a new business in lockdown and with so many restrictions in place, but it’s gone so much better than we could have expected,” Chloe said.
“We had to do everything ourselves in lockdown to finish the fit-out work but now it’s complete, Shiva feels like even more of an achievement.”
With a sunny outdoor seating area as well as spaced seating indoors for customers, Shiva is already proving popular in the area as a meeting place.
Chloe said: “The community here in Nansledan is so incredibly supportive and we’ve been overwhelmed with how positive and helpful our fellow businesses have been; it’s a real community vibe.
“The local residents are amazingly welcoming, and lots of people have visited saying they want to support businesses in their own community.
“We already have regulars and there are people now we didn’t know three months ago who have become great friends.”
Chloe said Shiva quickly become a meeting place for residents, especially on Friday and Saturday evenings when the cafe opens until 9pm with a licence to serve alcohol.
“It’s wonderful to see people getting to know their neighbours over wine and cheeseboards,” she said.
“One of the best things about launching Shiva has been helping the community come together in these strange times and providing a venue for local people to meet up.
“It’s such a lovely environment here in Nansledan. It’s a little haven for local people.”
Chloe and Jimmy are excited to expand their business with the adjacent studio offering yoga classes from vinyasa, rocket and yin to slow flow and classical Pilates.
There are plans for future monthly workshops, remedial massage, private classes and all-inclusive days combining fitness classes and meals in the cafe, but to enable current distancing regulations to be maintained, yoga classes will initially be limited to six people.
Chloe explained: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming people in to enjoy exercising and mindfulness with others in an environment where they can switch off and have a break from home.”
Chloe, formerly the lead trainer for one of India’s most popular yoga schools in Goa, will lead yoga classes in the studio, with five other teachers taking other occasional classes, while Jimmy, a Michelin star-trained chef, manages the cafe.
The couple have spent the last three years living and working in India where they managed yoga teacher training and catered for yoga schools, combining their talents for healthy food and well-being.
They learnt of the opportunity at Nansledan after returning to live in Newquay. Chloe said: “When we were looking for premises for Shiva, we loved the peaceful environment and calm at Nansledan, escaping the bustle of the town but still close enough that we can walk or cycle from our home in Newquay. It’s a really lovely area and we’re delighted to join the other businesses which have already opened here.”
Ben Murphy, Estate Director at the Duchy of Cornwall, said: “Chloe and Jimmy have put a huge amount of effort into their new venture and we’re delighted to see how warmly they have been welcomed to Nansledan. The Shiva café is already a great success and we wish them all the very best with their new yoga and Pilates studio now that it can finally open.”
The cafe at Shiva is open from 8am until 4pm every day apart from Monday, and until 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Hot and cold drinks are served along with freshly made breakfast, brunch and lunch options including a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes.
In the evenings, sharing boards of charcuterie and cheeses are on the menu, including a plant-based sharing board, and Shiva is licensed to serve wine, beer and cocktails, with a ‘build-your-own’ gin menu.
Bookings for the studio can be made online or over the phone, visit the website for more details at http://www.shiva-nansledan.co.uk
Nansledan is being built on Duchy-owned land to the east of Newquay and will eventually comprise around 4,000 homes mixed with shops, offices, workshops, green spaces and a range of community facilities. It is being built by a consortium of South West building companies which includes Wainhomes, CG Fry & Son and Morrish Builders. Masterplanners and co-ordinating architects are Adam Architecture.
