Marie Godden and Terry Arthur at the Bench Cafe

by Chris Hudson-Wallis

A cafe where customers pay what they can afford - or what they think a meal is worth - officially opened for business today.

The Bench Cafe is also taking on 16 unemployed people who want to get a job in catering.

The new community scheme has been made possible thanks to the Communities Food Community Interest Company, and cash from the European Social Fund.

The cafe, in King Street, Gravesend, will take on people who are out of work and live in the area, and teach them food hygiene and customer service.

Training provider The Learning Shop, Bluewater, has guaranteed all of them a job interview in one of the shopping centre restaurants.

Training manager Marie Goddon, 28, said the cafe was not just there for profit, but it was a learning tool.

She said: “It will give them work experience and confidence.

“Having probably been out of work for a while, this will make them feel ready to go back to work.”

Miss Goddon is one of two local residents who have taken up jobs created at the cafe.

The first of what is hoped of many, it is open 9am-3pm, Monday to Friday.

It serves food which has been rejected by supermarkets for various reasons, such as damaged packaging.