Members of coffee group which tackles loneliness only had to cross the cobbles after the cafe where they usually meet closed.

For a year-and-a-half the West Kent Befriending Service held a monthly coffee morning at Harpers in Market Buildings, Maidstone, which shut on Saturday, February 29.

This left service manager Wendy Pheiffer with just 11 days to find a different spot for 30 regulars.

Luckily, owner of Frederic Bistro, Ulric Allsebrook, offered his establishment.

The group met at the bistro, also in Market Buildings, for the first time today.

The West Kent Befriending Service offers support for older people who have little or no social contact. The coffee mornings give them the chance to chat to a friendly face.

Ms Pheiffer said: "I was really upset for Harpers, it was such a lovely place.

"I am just very grateful to Frederic Bistro. They were community minded and happy to take us on board. They said to me that they have so many elderly people that go in there for a coffee and they completely sympathise with what the service is trying to do."

In a statement, owners of Harpers Nick and Claudine Bedford said shutting was the only option, but they were proud of what they achieved in the past two-and-a-half years.

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