KIN+ILK is a cafe offering speciality coffee and food in the heart of Capital Quarter.
We spoke to the owner, Rhys, about how the landscape makes him feel and the influx of people it has brought to his doorstep.
Rhys, what do you think about when you look at this landscape?
Community; the landscape has made this space much more inclusive for everyone around here, including all the businesses.
There used to be a big fence up and only one walkway going through to town, whereas now there is a lot more going on. You’ve got the students coming and going, the offices over there, a bridge to the railway and access to Tinsel Street. Everything has become much more interactive, if you like.
What do you like the most about being here?
Aesthetically it just looks so much nicer now. When you tell people about the student accommodation being like this, people can’t quite believe it. You remember what it used to be like, certainly nothing like this. It’s nice to have much more attractive, modern buildings around and new outdoor spaces to spend time in.
We haven’t really seen it in full use during the summer because a lot of the students didn’t arrive until September. But, even for just that month, people were sat here, bringing a real buzz to the seating area outside the cafe because they’re walking straight past it.
Has the new design helped your business?
Before, the office workers used to have to walk around the site to get to us, but now they can walk straight through.
The landscape funnels people straight to my cafe. It makes it all a lot more inclusive which is much better for us and the whole area. If you are going to open up offices and student accommodation in the same proximity, you want a buzz around the place, it attracts more people. We’ve got new furniture arriving out here, as well as some banners on their way.
Finally, how would you sum up the space?
It’s a nice place to come and sit and watch everyone else; people love to people watch. In the summer you will definitely get a lot more people sat outside.