Roots Coffee opens in Chester city centre
By Dherran Titherington 1st Jul 2026
Roots Coffee, a new family-run speciality coffee shop, has opened on Frodsham Street.
The business is run by Trevor and Shirley Vels, alongside their daughters Victoria and Jess.
It serves speciality coffee using beans roasted by Lost Barn Coffee near Malpas, alongside a selection of teas, matcha and homemade sweet treats supplied by Chester-based Eleven Bakes. The menu also includes sandwiches and paninis.
The coffee shop's name reflects the family's decision to put down roots in the city. In 2011, Trevor moved to the UK from South Africa after a long career in the international hotel industry, and says opening Roots Coffee fulfils a long-held retirement dream.
"I've worked in the hotel industry for 45 years, all around the world," he previously told Nub News. "This has always been my retirement dream."
The family say they quickly fell in love with Chester after moving to the area.
"Of course we fell in love with the city. Who wouldn't?" he told Nub News. "The history in this city, 15 years on, it still impresses us every day when we walk down the street. It is just the most amazing city."
That connection to the city is reflected throughout the café, which has been designed using reclaimed and locally sourced materials, including timber recovered from sites across Cheshire.
Trevor said supporting local businesses was central to the café's ethos, as he said: "Everything we're trying to do is about local Cheshire artisan craft."
The family have also invested in specialist barista training for their team, with Trevor and Victoria leading the day-to-day running of the business.
You can find out more about Roots here.
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