St Nicholas’ Centre seeks to be a place of welcome and hospitality to all who visit it. It is, first and foremost, a place where people of all backgrounds and types will be welcomed into the peaceful surroundings of the Centre. Its users represent a wide cross section of the local community, as well as those from further away. These range from the retired who find here, much valued, social contact; parents with children; some of the increasing number of sightseeing visitors to the town and harbour; the unemployed; as well as the large number of shoppers who use it on a regular basis.
The café - offers high quality, low cost food and drink; with its delicious and nourishing homemade soup a firm favourite with its customer’s. A unique aspect of the café is the fact that it is run entirely by a group of over 30 volunteers, who are drawn from both the local churches or from other community groups and organisations. On Saturdays the café is run by local charities and churches as part of their fundraising efforts.
The Chapel of St Nicholas – provides a valuable sacred space for both corporate worship as well as a place for private prayer and contemplation. The beautiful chapel was created using stained glass and other materials from the old Church, but also incorporating a number of new and inspiring designs, notably the engraved windows depicting the power and compassion of God as Creator. The windows are the work of the highly acclaimed artist Sally Scott. The Chapel separated from the café by engraved glass screens reminds the visitor that life is more than just the things that we can see and touch and buy, and that the values and ambitions of the busy world outside are not the only ones on offer.
The Chapel is open for private prayer during the same hours as the café.
We have a Votive Candle stand for the use of those who find it helpful please ask at the cafe if any assistance is needed in lighting candles.
The Centre – A visitor to St Nicholas’ centre is unlikely to find much, if any, open evangelism going on, and certainly will not feel under any kind of pressure of that kind. It is just not that kind of place. There are no strings attached to having a cup of coffee there – only the hope that the willingness of the Church to be of service and the quiet beauty of the building itself will speak of a God who is ‘for others’ and who delights to be among his people and his creation. Yet for this very reason St Nicholas’ has a kind of ‘Mission Station’ feel about it – the feel of being on the frontier of things, at the point where Church and world meet. And that certainly is where it is, both through the activities that take place within its walls and from its geographical position at the hub of a busy town. Over 1,000 people a week now pass through the doors of this unique place. There cannot be many places where the church has the privilege of having direct contact with numbers like that.
Further Information
Café Opening Times:
Monday to Friday, 10-00am - 2-45pm (And Occasional Saturdays),
Volunteers needed for St Nicholas' Cafe:
The volunteers we have at the moment do a wonderful job covering their own slots and spare sessions in the cafe, but we need more people. At the moment we are on occasion having to close early in an afternoon due to lack of staff. If you can spare a morning or afternoon to help in the cafe at St Nicholas', please speak with Michele (599485) Thanks.
Parish Office
Opening times: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8.20 am to 3.30 pm
Tel. (01946) 599485- answerphone outside these times
Gift Shop
Open at various times during the week, subject to staffing- usually 10am to 2pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
The centre now has an official facebook page-