There’s finally a coffee shop in Hyde Park

Our beloved student haven, Hyde Park, is home to restaurants, supermarkets and an inexplicable abundance of ice cream parlours. But for some unknown reason, there has always been a lack of decent coffee shops, and since coffee shops have become a byword for everything that’s bad about gentrification, we’re obviously crying out for some.

Hyde Park’s newest coffee establishment, Pump n Grind is filling this void. The cafe is conveniently located towards the top of Brudenell Road, en route to campus, which is helpful if you need your caffeine fix during that long morning commute.

Despite catering primarily to students, the store offers an unpretentious vibe by avoiding some of the bohemian décor trappings usually associated with independent coffee outlets. But with a blend of acoustic folk music playing in the background (Tallest Man on Earth and Sufjan Stevens when I visited), there is an unmistakable coffee shop feel.

Their menu features all your typical espresso-based coffees as well as filter coffee and a changing array of cakes including, salted caramel cake, chocolate banana loaf and brownies.

But Pump n Grind is a coffee shop with a social conscience. The coffee is ethically sourced and roasted in store using a large, clunky-looking roasting machine. Their coffees are sold at reasonable prices because, as the store supervisor Chris tells me, they “want to keep prices fair for inclusivity.” He also tells me that 20 per cent of their profits go to St George’s Crypt, a Leeds charity tackling homelessness and addiction and all their coffee excess is given to The Real Junk Food Project, who serve it as their “pay what you feel” cafes.

The roaster

“A big thing for us is having a positive impact on the local community” says Chris. “Early next year we’re going to be working with the Crypt to provide employment opportunities to vulnerable adults, and helping unemployed people get back into work.”

The store is owned by former Leeds students, Justin Eniola and Jeremy Gaisie, who have roasting coffee in small batches in Leeds for about two years before deciding to set up their own café where they could brew it and serve it too.

Pump n Grind is open weekdays 8:30am-4pm, and Saturdays 10am-5pm.

@AronKeller