A dad has realised his dream of owning a coffee shop to pass on a legacy to his kids, motivated by his difficult childhood in care.
Husband-and-wife team Barry and Sam Linsell have opened the Old Bank Coffee shop in the former NatWest Bank building in London Road, Larkfield.
Sam and Barry Linsell inside the Old Bank Coffee Shop in London Road, Larkfield
Blood, sweat, tears and more than £200K have gone into turning the shell of a bank into coffee house for the local community to enjoy.
The pair hope the business will be a legacy they can leave for their two daughters, and will show them that you “get out what you put in”.
Speaking about his motivation behind the business, Barry, 44, said: “On my part, I had a bad childhood. So, we were left with nothing. I worked all my life, the same as Sam. And we want to leave something for the kids eventually.
“If we ever passed away, they’ve got something. Really, we are doing it for our kids.
“I’m not so worried about us, it will probably kill me working all the hours under the sun.”
The Old Bank Coffee Shop in London Road, Larkfield
Sam, 43, added: “In the long run its for our girls. We want them to see that hard work does pay off.
“You’re not going to get handed everything, but you get out what you put in.
“We want them to grow up knowing you do have to work for what you want, but if you put in the work, you get the results.”
Barry, a former chef and audiovisual engineer for concerts, says “fresh food is key” and the whole vision has been built on “quality”.
When they first got the keys in January, it was all hands on deck to transform the vacant bank which closed in July 2024, from a “bare shell” into their dream business.
The Linsell’s worked with Rap Interiors from Maidstone to bring the vision to life, with a view of creating a “home from home” style environment which is cosy and warm but modern.
The coffee shop is in the former NatWest in Larkfield which closed in 2024
The mum-of-two, who also works as a bookkeeper, said: “You get what you pay for. So we wanted quality that is going to last. Not something that we’re going to have to replace or repair in a year or two.”
In addition, high-quality coffee is on the menu provided by GoatHerd Coffee in Wouldham, with a view to “keeping the whole vibe local”.
The proud parents from Ditton, who have a daughter aged three-and-a-half and a nine-month-old baby, say the journey to opening has been “difficult in some places” but Sam says the hard work is going to be worth it.
They can’t wait to welcome the local community who they say has already shown so much love and enthusiasm for the coffee shop.
Barry added: “Where we moved from London, there was no community feel. And moving here, there’s a good community feel.
Seating at the Old Bank Coffee Shop in London Road, Larkfield
“We thought, why not give something back to the area. A nice, warm, safe, space where people can come and sit down and they’re not rushed out. You can sit down and chat to your friends.”
The 44-year-old confesses he loves entertaining, from a BBQ to cooking for friends and thought: “Why not do it for other people?”
Addressing the challenges in the hospitality sector, Sam said: “It is a challenging time but we are basing our coffee shop on quality, not just chucking out frozen food.
“The first coffee at six in the morning, we know is going to be the same as the last coffee at 4.30pm at the end of the day.”
The couple say careful consideration has been put into every aspect of the business, from pricing, to the interior, the team of nine staff members, and the menu which boasts a range of baguettes, sandwiches, gluten-free and vegan options, cakes, pastries and children’s plates to make sure everyone is included.
Coincidentally, one of Barry’s first jobs as a chef was in a former bank, a restaurant called the Metropolitan in Newcastle, where he prepped everything in the old safe which was underground.
Now, he’ll be preparing food next to a safe of his own, as the former bank safe is one of the only remnants of the building’s time as a branch of NatWest, to remain.
The Old Bank Coffee Shop in London Road, Larkfield opens today (May 18)
The Old Bank Coffee Shop opens today (May 18). Weekdays, it is open from 6am to 4.30pm.
On Saturday, doors open at 7am until 4pm, and Sunday opening hours are 8am to 3pm.