Hi! We're Annie and Ella, the mother-and-daughter team behind Wilfred Neils. We are an independent arts café in the heart of Macclesfield formed with a shared belief that a café can be so much more than somewhere to grab a coffee.
Macclesfield already has a brilliant independent café scene, so from the very beginning we knew we didn’t want to create just another coffee shop. Instead, we’re building a space where coffee, creativity and community are equally important. Yes, you’ll be able to come in for exceptional coffee, homemade drinks and our vegetarian and vegan food. But you might also discover the work of a local artist, browse pieces from independent makers, join an arts or crafts club, hear a new play being read for the first time, come to a poetry night, take part in a workshop, work on your own project or simply meet somebody for a chat.
The café is one part of Wilfred Neils. The bigger idea is to create a home for art, theatre, new writing, creativity and community - somewhere that champions local artists, makers and independent businesses and gives people a place to share what they do. And you certainly don’t have to consider yourself an artist to belong here. Come to create something, experience something, work for a few hours, meet people — or just have a really good cup of coffee.
A name that means something....
The name Wilfred Neils is particularly special to us. It brings together the names of two much-loved members of our family: our grandad and father, Antony Wilfred Martin, and our uncle and brother, Neil Martin. They were both incredibly important to our family, and when it came to naming something that we hope will become such a meaningful part of our lives, we wanted their memory to be part of it too.
So while Wilfred Neils is the beginning of something new, its name carries a little piece of our family's story with it.
A space for stories....
Whether yours begins over a coffee, on a stage, at a desk, in a sketchbook or in a conversation with somebody you've only just met, we hope there'll always be space for it here.
Welcome to Wilfred Neils.
We hope to see you soon,
Annie and Ella x