A COFFEE shop in Cirencester is proud to be one of only seven in the UK to achieve an exclusive gold award.

Husband and wife team Barry and Mandy Cook opened Cotswold Artisan Coffee in the town’s only shopping mall, Bishop’s Walk, in the summer of 2013.

Despite facing some backlash from residents at the beginning of their career, who said Cirencester did not need another coffee shop, the couple have risen above it and gone on to win an abundance of awards.

Last week they took home three accolades from the Beverage Standards Association Awards held in Manchester.

The couple, who used to own a sandwich bar in Swindon, came away with the Newcomer of the Year title, the Best Espresso in the UK prize, and the Five Cups Award, which is a gold medal for coffee shops and has been won by only seven other businesses in the UK.

They won the espresso award by using a blend called Jabberwocky, from a roaster in Stafford called Hasbean. 

Mr Cook, 36, said that both he and his wife, Mandy, 37, were very proud of what they had achieved.

“We are trying to show that we stand out from the rest, and these awards will back it up,” he said.

“It was very high competition. We have had well done cards from our customers and one our regulars even went out and got us a bottle of champagne.

“It makes us feel really good. Our customers appreciate what we are doing for them.”

The couple put themselves forward for the awards and were nominated for their hot chocolate and their filter coffee.

However, the Best Newcomer award, the Espresso award and the Five Cups Award were all happy surprises.

Mr and Mrs Cook are now planning to have their awards framed professionally to hang them up in the shop.

Mr Cook added: “This just goes to show that we’re not just another coffee shop.”