Small Batch began roasting speciality coffee in 2006, opening its Goldstone Villas cafe two years later a short walk from Hove station. The roasting operation later moved to a unit in Portslade, freeing half of the original shop to become a workspace for customers working over a flat white. Owners describe the business as one of the earliest specialists in speciality coffee in Britain, buying beans through direct relationships with growers and roasting them in small batches rather than at industrial scale. The Hove cafe keeps the feel of a neighbourhood stop rather than a chain outlet, with bar seating looking onto the roasting side of the room. Small Batch also runs a mobile coffee cart for weddings and local events. Regulars come back for the espresso; the loyalty is built on consistency rather than novelty drinks.
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