Wakefield Café Leads the Way in New Safe Space Scheme

A city-centre café in Wakefield has become the first venue to join a new initiative promoting safety and inclusion for the LGBT+ community across the district. 

CoffeeWrite, a creative and inclusive café based on Marygate, has been officially certified as the first member of the Safe Space scheme developed by LonGBoaT Wakefield. 

The Safe Space scheme is open to all businesses and organisations across the Wakefield district: from individual traders and community groups to larger or national companies. By signing up, each organisation pledges to uphold a set of inclusive values created by the LGBT+ community, agree to visible accreditation and public listing on the LonGBoaT website.  

For CoffeeWrite, the certification means customers will see a window sticker indicating the space as a safe, welcoming environment for LGBT+ people and allies. CoffeeWrite will be upholding the values LonGBoaT Wakefield and its service users feel are vital for any organisation in 2025.  

This year presents fresh challenges for inclusion. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruling in April have left many in the trans and non-binary community feeling uncertain and anxious about their place in public spaces. In that context, clear signals of welcome like the Safe Space scheme take on greater weight. They don’t erase deeper problems, but they give people places where they can expect support rather than exclusion. 

While CoffeeWrite is the first certified venue, others are already working through the accreditation process, including, The Art Exchange Wakefield, Second Chance Headway and The New Union.  

All of these businesses will soon appear on the Safe Space listing page at www.longboatwakefield.org/safespace. 

By stepping up first, CoffeeWrite sets a strong tone for others to follow. For the LGBT+ community, for allies, and for organisations wanting to make a difference, this scheme offers a practical pathway to make Wakefield more inclusive and safe. If you spot the Safe Space sign in a window you’ll know the venue has made a clear commitment to inclusion.