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Bristol Bears teammates open new cafe
On Friday evening, Jake Heenan scored a try for Bristol Bears in a narrow victory away against Gloucester.
The following morning, the 28-year-old had swapped tackling fly-halves for serving flat whites at Burra, a new cafe that he has opened with teammate Luke Morahan and Bears head of media, Tom Tainton.
Heenan is from New Zealand and Morahan from Australia, with the name of their cafe on Lower Redland Road just off Blackboy Hill a nod to their Antipodean roots, being a play on words on ‘kookaburra’ and ‘borough’.
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Burra co-owners, from left to right, Jake Heenan, Luke Morahan and Tom Tainton – photo: Rogan Thomson
Heenan and Morahan are following in the footsteps of former Bristol player Olly Kohn, who is one of the founders of Pigsty restaurant in Wapping Wharf.
Back rower Heenan joined Bristol from Bears director of rugby Pat Lam’s former club Connacht ahead of the 2018-19 season.
He said: “Coffee is something we take very seriously back home, so it’s been truly inspiring to see how Bristol shares that unique cafe culture.
“We want to make Burra a fun and welcoming environment that not only offers a delicious menu, but also one that is good for your health and the earth.
“There are some incredible independent businesses dotted around Bristol. It’s an awesome place to live and work so it’s nice to be able to give something back.”
Adèle Thomasset will be managing the cafe while Heenan and Morahan are on the rugby pitch – photo: Rogan Thomson
Open seven days a week as initially a takeaway in what used to be Lashings, coffee at Burra is from Extract in St Werburgh’s.
As well as coffee, there are also desserts, baked goods and brunch, with Heenan, Morahan, Tainton and Burra manager, Adèle Thomasset, wanting to embrace five principles: healthy, natural, sophisticated, simple and sustainable.
Thirty-year-old Morahan has been a Bristol player for four years, being part of the club’s journey from the Championship to their current position on top of the Premiership table.
Morahan, who has three caps for Australia, said: “Burra is such an exciting proposal because we really believe we can make a difference in our community by offering something unique, healthy and hyper-sustainable to the market.
“We’ve been humbled by the support that we’ve received so far. At the Bears, that close alignment with the community is huge and it’s a mindset that Jake and I have carried into Burra.”
Main photo: Rogan Thomson
Read more: Popular chocolate cafe opens in new premises
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