A new cafe home to the recently crowned best barista in the UK has opened in Richmond.

Kiss The Hippo Coffee's manager Paul Ross claimed the UK Barista Champion award at this year's annual awards last month.

He will be keeping locals fuelled at the new coffee-shop, which was opened by MP Zac Goldsmith this week at a ceremony held by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

Can Eren, founder of Kiss the Hippo Coffee: “Kiss the Hippo was founded on the belief that great coffee is best enjoyed in beautiful spaces and with wonderful people.

"That's why we decided to base Kiss the Hippo in Richmond: its tranquil beauty and warm, welcoming community fully encapsulates our brand's core values.

"As a brand that is dedicated to promoting excellence and artistry in coffee, Kiss the Hippo is extremely proud to call itself home to the 2019 UK Barista Champions.

"It was a great honor to represent Richmond, London, and the UK as a whole at the 2019 Barista World Championships last month, and one that we hope to repeat in the future.

"We would like to extend our thanks to Anne Newton of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce and Zac Goldsmith MP; to all the businesses who attended today; and to the town of Richmond upon Thames as a whole.

"Thank you for giving us your support, and for making us feel like integral members of the community.”

Last week the Chamber launched the Richmond Business Awards, unveiling a range of advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

Chamber CEO Anne Newton said: "The respected Richmond Business Awards is launched and we invite businesses to sponsor Best Professional Practice, Best Training and Development, Best Innovation and Best Female Entrepreneur to reach an influential buying audience of local, UK and international heads of business and commerce, MPs and VIPs from the wider community such as sport and film too.

"Businesses can elect to take 2 categories and be the Awards headline sponsors, addressing 300 businesses at the Black Tie Gala Dinner at the RFU Twickenham Stadium’s East Stand The Lock on Friday, 15th December."

"Sponsorship of the Richmond Business Awards delivers ongoing and extensive PR to more than 100,000 digital and print readers of Richmond and Twickenham Times Newsquest and more than 5,000 businesses via our network of emails and social media and the thousands more following our sponsors’ media too."

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

2018 Richmond Business Awards at the RFU (PFT Photography)

The following opportunities are available:

- Quarter Page ad on Awards page in Newsquest RTT newspaper pre Awards - 100,000 online and in print - as Headline 2 ads on 2 pages

- 150 words editorial on same RTT Awards page as the ad - as headline 2 editorials on 2 Awards RTT pages

- Quarter Page RTT ad in Richmond Business Awards Supplement post the Awards - again for headline 2 Quarter Pages for 2 categories, as well as prominent branding in banner

- 150 words and a 60 seconds’ video supplied by you for category/ies page(s) sponsored on RichmondBusinessAwards.com website x 2 if Headline sponsor

- Social media postings surrounding launch and also throughout relating to the category/ies sponsored

- Table for 10 + 1/2 bottle of wine 3 courses fine dining and welcome drink at the Black Tie Richmond Business Awards Dinner Nov Fri 15th - 270 to 300 attendance with business leaders, VIPs MPs Mayor etc

- Presentation of Award category/ies winner with both MPs and TV presenter

- Branding on menus and also on TV screen next to category sponsored

- Sponsors’ logo on Awards Banner used on all Chamber media, website and emails and on RTT printed and digital pages running up to Awards and week post the Awards and on Richmond Business Awards website, which remains live until we launch again

To learn more email@tichmondchamberofcommerce.co.uk