Bay 5 Coffee

22/01/2026

20/01/2026

Hey All 💜✨

We hope 2026 has been kind to you so far and that you’re all keeping well - We miss you 💜

We can’t lie, last year was challenging. Frustration, uncertainty & deception were key players but we got through it 🙏🏽💜⭐️✨

A few months on since our closure and most of the team have secured jobs, Elena’s side is focussing on their family wellbeing & I am trying to teach my sons never to give up on their dreams by focussing on my passions for art & travel! 🙏🏽💜✨

We’ll be closing down this account soon but before we exit, I promised you updates and clarity and true to my word, here they are for you so that you can finally close the door on it too🙏🏽

We received a response from the Public Ombudsman, they decided not to investigate our case. Although they found evidence of maladministration in the calculations & the information provided to us, their logic was that it didn’t further disadvantage us - They considered the council’s apology to be sufficient.

For transparency, Welsh Coffee Company, Ogmore was originally awarded the council tender. They incorrectly received extra points which subsequently placed them in first position. They appear to have later withdrawn, although it remains unclear why. We received no communication from them.

Sadly, none of the bidders took us up on our offer to discuss our findings. Nevertheless, we stood by doing the right thing and know that our efforts, tenacity and relentlessness has helped bring about positive change, although it’s the only thing we can’t calculate or measure… we’re pretty good at maths 😜

We want to take this opportunity to thank you all one last time for your loyalty over the years, the great times and wonderful memories and for standing by us in our mission for the truth, you really are awesome. Your comments and words of encouragement empowered us to push through the mud and we will always be grateful to you for that 🙏🏽💜✨💫✨

We will remain big supporters of small, female owned business because we know how incredibly hard it can be, especially as mothers 🙏🏽

We also believe that we only truly rise by lifting others - never by stepping on each other’s crowns whilst building our empires! 👑

This leads us lastly on to the new future occupants, Fablas, we salute you on your 5th business premises! 🫡 Enjoy the rollercoaster ride! 🎢

We certainly did! ☺️

Also for all of you asking, please don’t be a stranger! You can find… (posted with permission)
Jane at The Goodwash Company 💜
Libby at Jungle Play 🩷
Liv at Craft Republic 🩵
Annie at John Lewis/Boots/Sephora 💚
Me at Sophia Christou Art 💕✨💫

Also, If you need some catering equipment - or know someone who does, please check out our listings on Gumtree - can’t send the lot but here’s a link to one of them below ⬇️

07/10/2025

We may not have the building but we still have our heart, our resilience, our drive and our quest for truth… First, a well earned break 🙏🏽💜✨

30/09/2025

Feeling like we have reached a real full circle moment today in the history of Bay 5 🙏🏽🟣✨

As we began our large equipment and stock sale, half way through the day we realised that by selling our stuff, we had already helped 3 independent, local, female business owners cultivate and carve out their passions and independence, bringing their unique gifts and talents to the world 💜🌍✨

Some of the ladies were initially apprehensive to approach us as they felt they were benefiting from our ‘downfall.’ But once they realised they were helping our futures by buying our goods, it was like super market sweep! 😅😂🛒

There is always beauty in the struggle 🙏🏽💕💫✨

We wish all of them every success on their journeys and will definitely be visiting Holly at Ocean Sky Wellness Centre for our coffee and massage and to Laura at Thompson St for a lovely lunch once you launch 💪🏽💜

On top of that, little Evelyn got her first taste of her own small business with a drinks table and she and Isabelle bossed it! 🥰

Wonderful and magical things happen when women work together to support and encourage each other, money can’t put a price on that feeling! 🙏🏽💜✨

We do still have fridges, ice cream/freezers, an ice machine, crepe machines and all sorts that need to be sold over the next few days… Please feel free to pop in for huge reductions on our second hand equipment 🙏🏽💜✨

All sale proceeds go into the redundancy pot 🙏🏽

Thanks again,
Sophia, Elena & Team Bay 5 💜

💜

19/09/2025

Good hearts💜Good intentions💜Great team🤩

Thanks for your full report Anna at Barry SMTV… You
consistently share community matters that matter to our community 🙏🏽💜✨

We will be serving your favourite Bay 5 staples for take away from now until the end of next weekend, come down and see us before we go 🙏🏽☺️💜

We will not miss that bleedin’ eyesore of a roof - but we will miss you, our lovely, loyal guests 😌

Thank you for you 🙌🏽🙌🏽💜

2 flat whites 🙏🏽💜

16/09/2025

Thank you Barrybados for your acknowledgement and support over the years 🙏🏽💜

You’re a great asset to our community and never fail to bring a smile with your posts! 😊

Bay 5 held their closing party on Friday before they unfortunately have to close at the end of the month. They will be take away only from tomorrow (Monday 15th) - so please pop down for one final cuppa, crepe or just a chat.

On behalf of the Barry Community, Thank you for your service over the past decade.

13/09/2025

Thank you Anna for popping in to see us last night 🙏🏽💜✨

01/09/2025

✨🎉 Bay 5 Closing Party 🎉✨

Calling all of our Loyal Regulars, Supporters & Friends 📣

Come and join us to celebrate a decade of love, laughter, great food & drink, good times & good friends 💜✨

As we prepare to close the doors of Bay 5, we want to celebrate the incredible memories we’ve created together. Join us for a heartfelt farewell party to honour the friendships, laughter, and unforgettable moments we’ve shared.

Friday 12th September from 6.30pm, free entry, complimentary welcome drink and grazing table (heavily discounted bar)

We’ll have food, drinks, music, and plenty of good vibes as we reminisce about the great times we’ve had. It wouldn’t be the same without you, so come raise a glass and let’s make some final memories together! 🥳🎉🥂

Entrance is free but a limited amount of tickets are available due to the space, so please pop in to register your interest and add your name to the Exclusive Guest List ✨

We look forward to seeing you all 💜✨

Sophia, Elena & Team Bay 5 🌟

18/08/2025

Oxford Dictionary

Gaslight

‘manipulate (someone) using psychological methods into questioning their own sanity or powers of reasoning’.

Hey All 👋🏽

Hope you’re keeping well and enjoying Summer 2025 🙏🏽

We’ve now digested the response to our Stage 2 complaint from Miles Punter at the Vale of Glamorgan Council. In a nut shell, he accepts the amount of numerous mathematical errors throughout our tender process are of concern.

In relation to our main issue - that two bidders scores have been changed resulting in the wrong winner, they have accepted no accountability.

He did, however, produce a new table with two new results only for the bidders in question (Bidders 1 and 3). Our opinion is that the results still favour the incorrect bidder.

On attempting to justify these never before seen results, he stated they were due to an error at the very beginning of the process that for a reason unknown was not disclosed to us before 🤦🏽‍♀️

The Council have since closed our complaint.

As maths is absolute, we have since submitted all information and evidence to the Public Ombudsman for Wales for independent investigation 🙏🏽

Our aim remains the same - to ensure that the Council adhere to the tender process fairly, competently and transparently, that is all we continue to ask - nothing changes if nothing changes.

Although we have still received no formal notice from the Council, Bay 5’s closure is set for October. The redundancy process has now commenced for our team.

Despite not being a ltd company, we will look after our team and continue to explore other avenues and options available.

Going forward, we will only work with companies whose values we are aligned with, who treat ALL with the same due care and consideration (regardless of their finances or anything else).

We will work with those who like to build diverse community hubs, rather than shut them down🙃

We don’t know what the future looks like but we do know that there is always a rainbow after the storm, we have faith that we are all part of a much bigger picture, even though we can’t see it all right now 🌪️🌈✨

Thank you, loyal customers and friends, as always for your ongoing support whilst we trust the process 🙏🏽💜✨

(For anyone that likes Suduko and is up for the challenge, (it’s brain frying at best), please get in touch and we will forward you the Stage 2 response from the VOG to try and decipher🥴🤯)

26/07/2025

We are so lucky to have such a well organised community festival in our town every year!

Set to be a great weekend 🥳💃🏽💃🏽🎶

Have fun everybody! 🤩

22/07/2025

Perfect timing, we could do with a little prayer please Reverend 🙏🏽💜✨

Another pic of Reverend Richard Coles at Barry Island today!

📸 Jonathan Spurr

19/07/2025

Hey everyone, we hope you are keeping well and would like to thank you so much for your ongoing support 💜

Our last post received 180,000 views which goes to show that we are NOT ALONE in our mission to get to the truth 🙏🏽

Here’s where we are at…

LAST UPDATE - We submitted our official complaint at Stage 1 to the Vale of Glamorgan Council which focussed on some discrepancies we have observed in the scoring process that raise questions about its accuracy.

MISTAKES IN ARITHMETIC - Within their response, VOG apologised for a few mistakes they have made calculating the results and advised us that it doesn’t change Bay 5’s position (we know that). Although, that isn’t our point.

When it came to our main issue (see below) they advised that they would involve senior officers in the matter. If not satisfied with their response we could escalate to Stage 2.

THE MAIN ISSUE OF OUR COMPLAINT…

USING THE FORMULA AND RESULTS THAT THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL PROVIDED US WITH THEMSELVES, WE HAVE FOUND THE FOLLOWING…. (ALL VERIFIABLE).

The bidder with the highest final score has had 5.6 points deducted and has become 2nd place.

The bidder with the second highest score has received an addition of 2.2 points to their final score and has been notified that they are the successful bidder.

Yes - you read that right. Takes a while to wrap your head around it. Feel free to read it again.

For complete transparency - Based on the Vale’s process, Bay 5 didn’t win the lease for the building. However, from these calculations, neither did the one they have advised us is the successful bidder either.

SO WHAT NOW? - 1st July, we submitted our Stage 2 Complaint making our discovery clear and requesting the tender process be scrapped and started again in a fair and transparent way.

We will continue to make a stand for the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s tender process to be carried out with fairness, truth, integrity and transparency🤷🏽‍♀️

If you were involved in this process and wish to discuss it further with us, please feel free to get in touch 🙏🏽

UPDATE EDIT - A Stage 2 response has now come through which we will process over the coming days.

To be dutifully continued…