Claudia Jones Exhibition at the Coco Cafe Sugar Lounge Petworth

The Coco Cafe Sugar Lounge in Petworth doesn't just do chocolate and coffee. They also regularly have exhibitions of art and photos on their walls as well. The latest set is by Petworth resident Claudia Jones, and as Petworth's premier A-list blogger I was at the launch party to see how it all looked.

Claudia grew up in Jamaica and her oil paintings reflect the warmth and vibrancy of the tropics. A big contrast with West Sussex! She started painting in oils at school when she was 6 or 7 and has continued ever since. Her work is on display in several hotels in Negril, Jamaica.

This a detail from a triptych portraying a group of flamingos in a tropical pool. In additions to the oil paintings she also has some interesting screens that enable you to transform your room into a jungle.

And here is the artist herself

The exhibition is on until May 8th and most of the pieces in it are for sale. Claudia has a website where you can see more of her work. www.stargrasss.co.uk

More about the Coco Cafe Sugar Lounge.

Coco Café Sugar Lounge Petworth

The Coco Café Sugar Lounge is a delightful shop, the sort of shop that thrives in Petworth. One of the great things about Petworth is that it is too small to be of interest to national chains, but is still the home of interesting outlets like this one. Other examples are Guilt, Courtyard and Artful Teasing - all of which stock goods that you can't easily get on the standard high street.

It sells chocolate and sweets, but all interesting and unusual brands that you wouldn't find in a newsagent. Some of them you may have heard of, but some are really small chocolatiers that I frankly don't know where else you would find them. For instance, they stock the local chocolate produced by the Chocolate Alchemist.

You can also have a cup of coffee there if you are lucky enough to get in when one of the few tables are free. If you want a more traditional café with more seating space look for Tiffins.

They are good at promoting themselves too.

And they have a website coco cafe sugar lounge petworth.

Check out the Chocolate Alchemists website.

12.4.09 Update - they have opened up some more floor space now so there are a couple more tables.

They also do art exhibitions, for example Claudia Jones at the Coco Cafe Sugar Lounge Petworth.

Tiffins Petworth

Tiffins is a tea shop down the High Street in Petworth. It has recently been taken over by a new person, who I think you can see looking out the front door in the picture. I haven't been in since the changeover but I have noticed that there are more customers in there when I go by so I imagine that the change has been for the better. It was quite okay before anyway. It is quite a small place so it doesn't take many people to fill it up.

(I have just walked by on a wet Saturday afternoon and it was full to the brim with happy looking customers. I will try and get in there to give it a proper review soon.)

Tiffins has a much fuller menu and more tables, but the Coco Café Sugar Lounge is another place you can get a cup of tea in Petworth.