A newly-opened branch of a family-run coffee shop chain has opened to give passengers a place to rest their feet at a railway station.

Eastern Daily Press: Loren Ellis, manager at the newly opened Diss Railway Station Coffee Links shop. Picture: Sabrina JohnsonLoren Ellis, manager at the newly opened Diss Railway Station Coffee Links shop. Picture: Sabrina Johnson (Image: Archant)

Commuters joining the mainline to London and Norwich in Diss are once again able to enjoy a morning coffee to help them on their way to work.

After operating from a mobile coffee van, the new Coffee Link has opened on platform one of Diss railway station. It is open from 5.30am Monday to Saturday,

Taking over a vacant retail space left by the previous cafe which closed last July, the team behind Coffee Link have refurbished the previously small shop, knocking down a wall to create a bigger space for customers to sit.

Shop manager Loren Ellis said customers had given them a warm welcome.

Eastern Daily Press: The newly opened Diss Railway Station Coffee Links shop. Picture: Sabrina JohnsonThe newly opened Diss Railway Station Coffee Links shop. Picture: Sabrina Johnson (Image: Archant)

'I love being open,' he said.

'I have all my regulars now. You get to know them and you have their orders ready for them when they walk in the door.

'We have already built up a relationship with all our customers.'

The 31-year-old, who has been a barista for more than seven years, said mornings were the shop's busiest period.

Eastern Daily Press: Loren Ellis, manager at the newly opened Diss Railway Station Coffee Links shop. Picture: Sabrina JohnsonLoren Ellis, manager at the newly opened Diss Railway Station Coffee Links shop. Picture: Sabrina Johnson (Image: Archant)

'I love it when in the mornings, every day for a good couple of hours, we're really busy,' he said.

Mr Ellis added that he has also noticed events in London affect how busy the station is, with lots of people travelling to London from Diss for the recent Brit Awards and to see West End shows such as The Lion King.

Based in Ipswich, Coffee Link was set up by Azzouz and Rebecca El-Mahraoui in 2005. The first shop opened in Ipswich Waterfront the following year.

With a focus on championing ethically sourced and Rain Forest Alliance certified coffee, the company works with small producers, women's cooperatives and uses recyclable and biodegradable coffee cups.

Mr El-Mahraoui said: 'Diss is one of our latest shops.

'It's a lovely station. The customers are amazing and have been very patient with us while we opened.'

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