"I FEEL like I'm living my dream every day."

Sophie Knight has taken the plunge with her new riverside cafe, Sophie, on Lendal Bridge in York.

The 24-year-old, who lives near Whitby, has taken on the lease from City of York Council of the pint-sized former Circles cafe with it's lawned terrace opposite Museum Gardens.

"At times it's felt a little bit overwhelming, but I feel like I'm living my dream every day," said Sophie, "I think 'have I actually done this?', but I feel very lucky.

"It's been a lot of hard work, but we are busy nearly every day, and to think this is just the start, it makes me very excited about the future."

After leaving university, Sophie worked for a couple of years in marketing and PR, but says she'd always dreamed of one day running her own cafe, and when the lease came up it was too good to pass up.

She said: "I got the keys at the very end of January, right in the middle of the pandemic, the timing was a bit crazy, but I have had a great time."

On the menu along with cakes, sandwiches and pastries, Sophie has a range of vegan options as well as serving up speciality Rijo coffee alongside luxury milkshakes and a range of cocktails.

The cafe is run by Sophie with four full-time staff supplemented by family and friends helping out.

Currently the doors are open Wednesday and Thursday 10am-5pm, Friday and Saturday, 10am-7pm and Sunday 10am-4.30pm.

"The dream is to be open seven days a week, but that will have to wait for now," said Sophie, "I have a small garden and that was one of the biggest selling points for me."

Sophie hopes to make the most of the garden space on the terrace.

She said: "It's just stunning, right on the river. You can see all the way down the Ouse and we are above City Cruises so there is always a lot going on."