A CHAIN of coffee stores has closed its Poole site temporarily to make way for new developments.

Maravi is known for its specialist coffee and cakes and was first launched in Malawi, south east Africa.

It has since been brought to the UK with cafes in Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch.

However, loyal customers have noticed the Poole site, on High Street, has been temporarily closed for weeks.

A spokesperson for Maravi said the business is working on developments in the store and maintenance of the space.

It is predicted the café will reopen later this year, from September to October.

The boutique café chain serves coffee, croissants, and cakes, but specialises in its freshly roasted Malawian coffee.

Adam Gaffar, director at Maravi & Wellness, previously said: “When we first started, it was a dream of ours to reach an international market.

“The feedback has been exceptional.”

Adam said the business was formed with a view of sharing the country’s “beautiful coffee” while tackling its farming problems.

“We started off with this idea of a café, because I’m a coffee lover, and I found that coffee farmers in Malawi are exploited.”

Maravi aims to embody the beauty of Malawi in its cafes including hand-woven palm basketry, minimalist colour profiles, tropical plants, and instrumental music that invites “good energy”.

Adam previously described three components of the business: atmosphere, product, and service.

“They are very important to us, and not one is above the other.”