The Blackfriars Annexe – Phase 2

An Exciting Project for 2024: Creating a New Dining and Events Space, and Providing Future Income for Blackfriars

Quick links:

• Make a Donation
  (note: US tax-deductible giving is available)
• Read about the Project

LATEST: £66,000 ALREADY RAISED FROM ALUMNI AND SUPPORTERS!

project Video (5:41 mins)

The double frontage of the Blackfriars Annexe building. The front of the ground floor is currently unoccupied

a space for welcoming, a space for fellowship

Background: the Growth of Blackfriars

1927 – Community of Dominican Friars established (‘the Priory’).

1994 – Blackfriars Hall is created as a Catholic Private Hall within Oxford University, welcoming students.

2010s – We grew and needed more space for the Priory, and for the students and academics.

2019 – Blackfriars Annexe opened at 33 St Giles to provide extra space.

2024 – Urgent need for dining space for our students.

The Importance of Communal Dining

For students and academics, an essential everyday part of the ‘Oxford experience’ is table fellowship, enjoying stimulating informal conversations on a rich variety of topics over a regular shared meal.

Up till now, Blackfriars has lacked a suitable place to offer scheduled dining to its community of students and researchers, and has had to improvise using other spaces.

External view, visualisation by PATH Design – note, visuals not final, name TBC

An Exciting New Venture

Now in 2024, a solution presents itself: the commercial space on the ground floor of the Blackfriars Annexe has remained unlet.

We are therefore planning its conversion to create a stylish dining and events space for Blackfriars.

This will also secure an additional revenue stream for Blackfriars by offering daytime hospitality to members of the public.

We also look forward to using this venue to host our alumni and supporters.

Visualisation by PATH Design. Designs not final, name TBC.

Designed as an Extension of Blackfriars

The new Cafeteria (name to be confirmed) is being designed as a visual extension of the main Blackfriars site.

Drawing inspiration from design elements in the priory, it will feature an elegant and clean-lined interior in harmony within the Grade II listed frontage of the Blackfriars Annexe (dating from around 1800).

• Fitted out to a high standard: see visualisations
• Bright and well-lit
• Large picture windows – views towards St Giles churchyard
• Fully adaptable between café layout, formal dining, and standing events
• Fully Equipped Kitchen
• Coffee Bar and Servery
• Pavement Seating

Note: Visualisations by PATH Design and photographs are for illustrative purposes only. Layout and decor are yet to be finalised.

Visualisation of Servery Counter (note: layout and decor are not finalised).

Welcoming the Public

The Cafeteria will put Blackfriars prominently on the local map, providing

• Excellent coffee
• Cakes and snacks
• Takeaway food
• Sit-down breakfasts, brunches and lunches
• Open-air seating

The Cafeteria will serve the busy area in and around popular dining destination Little Clarendon Street, named one of the ‘top ten coolest postcodes’ by The Times in February 2024.

This pedestrian thoroughfare will see further increases in foot traffic when Oxford ­University’s new Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities opens in the nearby Jericho district in 2025.

Financial Support for Blackfriars’ Mission

The Cafeteria is designed to provide a reliable annual income stream for Blackfriars, helping to support its mission of excellence in education and research within a welcoming and supportive small community.

The income generated will help us to offer the best experience to our students and academics and help us to flourish as a Catholic private hall within Oxford University.

Our Partners: Jericho Coffee Traders

JCT is a successful local business that now runs three café venues in Oxford.

Renowned for its excellent coffee, JCT imports beans and prepares them at its own roastery on Osney Island, Oxford, supplying prestigious cafés and restaurants which currently include those at Blenheim Palace and the Royal Albert Hall.

The Project

Blackfriars is working with top restaurant architects, PATH Design, to transform the ground floor of the Blackfriars Annexe, in line with our vision, with a view to opening to the public by Autumn 2024.

PATH has designed venues for a range of clients including Benugo, Windsor Great Park, Warwick University, and the Natural History Museum in London.

The total cost of the project to Blackfriars is estimated at this early stage to be in the region of £550,000 GB (USD 700,000).

How Donations Can Reduce the Cost Burden of the Project

The support of donors is essential for this project, as these infographics explain:

Scenario 1: Without Donors’ Support

Scenario 2: With Donors’ Support

Could You Make a Gift?

As a supporter of Blackfriars, your generous gift would help alleviate the significant start-up costs of this exciting new venture.

Gifts from Blackfriars alumni will be automatically doubled in value of any gift they make (up to £10,000 total gifts) for a limited time only!

Fundraising Targets

We are looking to raise at least £150,000 – but if we can reach £300,000 or even £550,000, so much the better!

We need gifts of all sizes, but would welcome any donor wishing to cover most of or all the costs.

Benefits of Donating

• As a thank-you, all Donors of £500 or more will be offered a 10% discount card for the Cafeteria.
• Donors of £2,000 or more will also be invited to an exclusive special benefactors event in the new Cafeteria, hosted by the Regent of Blackfriars.
• Key Donors of £10,000 or more can also be honoured by inclusion on a benefactors board within the Cafeteria if they so wish; alternatively, donors can remain anonymous, or make in memoriam nominations.

Blackfriars’ students and staff are hugely grateful for any support you can give to this essential project!

How to Donate

If you would like to discuss matters in person, please feel free to contact the Development Director development.director@english.op.org.